Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who formerly led the jihadist terrorist organization Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), arrived on his first official visit to Germany on Monday, 30 March. During the visit, al-Sharaa met with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss migration and economic issues, as well as energy cooperation amid growing anxiety in Europe over supply disruptions linked to the Iran war.
Al-Sharaa, who came to power in 2024 following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, was greeted by the approximately one-million-strong Syrian diaspora in Germany with mixed reactions: thousands gathered in Berlin both in support of and against him. Supporters welcomed al-Sharaa by chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’, triggering widespread outrage on social media and, more notably, within parts of the German mainstream media as well.
Speaking to German tabloid Bild, extremism expert Ahmad Mansour described the scenes as ‘problematic’, arguing that al-Sharaa’s transformation from a terrorist leader into a modern statesman is far from complete. He highlighted that religious minorities, including Christians, continue to face discrimination and even persecution under the new leadership, stating that the situation in the war-torn country remains similar to the Assad era, albeit now under an ‘Islamist banner’.
Mansour also warned that among the celebrating Syrians were many who support al-Sharaa’s ‘Islamist course’. ‘With the “Allahu Akbar” cry, you can simply express joy, but also slaughter people,’ he said, adding that numerous radical Islamist forces remain active in Syria, some of them even more extreme than the president himself.
For this reason, Mansour described the welcoming reception of the Syrian president by Merz and Steinmeier as problematic. He argued that it signals to Syrians that al-Sharaa is an uncritically received guest in Berlin. ‘This is a breach of taboo, especially because it lacked critical scrutiny,’ he said, adding that the visit itself is not necessarily the issue, but rather the scale of its media promotion.
‘Al-Sharaa’s transformation from a terrorist leader into a modern statesman is far from complete’
Just days before the visit, a series of violent incidents targeting Christian communities appeared to reinforce Mansour’s concerns. In the Christian-majority town of Al-Suqaylabiyah in Hama province, armed groups reportedly carried out coordinated attacks on residential areas, businesses, and religious sites, opening fire on homes and looting property. Local reports also indicated the destruction of a statue of the Virgin Mary, widely interpreted as a symbolic act of intimidation against the Christian population. The attacks triggered widespread fear among civilians and raised concerns about possible forced displacement.
The violence coincided with hardline Islamist demonstrations across several Syrian provinces, where inflammatory sectarian rhetoric and extremist symbolism were reported. Observers noted chants invoking religious mobilization and the appearance of ISIS flags in public spaces, alongside a surge in online incitement targeting minorities.
In response to the atrocities targeting Christian communities, the Greek Catholic Patriarchate issued a statement on 28 March announcing that Easter celebrations across Syria would be limited to prayers inside churches only.
There have also been other similar incidents, including a bombing at a major Christian church in Damascus in June 2025 that killed around 25 worshippers, since al-Sharaa took power.
Al-Sharaa continued his Western European tour on Tuesday, 31 March, in the United Kingdom, where he met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street.
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