Sectarian attacks rock a Christian town in Syria after a dispute

SUQAYLABIYAH, Syria (AP) — An argument between two men in a Christian town in central Syria led to sectarian attacks that caused widespread damage to homes, shops and cars in a reminder of religious violence that followed the fall of longtime leader Bashar Assad two years ago.

The attacks in the predominantly Christian town of Suqaylabiyah in Hama province are the latest to target members of Syria’s Christian minority, many of whom have left the country since the conflict began 15 years ago, leaving half a million people dead and the population deeply divided.

There was no immediate word on casualties in the attacks that lasted until the early hours of Saturday, during which scores of men on motorcycles from the nearby Sunni town of Qalaat al-Madiq attacked the property of Christians.

“We passed through a state of terror, fear, and panic,” said Liyan Dweir, whose clothes shop was riddled with bullets and suffered heavy damage. His children were terrified during the hourslong assault, he said.

Dweir said an argument between a resident of Suqaylabiyah and another from Qalaat al-Madiq led to scores of men from the Sunni town storming the area and attacking shops, homes and cars.

“It is unfair that because of an argument two towns clashed,” he said.

Another Suqaylabiyah resident, Nafeh al-Nader, said young men broke the gate of his house and kicked a diesel heater, setting a room on fire. They tried to set another room on fire but were unsuccessful after a neighbor rushed for help, and was hit with a stick by one of the attackers.

Government forces brought in reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, calming the violence. Hundreds of residents marched through the streets Saturday demanding accountability and declaring a strike until the perpetrators are punished.

Since the fall of Assad in December 2024, members of the country’s Alawite, Druze and Christian minorities have been subjected to attacks by gunmen loyal to the country’s new Islamist rulers. Hundreds of people have been killed, including Alawites in Syria’s coastal region in March last year and Druze in the southern province of Sweida in July.

Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government has condemned attacks on minorities but many accuse it of looking the other way or being unable to control the armed groups it is trying to absorb.

During Syria’s conflict that began in 2011, Suqaylabiyah was held by forces loyal to Assad while Qalaat al-Madiq was held by insurgent groups that eventually overthrew the Assad family’s 54-year rule.

Anger has been on the rise among many Syrians after the country’s authorities banned the consumption of alcohol in the capital of Damascus. The ban affects Christian neighborhoods in Damascus that are famous for their restaurants and pubs.

Christians made up about 10% of Syria’s prewar population of 23 million. They enjoyed freedom of worship under the Assad government and some high government posts. Initially, many Christians were willing to give the new authorities a chance but the situation worsened in June after a suicide bombing inside a church outside Damascus killed 25 people and wounded dozens.