In As-Sukailabiya in the Hama province in west-central Syria masked perpetrators – Islamic extremists – they set the Christmas tree on fire mostly on the main square of the city inhabited by Christians subject to the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the attackers, threatening them with weapons, prevented witnesses from extinguishing the Christmas tree. After they leave, the tree extinguished by local firefighters.
On Monday evening at the site of the burned Christmas tree a cross was erected.
Syria: Massive Christian protests. In the background, a Christmas tree is set on fire
Syrian Christians reacted to the event on Tuesday they organized mass protests in several cities of the country, including the capital – Damascus. Demonstrators demanded to stop the “growing chaos in matters of security and restrictions on religious practices.” – Raise your cross high! We demand the rights of Christians, they chanted.
– If we are not allowed to live in our country according to our Christian faith, as we have done so far, then there is no room for us anymore – a protest participant told AFP.
New Syrian authorities: Foreign fighters are to blame
Fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)the faction that took power in Damascus after the fall of the Assad regime, assured that the perpetrators were foreign fighters. It was also notified that they were detained.
– The people who did this were not Syrians. And they will be punished more than you can imagine. I assure you that this tree will be completely restored by morning, one of the HTS leaders said on Tuesday.
A new leader Syria and HTS rebel leader Ahmad Hussein al-Sar (also known as al-Jaulani) regularly emphasizes that the rights of religious minorities will be respected under his rule.