Extremist poster targeting Christians sparks outrage in Tartus, Syria

TARTUS, Syria — Residents of Tartus woke up Tuesday morning to find a provocative poster affixed to the wall of the city’s Syriac Maronite church, calling Christians to convert to Islam or pay the ‘Jizya’, a tax historically imposed on non-Muslims. The poster, written in Arabic and signed off with the phrase “The Umayyads passed through here,” carried an explicitly ‘Takfiri’ message declaring all religions except Islam as false and urging individuals to abandon their faith or face divine punishment. 

The message, promoting religious exclusivity and threatening spiritual condemnation, has sparked widespread alarm among local residents and human rights observers. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights condemned the poster as a dangerous incitement to sectarian division, warning of the “grave risks posed by sectarian rhetoric in Syria’s fragile post-conflict society.” 

It remains unclear who is responsible for the poster or whether local authorities were aware of its placement. “If this occurred without the government’s knowledge, it is a serious lapse in oversight. If it happened with their awareness, the consequences are far more disturbing,” one civil society representative stated anonymously for fear of reprisal. 

Local Christian communities expressed outrage and concern, demanding swift action to prevent future provocations and to ensure religious coexistence is safeguarded. Observers note that Tartus, a coastal city traditionally known for its relative religious harmony, has rarely seen such open acts of religious intimidation. 

Calls are growing for Syrian officials and international actors to investigate the incident and address the rise of extremist narratives threatening the country’s religious mosaic.