On July 15, 2025, Christian communities in Syria faced a surge of violent attacks, reports Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). In Al-Soura Al-Kabira, Suwayda Governorate, assailants torched 38 Christian homes, leaving families destitute and 70 people seeking refuge in a church hall in Shahba. A local source told ACN, “This community, already among the poorest, has lost everything.” St Michael’s Melkite Greek-Catholic Church was also set ablaze, with social media images confirming the devastation. Access to the area remains restricted, obscuring the full extent of the damage. The neighboring village of Al-Mazraa reportedly faced similar attacks, though details are unconfirmed. The perpetrators remain unidentified, but sectarian tensions and extremist activity are suspected.

In a separate incident on July 13 in Al-Kharibat, Tartous Governorate, security forces and locals foiled an attempted bombing of Mar Elias Maronite Church. An explosives-laden vehicle was discovered near the church at midnight, and the terrorists were apprehended in an ambush. These attacks follow the June 22 suicide bombing of St Elias Orthodox Church in Damascus’ Dweil’a neighborhood, which killed 30 and injured 54.

ACN continues to provide emergency and pastoral aid to Syria’s beleaguered Christians, who face ongoing persecution amid rising sectarian violence. These incidents underscore the vulnerability of minority communities, echoing biblical calls to endure persecution (Matthew 5:10). The international community is urged to address this escalating crisis to protect Syria’s dwindling Christian population.

Source: Aid to the Church in Need: New Wave of Violence Against Syria’s Christians