{"id":279,"date":"2012-06-11T23:41:00","date_gmt":"2012-06-11T23:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/one-thousand-more-syrian-christians-flee-after-ultimatum\/"},"modified":"2012-06-11T23:41:00","modified_gmt":"2012-06-11T23:41:00","slug":"one-thousand-more-syrian-christians-flee-after-ultimatum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/06\/one-thousand-more-syrian-christians-flee-after-ultimatum\/","title":{"rendered":"One thousand more Syrian Christians flee after ultimatum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Beirut, Lebanon, Jun 11, 2012 \/ 05:41 pm (CNA<\/a>).- An ultimatum from the Syrian armed opposition\u2019s military chief caused over 1,000 Christians to flee the west Syrian town of Qusayr, adding to fears that believers may be forced out of Syria.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe Christian communities fear being targeted, destroyed or driven out,\u201d said Neville Kyrke-Smith, Aid to the Church in Need\u2019s U.K. director. \u201cWe all need to stand in prayer and solidarity now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tKyrke-Smith, who returned from Lebanon on June 11, told CNA that the report of Christian flight echoes the concerns he heard from bishops, priests, and religious communities concerned about Christians\u2019 fate in neighboring Syria.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe message time and again was \u2018please do not forget the Christians of the Middle East,\u2019\u201d he reported.<\/p>\n

\tSyrian opposition military chief Abdel Salam Harba had given an ultimatum for Christians to leave Qusayr, a town near Homs, by June 8. Some mosques in the city repeated the message in announcements from their minarets, Fides news agency reports.<\/p>\n

\tOnly 1,000 Christians remained in the town, which was home to 10,000 Christians before the conflict began between the Syrian government and opposition forces.<\/p>\n

\tThe reasons for the latest ultimatum are unclear. Some sources say it helps avoid more Christian suffering, while others say it reveals \u201ca continuity focused on discrimination and repression.\u201d Others say Christians\u2019 open loyalty to the state is the reason they are driven away.<\/p>\n

\tSome sources told Fides that Islamic Salafist extremists groups in the ranks of the armed opposition consider Christians to be \u201cinfidels\u201d and are ready to start a \u201csectarian war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe extremists reportedly confiscate Christians\u2019 goods and conduct executions.<\/p>\n

\tKyrke-Smith said that his organization has managed to provide some help to refugees from Homs, which witnessed an exodus of 50,000 or more Christians earlier this year. Other agencies and religious houses are giving refuge to Christians fleeing direct persecution.<\/p>\n

\tHe said there is \u201cgrowing fear\u201d that the conflict will expand and cross the border in to Lebanon and affect all communities.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cChristians are worried that they may suffer greatly as they could be targeted by all sides,\u201d he wrote in a June 10 blog post.<\/p>\n

\tGregorios III Laham, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Damascus, has asked the Christian faithful to observe June 4 \u2013 28 as a period of prayer, abstinence and fasting for peace.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cGod can restore peace, brotherly love and mutual solidarity in Syria, in all its regions and among all its citizens,\u201d his message said. \u201cThis is our response to the painful events that have caused weeping and heartbreak, implanting terrifying images and causing hatred and revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beirut, Lebanon, Jun 11, 2012 \/ 05:41 pm (CNA).- An ultimatum from the Syrian armed opposition’s military chief caused over 1,000 Christians to flee the west Syrian town of Qusayr, adding to fears that believers may be forced out of Syria.<\/p>\n

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