(CP) Christian leaders in Syria meet with the country’s latest head of presidency but remain uncertain about its intentions, in line with reports, which say no firm commitments emerged from the gathering, leaving the community uneasy about its role in a rapidly changing political landscape.
Church representatives, including Franciscan friars and other clergy, met with Ahmad al-Sharaa – also known by his wartime alias Abu Mohammed Al Jolani, who leads the transitional administration that overthrew the previous regime on Dec. 8, 2024, on the People’s Palace within the capital last week, Catholic New Agency reported Saturday.
The attendees included Fr. Ibrahim Faltas, deputy custodian of the Holy Land, and Father Rami Elias, SJ, they usually deliberated on matters regarding the Syrian Constitution, democracy and equality.
“It is ambiguous — we cannot discern his true intentions,” Fr. Elias was quoted as saying in regards to the end result of the meeting. “There aren’t any guarantees, and we remain in limbo.”
During the conversation, al-Sharaa recalled his time living amongst Christian communities in Damascus and Daraa, assuring the delegation that their interests wouldn’t be sidelined.
However, Elias conveyed an undercurrent of tension among the many clergy, telling reporters that the end result was unclear. “Our situation is not going to be worse than it was before,” he said, encouraging Christian leaders to draft their very own recommendations for the long run Constitution, noting that possible amendments to the 1950 Constitution could gain traction amongst various groups.
Three patriarchs of the Antiochian See residing within the capital didn’t attend the session; as a substitute, they sent representatives. Other Christian denominations were present, including Orthodox, Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Anglican and Syriac Orthodox clergy.
The meeting got here amid mounting fear amongst minorities, who’re looking for assurances after the takeover by a coalition led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).
The civil war, ongoing for nearly 14 years, has fractured Syrian society along religious, ethnic and political lines. Al-Sharaa’s administration faces the challenge of restoring calm in areas where vandalism and sectarian attacks have sparked protests.
Hundreds of Christians recently demonstrated after a Christmas tree was set on fire by unknown perpetrators believed to be related to a jihadist group, La Croix reported.
Thousands of Alawite Syrians also took to the streets following an attack on certainly one of their shrines. A neighborhood official from HTS condemned each incidents, but activists questioned whether the brand new authorities could adequately protect minority groups.
Reports indicate that foreign governments are watching the brand new administration closely.
According to Axios, U.S. envoy Daniel Rubinstein recently visited the capital and discussed concerns over ongoing violence with Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, the temporary foreign minister.
Citing U.S. officials, Axios wrote that the envoy demanded explanations for multiple videos allegedly showing abuse and killings of minority communities, particularly Alawites. Al-Shibani responded that the brand new government rejects such acts and attributed them to other armed factions.
The transitional authority also met with Kurdish representatives from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in an effort to broaden its base. The SDF, backed by Washington, has historically been at odds with Islamist-leaning factions, complicating alliances on the bottom.
Al-Sharaa, then often called Jolani, established HTS after severing ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. This rebranding marked a strategic shift as Jolani distanced his group, formerly often called Jabhat al-Nusra, from transnational jihadist goals, according to PBS Frontline. His trajectory as a militant began in Iraq, where he rose through the ranks of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) before founding Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria with the support of ISI’s successor, IS.
In its early years, Jabhat al-Nusra pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, aligning with its global jihadist ideology. However, Jolani’s decision to chop ties with al-Qaeda was seen as an effort to achieve broader legitimacy, in line with the Middle East Eye. This transition culminated within the formation of HTS in 2017, incorporating various Syrian opposition groups under a nationalist and ultraconservative Islamist framework.
