Syria: One Year After Assad,Fear Grips Returning Christians
Daraa,Syria – The hope that bloomed with the fall of the Assad regime on December 8,2024,is rapidly fading for many Syrians returning home after decades in exile. While the initial euphoria of liberation was palpable, a disturbing trend of increased kidnappings is casting a long shadow, especially over the christian community in the daraa region.
Georges (name changed to protect his identity), a Syrian who had built a life in the United Arab Emirates over 32 years, was among the first to return, eager to reconnect with his homeland. His optimism quickly turned to terror. Too shaken to recount his ordeal himself, Georges asked his nephew to share his story.
“We were having a party by the pool. Around 11 p.m., five or six men arrived, armed and dressed in what appeared to be General Security uniforms,” the nephew recounted, nervously lighting one cigarette after another. “but they weren’t security forces. They were kidnappers, and they clearly knew Georges – his life, his possessions.”
The men systematically robbed the house, taking cash and gold before abducting Georges. “We protested, but they threatened to take us all,” the nephew explained. Two days later, a ransom demand of $100,000 was delivered. After tense negotiations, Georges was eventually located and freed by Syrian intelligence services.He has sence returned to the UAE, a decision his nephew describes with bitter irony as “a one-way trip.”
This incident is not isolated.Reports indicate a significant rise in kidnapping cases across Syria in recent months, impacting individuals from all backgrounds. Though, the concentration of cases in villages like Georges’ in the Daraa region, and the specific targeting of Christians, is fueling widespread anxiety. At least two Christians from the same village have been kidnapped in recent weeks.
the nephew, now living in constant fear for his family’s safety, expresses his desperation.”I accompany my two children to school every day, just to make sure nothing happens to them. My wife and I live in fear. We hoped for a better future, but this… this is a nightmare.”
The surge in kidnappings raises serious questions about the security situation in post-Assad Syria and the ability of the new government to protect its citizens. As more Syrians contemplate returning home, the growing climate of fear threatens to undermine the fragile hope for a peaceful and prosperous future. World Today News will continue to monitor this developing situation and provide updates as they become available.
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