Christians call for peace and prayers as violence returns to Aleppo
Civilians are once again the main victims as the Kurdish-led SDF and forces loyal to the government in Damascus try to take control of the country’s second most important city. The Church has opened the doors of its buildings to displaced families.
Christians in Aleppo, Syria, are calling for prayers from the international community as violence returns to the city.
Government forces and members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led coalition based in northeast Syria, have been fighting for control over parts of Aleppo. Clashes had begun in late December and were then paused as both sides established a truce, but fighting rekindled on 6 January and has already resulted in several deaths, including of Christians, according to local sources who have been in touch with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
The return of violence coincided with Christmas for the Armenian Orthodox faithful and Epiphany celebrations for the other Christian communities in Aleppo, but all celebrations were cancelled as people are too afraid to leave their homes. “Schools, universities and public services are closed, only hospitals remain functioning, and Christian families are trapped in their houses because they are on the front lines,” says ACN’s source on the ground, who asked not to be named, for safety reasons.
The local Church has opened many of its buildings to families who had to flee their homes, and the government has opened two passages for people to leave the affected areas, but there is fear that the situation will become even worse once these are closed again. “It appears that both sides are planning something bigger, according to the amount of bombing and gunfire we are hearing,” says ACN’s source, adding “I ask for prayers that both parties may reach an agreement and that peace prevails over the country.”
In a message sent to ACN, Maronite Archbishop Joseph Tobji addressed all benefactors, asking for prayers. “I wanted to ask for your prayers with this video, because the moment has become critical again. People are starting to disperse from many areas of Aleppo. We count on the Lord’s aid, and for this we thank you for your prayers.”
Fr Fadi Najjar, an ACN project partner, also sent a message in which he explains that “the government is bombing Kurdish areas, and the Kurds respond by bombing our neighbourhoods. The rockets are raining down on us.”
“Of course, the civilians are always the weakest link, and those who suffer most. Many people have left their homes, and many have died,” the priest adds.
Fr Najjar also ends his message to ACN with an urgent request for prayers and for peace, recalling that “blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called children of God. Please, pray for us and remain united in prayer. We don’t know what is happening or what is going to happen so please help us with your prayer and your solidarity. Raise your voices for peace, so that this war ends immediately.”
Another project partner, Father Hugo Alaniz explained in a message sent to the charity: “We do not know what will happen, but we pray that everything calms down, so we also ask for your prayers. We were actually planning to celebrate Christmas with our kids yesterday because it wasn’t safe to celebrate on Christmas Day due to clashes, but these same events prevented us from doing so again. We were hearing the bombing and gunfire between both sides the whole day, I ask for prayers that both parties may reach an agreement and that peace prevails over the country”.
Regina Lynch, Executive President of Aid to the Church in Need, stated that “once again, alarming news is reaching us from Aleppo. Our brothers and sisters there are asking for prayers, and at Aid to the Church in Need we join this appeal with deep concern and hope.”
“In moments like these, when fear and uncertainty return to the daily lives of so many families, prayer becomes a powerful act of solidarity. I ask our benefactors and all people of goodwill to pray for the people of Aleppo, especially for the Christian communities who are once again suffering the consequences of violence. May God touch the hearts of those responsible, so that dialogue and peace may prevail.”
The SDF are the military wing of the political entity that has run the northeast of Syria since the civil war in the country began, in 2011. They were instrumental in defeating the Islamic State, with the support of an international coalition, and have expressed a desire to continue to run their region as an autonomous part of Syria. The government in Damascus, which ousted Bashar al-Assad just over a year ago, has refused this idea, and aims to exert control over the entire country. Tension simmered between the parties for months before erupting into full-blown conflict over control of parts of Syria’s second most important city, Aleppo.
