Church leaders in Syria have cancelled public Easter celebrations following a recent outbreak of sectarian violence in the predominantly Christian town of Suqaylabiyah.
Sources from persecution watchdog Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said the unrest began after two young Muslim men from the nearby town of Qalaat al-Madiq allegedly harassed Christian women.
On 28th March, the men were confronted by residents before returning with dozens of others, who reportedly stormed Suqaylabiyah on motorcycles, attacking shops, homes and vehicles, and firing guns into the air. A shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary was also destroyed. Some reports suggest national security personnel may have been involved.
Government forces were deployed to contain the situation, preventing further attempts to overrun the town, though tensions remained high as crowds gathered in surrounding areas.
Leaders from the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox churches condemned the violence and announced that public Easter celebrations would not go ahead this year.
In a statement, the civil society group Syrian Christians for Peace called for unity and urged authorities to criminalise sectarianism and hate speech, as well as accelerate accountability and transitional justice efforts.
Mervyn Thomas, founder and president of CSW, also condemned the violence. "We encourage the Syrian authorities to increase their efforts to combat extremism and hate speech, and hold all involved in the attacks on Suqaylabiyah, especially those within its ranks, to account," he said.
"We also urge the international community to call on the Syrian government to fulfil its obligation to protect all citizens, and produce measurable improvements in human rights."
