Humanitarian groups are alarmed that the recent surprise offensive by al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) against the Syrian government could further endanger Syrian Christians, who are already struggling after a decade of civil war and the rise of the Islamic State.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which provides aid to persecuted Christians globally, reported on Tuesday that around 25,000 Christians remain in Aleppo, the city initially targeted by HTS and now facing a severe Syrian army counter-offensive.
“Basic services are paralyzed, with only two hospitals available for critical care. Food supplies are dwindling, prices have skyrocketed, and the population is caught between bombings and insecurity,” said ACN’s Syria project manager, Marielle Boutros. She added that fear pervades the city, with reports of violence, including a sniper killing an Armenian doctor and attacks on buses attempting to flee.
“With schools closed and banks non-operational, people lack access to their salaries,” Boutros noted. ACN Secretary-General Philipp Ozores emphasized the dire situation, stating, “Survival has become a daily struggle.”