Christians in Edleb (Idlib), Syria, forbidden from practicing religious rituals

EDLEB, Syria — Christians in Turkish-occupied Edleb (Idlib) in northwestern Syria have described systematic repression of their faith and identity. Rabea Jallouf (52), a pseudonym of a Christian resident living with his wife near the Syriac village of Al Qunia, west of Edleb, said his four children had emigrated from the village, like hundreds of other Christians.

“More than 95% of the village’s residents have been displaced between 2015–2018 after Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Edelb,” said Jallouf.

After HTS and other Turkish-backed factions’ takeover of Edelb in 2015, they have restricted the Christian community, including confiscating their property, closing their churches, and preventing them from practicing their religious rituals, according to Jallouf.

He pointed out that their policy was one of the main reasons for the emigration of most of the Christians of the region.

Raed Saljak (45), a pseudonym for a Christian from the Syriac village of Al Yacoubiya, west of Edleb, refused to leave his village, as most of his Christian neighbors have done.

Saljak said that Christian areas are marginalized and lack even the most basic of services, such as schools, medical checkpoints, civil institutions, and the presence of relief organizations.

Also Read: HTS Confiscates no less than 550 Homes and Businesses Belonging to Christians in Idlib — Syrians for Truth and Justice