Christian watch group rises up to protect community amid growing violence in Syria

FIRST ON FOX: The growing violent attacks and killings in Syria under the Islamist rule of the new regime led by Ahmed al-Sharaa have put the country's Christian community on edge, with many fearing for their future.

"The situation for Christians in Syria has reached a critical threshold, and I'd argue they're teetering on the edge of catastrophe," Jeff King, the president of International Christian Concern, told Fox News Digital.

"A jihadist storm is beginning to rain down on them and, so how long can faith hold?" King added.

While King's organization has been actively helping persecuted Christians in Syria as well as globally for years, a group of Syrian Christians in the country's capital, Damascus, known as the Eagles of Antioch, came together to defend their communities and religious identity following the fall of former Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad.

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The group's importance is even more significant, given the attacks by Islamic extremists earlier this month that resulted in the death of hundreds of the minority Alawite community as well as several Christians who were targeted due to their faith. 

The "Eagles of Antioch," is a volunteer organization made up of around 500 volunteers, operating within three primarily Christian neighborhoods in Damascus. They watch over Christian areas from dusk to dawn, patrolling the streets and protecting Christian shrines from attack.

Danial Georgios, a construction engineer living in Damascus, spoke exclusively to Fox News Digital about the group's work in Damascus neighborhoods. Georgios, 30, and his Eagles of Antioch want to fill in the security gap until tensions ease.

"We want to be represented. We no longer accept the idea of being marginalized or treated like a second-class citizen," he told Fox News Digital.

"We look at ourselves that we are equal to the Muslim, the Alawite, and every single Syrian citizen," he added.

The group derives its name from the ancient city of Antioch, reflecting their deep-rooted connection to the Antiochian Patriarchate. Members hail from three main Christian denominations: Antiochian Greek Orthodox, Antiochian Melkite Catholics and Antiochian Syriac Orthodox. 

Members of the group patrol their communities, protecting Christian holy sites, including shrines, symbols and churches. If a site is damaged or vandalized, the group will repair it themselves, hoping to avoid an escalation into sectarian conflict between the Christian community and their Sunni neighbors.

They advocate for a system based on strong municipalities, or extreme local governance, enabling Christians across Syria to manage their own affairs and celebrate their religious festivals without fear of persecution. Since emerging, the group has successfully protected liquor stores, churches, shrines and residences from theft and vandalism, according to the Eagles of Antioch.

Georgios and his peers were spurred to action in December after a Christmas tree was lit on fire in Al-Sqailbiyyah, just outside Hama. Radical jihadists, according to Georgios, were responsible for the vandalism. Following the incident, He and his fellow Christians organized a mass peaceful protest inside Damascus, chanting for equal rights for all Syrians.

"We want to internally be able to police our area," Georgios said. However, he stressed that any actions taken are in coordination with the HTS government and will not impact the sovereignty of Syria or challenge its rule.

Even if HTS is capable of providing full security in Damascus and other minority communities around Syria, Georgios said the group will not dissolve but would be open to joining state-sponsored local police forces under the authority of HTS if the political transition continues.

"We want to be represented, and we no longer accept the idea of being marginalized or treated like second-class citizens. We look at ourselves that we are equal to the Muslim, the Alawite and every single Syrian citizen," Georgios said.

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Since Assad fell and HTS took power, Georgios claims that most of the attacks against Christian communities were carried out by foreign factions or radical elements, and is not government sanctioned.

Despite reports and accusations that HTS members have been targeting Christians, he claims, "It’s not HTS at all, HTS is trying to avoid any clashes with Christians. HTS is now the state and we as Christians try to support stability," Georgios asserted.

HTS promised not to target religious minorities during their lightning path to seizing Damascus and toppling Assad. The group made assurances to the communities they controlled that they would allow religious minorities to peacefully coexist and would not be targeted for their faith. 

Yet, King's organization isn't as hopeful. "Since HTS toppled the Assad regime in December 2024, the environment has been precarious at best. But the bloodshed that unfolded March 6-10 in Latakia and Tartous represents a frightening escalation. According to the Syrian Observatory, the violence claimed over 1,540 lives—predominantly civilians, with reports indicating between four and a dozen Christians among the casualties."

He continued, "While HTS hasn't yet implemented an official anti-Christian policy (they're treading carefully thinking about public perception as they solidify control), certain factions and individual fighters are already targeting Christians with violence."

King's organization noted that the new interim Syrian constitution states, "The religion of the President of the Republic is Islam," Article III declares, and "Islamic jurisprudence is the principal source of legislation." The group says that "this language is slightly starker than Syria’s previous constitution, which cited Islamic law as simply one source among others." 

International Christian Concern (ICC) also noted that the interim constitution also guarantees protection "for all divine religions." The ICC wrote that the document "seems to indicate that the government intends to tolerate Christians and other religious minorities."

And there are some encouraging signs according to the Eagles of Antioch, who say they coordinate closely with HTS in Damascus, according to Georgios, benefiting from the presence of educated HTS fighters in the city. This collaboration ensures that Islamic rules are not imposed on Christian neighborhoods. Together with HTS police, they work to prevent crimes, maintaining security and harmony within these communities.

Some of the volunteers have weapons that are licensed and sanctioned by HTS officials. They communicate and coordinate with them and provide information on the people who committed any crimes.

Yet despite some positive signs, King said, "Syria's Christian population has already experienced a devastating decline, dropping from 1.5 million before the conflict to somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 now. The community exists in a state of perpetual anxiety, doors locked, waiting tensely for the situation to deteriorate further," he warned.