Amid new military moves in northeast Syria, Christians fear ISIS return and call for peace

In a significant development, government forces this week have taken control of large areas in northeast Syria’s Al-Jazeera region after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew following a surprise attack, while the cities of Hasakah and Qamishli remained outside of this advance.

With Damascus announcing its resolve to regain control of these cities, Christians living in the area are experiencing a mix of anxiety and anticipation, coupled with hope that the next phase will be handled through peaceful political channels that prevent further violence and unrest.

In the wake of this, the head of the Chaldean Church in Syria, Bishop Antoine Audo, called for prioritizing reconciliation and dialogue among the conflicting parties, encouraging Christians to be a source of hope and positivity and to continue bearing witness to their long history.

The recent turmoil has also brought back to the forefront fears of renewed activity by ISIS, especially after the SDF relinquished guard of several prisons holding thousands of the group’s fighters.

However, Syrian government sources have confirmed that all prisons — including Al-Qattan prison, the Al-Hol camp (which contains families of ISIS fighters), and Al-Shaddadi prison — are under government control. In the latter specifically, large escape operations occurred, though specialized units recaptured more than 80 escaped inmates.

Amid this, U.S. forces in the area have begun transferring approximately 7,000 ISIS detainees to Iraq to ensure they remain in secure detention centers.

In a special interview with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Basher Ishaq Saadi, deputy head of the Assyrian Democratic Organization, emphasized that ISIS no longer has its former strength but warned that any return would pose a serious danger to Christians and other communities.

Saadi reviewed the extensive abuses Christians suffered at the hands of the group — from killings, kidnappings, bombings, and church burnings to the 2015 invasion of 34 Assyrian villages along the Khabur River, which led to the displacement of most of their residents. Today only about 1,000 remain of an original 15,000.

Saadi stressed that the threat to the Christian presence today does not come solely from extremist groups but also from political repression, lack of freedoms, religious and ethnic discrimination, and absence of equality and citizenship rights. These factors have driven, and continue to drive, many Christians to emigrate. Nonetheless, he affirmed that a segment of Christians will remain attached to their land, driven by hope for a future of peace, dignity, and equality.

Saadi also said that the future of Christians in Syria and the broader Middle East depends on building modern civil states grounded in the rule of law and institutional structures that are neutral toward religions and ensure citizens’ rights without discrimination. He said this is the only way to cement stability and preserve the region’s historical diversity.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.