05/02/2019 Syria (International Christian Concern) – The Syrian Network for Human Right’s monthly report of those killed in the conflict noted that April saw a higher proportion of women and children killed in massacres than usual. A total of 66 civilians were killed in a massacre setting, 37% of whom were women and children. The main perpetrators were Syrian Regime forces, followed by Russian forces, Syrian Democratic Forces, and other parties.
In total, 324 civilians were killed in Syria this past April. This is part of a trend which has continued upward since the beginning of the year. The Syrian Regime remains the primary perpetrator, and death in a torture setting remains one of the top settings for these deaths.
The Syrian Civil War has significantly calmed in comparison to its start in 2011, with the Syrian Regime increasingly viewed as the likely victor due to the territorial control it has reasserted in many parts of the country. That said, violence still remains the norm.
The regime is looking for and punishing those who failed to support the government. Most Christians left Syria because of the conflict, but those who remain are in a challenging position. Throughout the war they have been asked to give allegiance to various contradictory sides, all of whom have a history of persecuting Christians.
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