SYRIA: Christians in Syria protest after Christmas tree burned in Al-Suqilabiya, Hemto (Hama), by non-Syrian HTS members

HEMTO, Syria — Christians in Syria are increasingly concerned about their treatment under the governance of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), especially as Christmas and New Year approach. These fears were validated following a recent attack on a significant Christian symbol in Al-Suqilabiya, in the Hemto (Hama) countryside.

HTS elements destroyed and burned the town’s Christmas tree, which had been installed in the town square just two days earlier as part of Christmas celebrations. According to a source, non-Syrian HTS members initiated the attack by vandalizing the tree before setting it on fire. When local residents attempted to intervene, the HTS elements fired shots to disperse the crowd, claiming the tree symbolized polytheism.

In response, residents staged a mass demonstration at the district administration headquarters, condemning the actions. Initially, HTS claimed that remnants of the former regime were responsible for the attack, but later admitted it was carried out by their own members of non-Syrian origin. HTS pledged to hold the perpetrators accountable and promised to restore the Christmas tree within hours.

In solidarity, residents of Al-Hawash in the Hmoth (Homs) countryside protested near their town’s Christmas tree, decrying the attack in Al-Suqilabiya.

Similar incidents have occurred in other regions under HTS control. In Holeb (Aleppo), an HTS operative destroyed a Christmas tree in a Christian neighborhood before HTS replaced it with a new one. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Hemto (Hama) was attacked by armed men, resulting in the destruction of church furniture, Christian symbols, and the vandalism of Christian cemeteries.

HTS often attributes these incidents to “individual actions” by its members, promising accountability. However, investigations and their outcomes are rarely made public, further fueling concerns within the Christian community.