Photo: Zoltán Kovács/X
Eurasia/Hungarian Conservative
02/12/2024 21:46
The long-frozen civil war in Syria has flared up in recent days. Last week, in the first opposition attack on Aleppo since 2016, radical Islamist insurgents, led by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), advanced into one of Syria’s largest cities as well as the countryside around Idlib and neighboring Hama province. In response, the Syrian military and its foreign allies—most notably Russia—dispatched reinforcements to the area and launched airstrikes to halt the insurgents' progress, as reported by Hungarian Conservative.
The fighting has been among the deadliest in years, with 255 people killed, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. While most of the casualties have been combatants, the toll also includes 24 civilians.
The Syrian government’s swift and strong response has been deemed critical, particularly because HTS is the former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. In the current volatile Middle Eastern landscape, the resurgence of terrorist organisations and Islamist groups in Syria could have unpredictable and far-reaching consequences. Additionally, Aleppo is home to a significant, though greatly diminished, Christian minority whose safety could be at risk if Islamist extremists seize control of the city.
Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, addressed the Christian community in Aleppo with a message on X. He stated: “Your lives, security & freedom must be protected. All of us at @HungaryHelps stand with you in solidarity, ready for humanitarian action if needed. Praying for Syria!”
In response to the tragic developments in Syria, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán met with Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II at the Carmelite Monastery on Monday. The meeting, also attended by Tristan Azbej, focused on the renewed fighting in Syria, which has once again placed local Christian communities in grave danger.
Prime Minister Orbán reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to advocating for peace in international forums and working to create safe living conditions for persecuted Christians. Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II expressed gratitude to the prime minister and the Hungarian people for their ongoing support of Christian communities in need.
