BEIRUT — The Christian Front of Lebanon issued a stark warning over what it describes as a worsening campaign of violence and exclusion targeting Syria’s Christian community, accusing the government of silence and inaction in the face of repeated attacks.
In a press statement, the group condemned the continuation of assaults on Christian families and institutions, recalling the terrorist attack on the Greek (Rūm) Orthodox Mar Elias Church as one of several incidents carried out “without accountability.” The Front said the government’s tendency to dismiss such incidents as the work of “unruly groups” amounted to little more than a cover for ongoing violations.
The Front’s statement also criticized the Syrian leadership for sidelining Christian political forces and excluding them from “genuine consultations or national partnership” at a time when, it said, Syria urgently needs to draw on all of its social and political components.
Addressing President Ahmed al-Sharaa directly, the Christian Front called for “serious and decisive” intervention to halt the attacks, safeguard the presence of Christians, and guarantee their role as “essential partners in shaping Syria’s future.” The statement described Christians as part of the country’s “historical roots and authentic civilization” and rejected any attempt to reduce them to what it called “the weakest or most vulnerable link.”
The Front warned that if the current marginalization and leniency toward aggressors continues, it may be forced to adopt unspecified escalatory measures. “The patience of Christians should not be mistaken for weakness,” the statement said, framing restraint instead as a reflection of the community’s commitment to a pluralistic and united Syria.
The Front’s intervention comes amid heightened concern about minority rights in Syria, where years of conflict and political upheaval have left Christian communities — once significant in number and influence — facing both demographic decline and mounting insecurity.
Below is an English translation of the full Arabic statement:
The Christian Front: The Syrian Government’s Silence on Attacks Threatens the Christian Presence
The Christian Front strongly condemns the ongoing attacks targeting our Christian people in Syria, which began before the bombing of St. Elias Church and continued afterward, due to the absence of accountability and the government’s failure to take decisive measures against the perpetrators.
The Front considers the justification of these crimes under the pretext of “unruly groups” unacceptable, as it has become a cover for the violation of Christian families in many areas.
The Front also denounces the marginalization of Christian parties and forces through their exclusion from genuine consultations or national partnership, at a time when Syria needs all of its components.
The Front calls on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his government to intervene seriously and decisively to put an end to these violations and to guarantee the presence and participation of Christians as essential partners in shaping Syria’s future. Christians are the country’s historical roots and authentic civilization, and they will not accept being treated as the weakest or most vulnerable link.
The Front clearly warns that the continuation of this marginalization and leniency toward aggressors may push it to adopt escalatory measures that will serve no one’s interest. The patience of Christians should not be mistaken for weakness, but rather seen as a commitment to preserving a pluralistic, united, and strong Syria.