Letter: Fake news of ‘Christian genocide’ in Syria a danger to the church there

I have seen no evidence of any major attack on Christians in the last few days, as claimed in a welter of online stories and posts.

The claims followed a spate of violence in Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights over 1,000 were killed in two days of violence, including over 700 civilians. However, all reports suggest that nearly all the civilians killed were from the Shia Muslim Alawite people, who largely remain loyal to the deposed former president Bashar al-Assad.

We know that four Christian men have died in the region where the violence took place. We know that one of them was hit by a stray bullet. And we have no evidence that any of them were killed because of their faith.

This certainly doesn’t equate to a ‘slaughter of Christians’.

The story of a massacre of Christians spread over the weekend. People on X reacted angrily at the perceived cover-up.

“Why is there not outrage over this by the government and MSM (mainstream media),” wrote one poster. “More than 1,000 Christians have been killed since Thursday and no one cares!"

Others spoke of a “genocide” of Christians in the country, going unreported. Even Elon Musk chipped in, asking “Is that what happened?”

I'm terribly worried by the rumours that are circulating because something like this can rebound onto the Christians there.

When a Christian NGO recently started a lawsuit against the new president, the Syrian government summoned a bishop from the same denomination as the NGO and asked why Christians are so against the president.

The lesson is that we must assume that everything that's in the news, or even on social media, will be seen by governments and other armed groups. And that can have terrible repercussions on the Christian population, who likely had nothing to do with the rumours.

Although very few Christians were harmed in the violence, it is already having a negative impact on the morale of the church.

When I visited Christians in Syria last week, they were still cautious but optimistic. Now I think they are more cautious.

Many in the Mediterranean region are really scared that this might lead to more and more and more violence, and that they will be caught in the crossfire.

And one person I know said that she knows of people now wanting to leave the country.

Hundreds of thousands of Christians have fled Syria in recent years. I’m afraid if violence like this becomes commonplace, we will have another big exodus.

However, the violence in the region is shocking and should be of concern to us all for the future peace of Syria.

Matthew Barnes, communications officer for Open Doors in the Middle East and North Africa. Open Doors is a global NGO network which has supported and strengthened persecuted Christians for over 60 years