Watching the incredible events in Syria over the past month and the ensuing developments and repercussions has brought up many thoughts and emotions. On November 27, 2024, a coalition of Syrian revolutionary factions led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive against the Assad led government. The Assad family has ruled over Syria from 1971 when Hafez Al-Assad became president through the Ba'ath party. His son, Bashar, took over after he died in 2000 and has ruled Syria in a dictatorial fashion with repression and authoritarian rule.
Syrian Arab Sunni Muslims make up about 70-75% of the population with Christians around 10%, Alawites at 10% and the remainder consisting of minor ethnoreligious groups. The Assad family developed a Stalinist-style personality cult around Hafez and then Bashar which they used to control the nation in a totalitarian style rule. Massacres, tortures and crimes against humanity characterized the civil war, with estimates that Assad killed as many as 600,000 of his own people to stay in power.
The Fall of Assad — December 8, 2024
On December 8, 2024, Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow and the Assad regime was finally overthrown. The Syrian revolution orchestrated by HTS and led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani was welcomed and celebrated by many in the nation. Jolani declared a new day of hope for a war torn nation. He proclaimed that HTS was not a terrorist group and that he would not turn Syria into another Afghanistan.
As the days passed by after the euphoria of freedom swept through the nation, reports and videos began to emerge of gruesome sectarian violence. The revolutionary forces were hunting down the Alawites in revenge, killing them in broad daylight. HTS and other militia groups once again started mass killings of ethnic and religious minority groups especially targeting Christian believers.
Discerning What is Really Happening
Syria is going through an all too familiar cycle through history where the oppressed, marginalized or totally new group comes into power and immediately begins to kill and eliminate their opposition. Hearing testimonies and watching videos posted on social media of celebrated brutality and open evil made my heart heavy as the realization came again of the darkness of the human heart.
Beyond the factions between Sunni and Shia and the deception of Islam, in one way the only winner of this revolution is the Devil! He hates God and human beings made in the image of God. The unquestioned beauty and marvel of humanity is that each one is uniquely created in the image of God, representing and carrying the glory of God. Thus the Devil antagonizes and turns mankind upon each other to torture, maim and kill one another for all kinds of differences.
Two Conclusions
As we witness history unfolding before our eyes and the chronic cycle of suffering, two conclusions burn in my heart. The first is that we must see and discern beyond the natural events of warring militias, governments and political agendas. Our hearts must break and mourn over the persistent aggression against humanity of all races and religions. We must discern and acknowledge the Devil as the chief culprit behind the scenes motivating the hearts of men to persecute and kill one another.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. — John 10:10
The second conclusion is the absolute necessity of Jesus Christ and His Gospel as the only solution to the incurable disease of human selfishness and sinfulness. The more I witness the depravity of the human heart manifested without restraint, the more convinced I am that Jesus alone can save, cleanse and turn the human heart. Thus, we must pray and contend for the exaltation of Christ and the spreading of the Gospel in Syria for all peoples.