Syrian rebels steal food aid from Christians; watchdog warns of 'ethnic cleansing'
Islamist-led rebel forces seized humanitarian aid that could have fed tens of thousands of people as Christians in Syria grapple with the reality of their dangerous situation, which watchdog groups have warned amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Global Christian Relief, a United States-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, has maintained a supportive network on the ground in Syria for the last two years. GCR President and CEO David Curry told The Christian Post that the group delivered food and humanitarian supplies to churches around two weeks ago.
"We've continuously been delivering aid the last two years, but the stock that we have now, some of it has been captured by these rebels," Curry said. "There's still some that remains; we're going to distribute that as cautiously as we possibly can to people who are now on the run, but the reality is this is a very dangerous area right now for Christians."
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The aid that the rebels stole a few weeks ago contained food that could have fed about 20,000 people, as well as water and medicine, Curry shared.
Aleppo has always historically been what Curry described as the "center for Christian faith in Syria." Noting that the Christian population has been declining, he predicted that the trend will continue as fewer believers feel safe in the area.
The "so-called 'opposition forces,'" Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, are a "reconstructed remnant" of Islamic extremist groups such as the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. Over the weekend, HTS led rebels in capturing Damascus a week after the takeover of Aleppo and Hama that resulted in the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
"Considered a terrorist organization, they have, in less than two weeks, ethnically cleansed the northwest of Syria — including Aleppo and beyond — of Kurds and Christians," Curry said. "Despite public protestations to the contrary, we can expect them to extend their campaign to the rest of the country."
Curry said that when the civil war in Syria began more than a decade ago, Christians constituted approximately 10% of the population, which was about 1.5 million people.
After years of constant fighting and persecution perpetuated by jihadist radicals, however, that number has dwindled to just 300,000.
Following the rebels' takeover of Aleppo, reports have emerged of bread shortages and a lack of drinking water. Militant groups have also imposed curfews, restricting residents' daily lives, including Christians attempting to maintain their faith and traditions. Christian leaders who have remained in the city are offering spiritual guidance.
While President Joe Biden announced Sunday that the United States is monitoring rebel groups in Syria following the downfall of the Assad regime, Curry outlined steps he believes the incoming administration must take once President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
"One of the things that [President Trump] can encourage is the establishment of humanitarian corridors and material aid to the displaced families. Right now, there is no protection for these folks; there's no way to get in to help them," Curry said.
Curry also urged Western governments to name "the culprits," with the GCR president pointing to Turkey, which has backed opposition forces seeking to topple the Assad regime since 2011.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is known for his connection with Sunni Islam. Curry warned that Erdogan is trying to "dominate" the area through Sunni terrorists, adding that Western leaders like Trump will have to confront Turkey.
"[Trump] is going to have to call attention to this and force him to back down," Curry said.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
