08/10/2023 Syria (International Christian Concern) – Syria has been extensively covered in the news for decades. With issues such as the Arab Spring beginning in 2011, the allyship between Syria, Russia, and Iran, territory held by ISIS, immigration policies, corrupt prison systems, and even the economic gains of drug usage, Syria has an abundance of discussion topics.
In order to better understand the situation in Syria, ICC created a brief outlining the al-Assad regime, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, and future actions, particularly as they relate to the lives of Christians. If you haven’t heard of any one of these elements, ICC’s Syria brief is a fantastic place to gain in-depth knowledge.
Syria has been ruled by the al-Assad family since 1971, which has resulted in strict rule and violence in its most recent decades. The regime promotes itself as a protector of Christians while simultaneously maintaining torturous prison systems and desecrating Christian religious sites with the justification of maintaining “public order,” which is consistent with the Syrian constitution. With uprisings and attacks from rebel groups such as ISIS and invasions from Turkish rebels, territory in Syria continues to be fought over and contested on an international scale.
One of the most fascinating groups involved on the ground in Syria is the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. While this group does not often make international headlines and still entertains many issues, pro-democracy readers might be pleased to know that an autonomous government that promotes equal representation of genders, freedom of religion, and diversity of cultures is functioning and thriving in the northeast portion of Syria.
The complex issues surrounding what to do moving forward as it relates to Syria and particularly the protection of Christians in Syria can be found in the “future action” portion of ICC’s Syria brief, which attempts to suggest reasonable and thorough explanations of steps to take in addressing the devastation in the lives of so many Syrians.
Click here to read “Understanding the Current Climate for Religious Freedom in Syria.”
For interviews, please contact: press@persecution.org.
