Syrian patriarchs urge end to violence in coastal region

Shafaq News

08-03-2025

Shafaq News/ on Saturday called for an end to escalating violence in the country's coastal region, urging swift action toward national reconciliation.
In a joint statement, John X, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East MOR, Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Youssef Absi, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, condemned the recent wave of killings and attacks on civilians.
"In recent days, Syria has witnessed a dangerous escalation of violence, brutality, and killings, resulting in attacks on innocent civilians, including women and children. Homes have been violated, their sanctity disregarded, and properties looted—scenes that starkly reflect the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people," the statement said.
The patriarchs denounced "massacres targeting innocent citizens" and called for an end to the violence, saying such acts "stand in stark opposition to all human and moral values."
They urged authorities to create the necessary conditions for national reconciliation, ensuring a transition to a state that 'respects all its citizens and lays the foundation for a society based on equal citizenship and genuine partnership, free from the logic of vengeance and exclusion."
The church leaders also reaffirmed their opposition to any attempt to divide Syria and called on all parties inside the country to take responsibility for stopping the cycle of violence and pursuing peaceful solutions.
Fighting has gripped Syria's coastal region, home to a majority Alawite population, since Wednesday, leaving dozens dead.
Syrian security forces said they were battling armed groups linked to former military officer Suheil al-Hassan, once a prominent commander under President Bashar al-Assad.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday that the civilian death toll from the coastal violence had surpassed 340, including women and children.