Washington Stand: Religious Freedom and Equal Citizenship

This article was originally published on the Washington Stand. 

The bombing at Mar Elias Church, Damascus, Syria, on June 22 was not an isolated incident. It was the latest and most visible act in a broader campaign of targeted violence and systemic marginalization against Syria’s Christian community and other religious components.  The attack, which tore through a sanctuary during a memorial service, killing and wounding members of a mourning community, underscores a grim reality: in Syria today, the very presence of diverse religious traditions is under threat. 

The attack also marks a new phase in the violence against Christians. 300 worshippers were gathered at Saint Elias Church for a memorial service when a terrorist walked in with a grenade and a suicide belt. Two brothers Gergis and Boutros Bechara acted immediately and tackled the attacker as he exploded — sacrificing their lives to save others. Over 25 Christians were killed and more than 60 were injured.  

The violence is taking root in the absence of a coherent or inclusive framework for Syria’s post-Assad future. Interim President Ahmad al-Shara’a—once known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, a former Al-Qaeda commander—now leads a de facto authority in the northwest under the banner of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). While some sectors of Syrian society saw Assad’s fall as a long-awaited release, for many Christians, Alawites, Druze, Yezidis and other ethno-religious minorities, the transition has brought not liberty, but a new form of authoritarianism—one that is ideologically driven and intolerant of difference. 

In March of this year, over 1,000 Alawite civilians were massacred in the coastal plains of Latakia Governorate in one of the deadliest sectarian attacks since the start of the conflict. Armed government backed Islamist factions overran multiple villages, executing residents, burning homes, and targeting communities solely based on their religious identity.  

Just weeks later, more than 109 Druze men and boys were killed in late April 2025, when sectarian tensions exploded in Druze-populated suburbs of Damascus, between local Druze militias and pro-government forces. The clashes—sparked by a viral clip deemed offensive to Islam—drew regional attention, with Israel launching an airstrike in defense of the Druze community and warning against further Islamist encroachment near its northern border.  

This highlights a deeper and more troubling dynamic: the risk of swapping one authoritarian regime for another. Under Bashar al-Assad, Syrians lived under a ruthless state that exercised control through surveillance, torture, and the co-optation of minority communities. But the new power centers emerging in Syria—particularly under the leadership of al-Shara’a and HTS—offer no real departure from that legacy. Instead of centralized secular repression, Syrians now face ideological repression enforced by armed groups with rigid Islamist visions of governance. This is not democratic transition—it’s authoritarianism under a new flag. The structures of fear, exclusion, and violence remain in place; only the ideology and rhetoric have changed. And for Syria’s diverse religious communities, this new order is proving just as dangerous than what came before. 

Religious freedom in Syria must mean more than the absence of persecution. It must mean full rights, full citizenship, and full participation in public life for every component of Syrian society. This includes the right to run for office, to educate children in one's language and faith tradition, to manage community affairs without interference, and to live and worship without fear. The people of Syria’s ancient communities do not want “protection” from others—they want to take part in shaping their own future, on equal footing with everyone else. 

The transition from dictatorship should have opened the door to a pluralistic Syria. Instead, the power vacuum left by Assad has been filled by opportunistic ideologies. The international community’s acceptance of al-Shara’a’s transformation from militant commander to political leader reflects a short-term desire for a “strong horse” to impose order. But stability built on exclusion and terror may offer temporary calm—it cannot deliver lasting peace. A durable solution for Syria requires equal rights and meaningful inclusion for all its communities, not just a reshuffling of those in power. Syria’s constitution, its reconstruction efforts, its educational system, and its political institutions must reflect the country’s diverse religious and ethnic makeup. Representation is not a luxury. It is a non-negotiable foundation for national unity. This means integrating Syriac, Assyrian, Kurdish, Druze, Ismaili, Alawite, and Christian communities into decision-making structures, ensuring their histories and cultures are respected and their voices are heard—not only in theory but in law and governance. 

The international community also bears responsibility. Western governments, NGOs, and multilateral bodies must move beyond simplistic frameworks of “minority protection” and push for structural inclusion. Engagement with Syrian authorities—whether transitional or local—must be conditional on measurable progress toward religious freedom, representation, and equal rights. Dialogue must be rooted not in power-sharing deals between armed groups, but in a vision of citizenship that is open to all Syrians, regardless of faith or ethnicity. 

Mar Elias was more than a church. It was a symbol of Syria’s ancient Christian presence and of the broader mosaic that defines the country. The attack is a warning. If we continue down a path where governance is dictated by those with a track record of violence and exclusion, the very idea of Syria as a home for many peoples will vanish. 

Now is the time to raise a different standard—one that holds all actors accountable not just for halting violence, but for guaranteeing that every Syrian can belong, contribute, and live without fear of being erased. The question is not whether religious communities will survive. It is whether they will be treated as full citizens with equal rights, equal dignity, and equal power to shape the country they have helped build for centuries. 

The future of Syria depends on our answer.