Escalating Attacks on Aramean Christians in Syria Call For Urgent Protection
- Post 12 March 2025
Homs, Syria – The targeting of Aramean Christians in Syria continues to escalate, raising urgent concerns about the safety and security of vulnerable communities. On March 12, Johnny Al Sayegh, an Aramean from Al Kharab, was shot and killed by a sniper near Birj Al Sabi, just below the coastal city of Baniyas. His fiancée, Rima Hadad, who was with him at the time, was severely injured and remains in critical condition in intensive care.
According to his family and eyewitnesses, the sniper belonged to Syrian government security forces. The perpetrators must be visibly and swiftly brought to justice to ensure accountability and prevent further violence against Christians, Alawites, and other defenseless civilians.
In a separate incident, Elias Michel Asaad (photo), another Aramean, was found dead today after being kidnapped and robbed two days ago in Homs. His body was laid to rest in his home village of Al-Khansa, in the Valley of the Christians region of Homs Governorate. We have received another report of an Aramean woman being killed, but we have not yet been able to confirm it.
These killings occur amid reports of widespread massacres along Syria’s coastal region, where nearly 2,000 Alawite civilians have reportedly been killed. Meanwhile, Aramean Christian families in Baniyas and its surroundings have been looted and threatened, causing widespread fear and displacement. Since the recent outbreak of the Syrian coastal massacres, at least a dozen unarmed Christians have been confirmed killed.
While eliminating armed groups of the former regime may be a legitimate military objective, the ongoing targeting of civilians can never be justified or tolerated. Such actions constitute a war crime and a gross violation of international humanitarian law. Hence, we demand that:
- The Syrian authorities must immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for these targeted killings to remove the growing stain on the new Syrian rulers.
- The United Nations and the European Union must issue a firm condemnation of these atrocities and demand immediate protection for Arameans and other at-risk minorities.
- International human rights organizations must document, investigate, and expose these heinous crimes to ensure justice for the victims.
The ongoing instability in Syria poses a serious threat to minority groups, and urgent measures are needed to prevent further loss of life and promote peace, security, and reconciliation.
Download and read the press release here in PDF.
