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Since violent clashes erupted in late March in the western Syrian town of As Suqaylabiyah, fear has remained.
On the afternoon of March 27, two boys from the nearby village of Al-Qala came to As Suqaylabiyah and stood outside a café, harassing a Christian girl. This quickly led to a fight between some Christian boys and the two youth. The young Christians wanted to help the girl.
"What we're discovering in the hearts of people around us feels like darkness."
A young Christian girl
But what began as a small skirmish turned into violence. That night, a large group of at least 100 men returned, attacking the town, destroying shops, damaging cars and shouting hateful insults against Christians. Local contacts shared video:
Families hid in their homes, terrified, praying for safety as chaos filled the streets. For hours, there was no help from the security forces. Eventually, security forces reinforcements arrived from the nearby city of Hama, and they regained control.
When silence finally returned at midnight, Christian men gathered and prayed together with trembling voices: "Our Father, who art in heaven …" In the end, six Christian boys were arrested, and none of those who attacked the village were taken into custody.
This is a worrisome development in Syria, currently ranked No. 6 on Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List. The country was the biggest riser on this year's list, driven by instability and violence. And the situation in As Suqaylabiyah shows that the uncertainty is still present for many Syrian believers.
Local church leaders in the town reached out to Islamic leaders from neighboring villages, hoping to stop the violence and bring peace to a community that just wants to feel safe again after years of war and uncertainty. The security forces also promised to release the six boys who were in custody.
Near the same area, in the nearby Christian village of Mahardeh—close to As Suqaylabiyah—two men on a motorbike were seen filming inside the village while mocking a statue of Jesus. They later posted the video on social media.
And what followed was even more disturbing than a social media post. Many people—from all over Syria—responded to the video with deeply offensive comments against Christians.
"It's really scary what we see on social media," said a young Christian girl from a nearby city. "What we're discovering in the hearts of people around us feels like darkness."
All over Syria, Christians have been praying for As Suqaylabiyah. In Damascus, a group of men went to the Greek Orthodox patriarch, asking him to act. They complained that they have lived in fear for more than a year, saying, "This land is for the Christians, and they cannot take it from us."
On March 28, residents in As Suqaylabiyah gathered for a peaceful protest, raising their voices for safety, justice, and dignity. They called for the confiscation of uncontrolled weapons and demanded accountability for those who spread destruction and fear. Among their slogans were: "Yes to the rule of law and holding saboteurs accountable"; "No to a one-denomination army"; "No to sectarianism"; and "Personal freedom is a constitutional right."
As all of this happened just before Palm Sunday, many people asked to cancel Palm Sunday celebrations, worried they could be targeted. In solidarity with As Suqaylabiyah, local churches decided to only hold primary services on Palm Sunday, canceling all outdoor festivities. The community refused to celebrate under government protection until the issue of unlicensed weapons is addressed—especially following the involvement of certain security forces in the last attack.
Pray that the conflict ends here, with only material damage, and does not escalate into something greater, as we have seen in other places. Pray for the safety of Christians living in Syria—that God protects them, strengthens them, and surrounds them with His peace. May His presence be with them always, giving them courage in fear and hope in the midst of uncertainty.
