Statement on the Fall of Damascus

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, December 9, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today, Dr. John Eibner, the International President of Christian Solidarity issued a statement following the fall of Damascus to jihadist rebels.

"For the past thirteen years," Eibner said, "the United States and its allies – the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates – waged a hybrid war to undermine or overthrow the government of Syria, with the goal of gaining an advantage over Russia and Iran."

This hybrid war, Eibner said, included both a devastating economic sanctions regime, and direct and indirect support for jihadist forces, including Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former al Qaeda affiliate which now controls Damascus.

"The Syrian conflict was woefully prolonged by this strategy, and hundreds of thousands of Syrians have died as a result," Eibner said. "This strategy has now culminated in the collapse of the Syrian regime."

Starting on November 27, jihadists fighting under the banner of HTS launched a lightning offensive against Syrian regime forces in northern Syria. Over the next eleven days, they swept through Aleppo, Hama, and finally Damascus. President Bashar al-Assad, whose family has ruled Syria since 1970, has fled to Moscow.

"No tears should be shed for the ousted Assad-led dictatorship," Eibner emphasized. "We can only rejoice that thousands of prisoners will now be reunited with their families after years, even decades, in Assad’s dungeons. We must not forget the grisly reality of those who perished there."

While HTS has a track record of attacking religious minorities - Christians, Druzes, and Alawites - CSI states on its website that it has not received any credible reports of Christians or other religious minorities being harassed or attacked by rebel forces since November 27.

Eibner underlined that the foreign powers who backed HTS have a responsibility to make sure it stays that way. "Having used jihadists as a tool of choice for undermining the Assad regime, the U.S. and their allies now bear a special responsibility for the human rights situation in Syria in the aftermath of the jihadist victory," he said.

For 11 years, CSI has been working with churches and Christian NGOs across Syria to support people affected by the war and economic sanctions.

"For its part," Eibner pledged, "CSI recommits itself to solidarity with the Christians of Syria and with all the people of Syria. We will continue to advocate for their protection, and to support humanitarian aid and development projects in Syria for as long as we are able."

The full text of the statement can be read on CSI's website.

Joel Veldkamp
Christian Solidarity International
+41 76 258 15 74
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