Syrian Christians Protest in Damascus after Christmas Tree Burning by HTS Militants
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Hundreds of Syrian Christians demonstrated in Damascus on December 24, denouncing the burning of a Christmas tree in Hama by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the extremist group that seized power following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Carrying wooden crosses and the Syrian flag, protesters marched through the capital to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy in Bab al-Sharqi, chanting demands for Christian rights.
Protests also erupted in Sahnaya, Jaramana, Hama, and other areas, with some Christians reportedly arming themselves against HTS militants.
Video footage from December 23 showed a large Christmas tree set ablaze in Suqaylabiyah, a Christian neighborhood in Hama. The incident, attributed to foreign militants under HTS’s command, sparked outrage. Reports indicated the attackers included fighters from Chechnya and Uzbekistan.
HTS deployed a military official to the scene, who condemned the act and pledged severe punishment for those involved. "This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations. The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening," the official said.
Despite HTS’s repeated apologies and vows to protect minority rights, similar incidents have occurred. Last week, militants attacked the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Hama, vandalized statues, and desecrated graves. Executions of Alawites and former Syrian soldiers have also been reported.
HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, has been engaging with Western and Arab officials about Syria’s transitional political process, promising inclusivity. However, the group’s past, under its former identity as the Nusra Front, includes numerous atrocities, such as the execution of Alawites and the kidnapping of nuns.
Sharaa, a former member of Daesh (ISIS or ISIL), oversaw the group's transition from the Nusra Front to HTS by 2017.