Archbishop warns Christians against returning to Syria

Archbishop Jacques Mourad of Homs has strongly advised Christians against returning to Syria, even after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The Syrian-Catholic archbishop, who was himself kidnapped by the Islamic State (IS) and held in Raqqa, expressed deep concern for the safety of Christians and all Syrians. He stated that despite the end of Assad's decades-long dictatorship in December 2024, the country has not found genuine freedom or peace.

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I advise against returning to Syria.

"I advise against returning to Syria," Mourad told journalists during a visit to Vienna. He described the country's future as "unclear" and highlighted pervasive security problems. "Every week someone is killed," he reported, citing a recent incident where a woman and child were killed. Mourad noted that attacks are increasingly targeting members of the Alawite and Druze minorities, whom Islamist extremists consider "apostates from the faith."

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Every week someone is killed.

The archbishop also lamented an "Islamic atmosphere" pervading government institutions and schools, with insufficient consideration for the needs of Christians and other non-Muslim religious communities. He mentioned that the new Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani and a leader of an al-Qaida-affiliated group, now heads an alliance of Islamist rebel groups. Many people in Syria are living in poverty, according to Mourad.

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I could sleep very deeply for the first time. I had waited a long time for this moment.