Protests Erupt Over Christmas Tree Burning in Syria

Protests erupted in Christian areas of Damascus after a video surfaced showing hooded fighters burning a Christmas tree in the Christian-majority town of Suqaylabiyah, near Hama. This incident heightened fears among Christians of potential targeting by Islamist factions following the recent ousting of Bashar al-Assad by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group with a jihadist past. Demonstrators, carrying crosses and Syrian flags, chanted demands for Christian rights and expressed concerns about their ability to practice their faith. HTS leaders have assured that those responsible, identified as non-Syrians from the Islamist group Ansar al-Tawhid, will be punished and have promised to restore the tree. The group, supported by Turkey, claims to protect minorities despite its historical ties to al-Qaeda. The protests underscore the uncertainty faced by minority groups in Syria following Assad's departure, as the new leadership navigates its governance amidst international scrutiny.