The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), now under the control of Islamist President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has published weeks of content showing throngs of jubilant Christians in the country enjoying Christmas tree lightings, holiday markets, and other celebrations – a nod to the White House that Sharaa will respect religious tolerance.
Sharaa, who has met with President Trump twice and repeatedly vowed to protect religious freedom in the country, has reportedly amplified security around Christian celebrations in Damascus. Yet many Christians in Syria still live in fear a year after the fall of Iran-backed dictator Bashar Assad, failing to forget Sharaa’s history as an al-Qaeda affiliated jihadist and fearing attacks in parts of the country still not solidly in control of Sharaa’s administration.
Once known as “Abu Mohammed al-Jolani,” Sharaa began his jihadist career under al-Qaeda but ultimately split from the group and founded a militia known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an explicitly jihadist organization designated as terrorist by the America
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