Syrian Christians reclaim Homes adn Land After Years of Displacement
Jisr al-Shughur, Syria – After years of displacement and occupation during the syrian civil war, Syrian Christians are returning to their ancestral lands and homes, a process facilitated by agreements with former rebel groups and the current Syrian government. The return of property, often seized during the conflict, marks a significant step toward rebuilding communities shattered by years of fighting.
The issue of reclaiming land and property began to gain traction even before the official end of the war. In 2022, representatives from a christian parish met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, then a Syrian militia leader who would become president in 2024, to discuss the restoration of rights. “He promised that our rights would be restored, recognizing that us ‘Nazarenes’ were part of this country and entitled to recover what had been taken during the chaos, which no one can deny,” said Louay Bisharat, 43, a priest involved in the negotiations.
Months before rebel groups led by Sharaa ousted the Assad regime in 2024, Bisharat met with Asaad al-Shaibani, now Syria’s foreign minister, and subsequently secured the return of some occupied churches and lands. However, the process has been elaborate by fraudulent property transactions that occurred during the conflict. zikwan hajji Hamud, a real estate agent in Jisr al-Shughur, noted that “During the revolution, there was a lot of playing about with property deeds,” including instances of individuals selling property they did not own or selling on behalf of absent owners.
Further complicating matters, some fighters and their families had constructed new buildings on occupied land, leaving the new state without a clear mechanism for compensation. Initial attempts to resolve disputes involved offers from foreign fighters, such as a proposal of $50 per dunam (approximately a quarter acre), which residents rejected.
Ultimately, a compromise was reached involving a shared harvest agreement. According to Fadi Azar, a Roman Catholic priest assisting Christian communities, “They reached an agreement that two-thirds of the harvest will be for them and one third for the owner, the Christian who owns the land.”
in November, Ibrahim, the former mayor of Al Ghassaniyeh village, reported the complete return of all land and houses to their original owners. The village celebrated with mass gatherings,including dancing and drumming. While many buildings sustained damage during the war – some blasted open, others defaced with graffiti - residents are now beginning the process of rebuilding their lives and communities.
