Updates from the field
Countering Sectarian Violence with Compassion
A quiet movement of mercy unfolded amid tragedy along Syria’s coast
July 03, 2025 | by Charmaine Hedding
Between March 7 and 9, violent attacks by Islamist fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), foreign jihadists, and units of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) devastated Alawite and other religious minority communities across Syria’s coastal plains. Towns like Banias, Jableh, Qerdaha, and Safita were overrun. Around 1,500 people were killed, many in their own homes. Mass graves were uncovered. Entire families were wiped out or forced to flee, leaving behind everything.
The humanitarian toll was immediate and severe. Survivors returned to looted homes, often without electricity, food, or medical care. Others remained displaced in urban areas like Latakia, living in crowded shelters or unfinished buildings. Meanwhile, fear and distrust between communities continues to grow.
A Rapid and Local Response
In coordination with churches and community partners, Shai Fund launched an emergency aid initiative later that month, prioritizing speed, dignity, and trusted local networks.
Highlights include:
- Cash Assistance to 250 Christian and Alawite families to help meet urgent needs and secure housing for those still displaced.
- A four-month supply of essential medicine distributed to 213 individuals with chronic or acute conditions.
- An upcoming distribution of food and hygiene kits to 412 additional families in Tartous and Jableh.
Aid delivery in the aftermath of the March massacres was severely complicated by ongoing displacement, shifting frontlines, and active security threats. Despite the volatility, Shai Fund’s local network managed to carry out direct, on-site distributions, reaching families who had already begun returning home.
Faith in Action
The project reinforced the role of local churches as first responders and anchors of hope in times of crisis. Christian institutions served their own communities and acted on deeply held values of peace, compassion, and belief in human dignity by extending assistance to Alawite families.
One Alawite family from Qerdaha fled during the violent attacks after their neighborhood was directly targeted, and several of their relatives were killed in the assaults.
Upon receiving the cash gift, the father, Saleh remarked between tears, “It meant so much to know that someone still cares, even when we come from different backgrounds. This help brought us real relief and reminded us that compassion has no religion.”
The message is clear: compassion is stronger than fear, and that in times of suffering, faith reaches outward.
