After Assad

The fall of the Assad regime in Syria December 8 was easily the best political news of 2024. It was a moment of hope and freedom for Syria, and a moment of truth for the international powers that have created so much devastation in the region over the years. It is also a moment for courage and inspiration for Syria and its neighbours, and a chance for Christians to renew our efforts to pray for peace.

“Canada welcomes the end of the Assad regime in Syria,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said in a statement on the situation in Syria, “a regime that has inflicted decades of suffering on its own people. […] In this period of transition, we urge all parties to exercise restraint, abstain for further violence, and commit to the protection of human rights and the preservation of human dignity, fostering an environment conducive to dialogue and conflict resolution.”

The Middle East is a troubled region that carries strong memories of better days. Art, architecture and scholarship flourished in the Islamic age. A long period of Ottoman-Turkish rule allowed minority groups to survive and often thrive with a measure of autonomy. Bits of Syrian history are now surfacing after the collapse of the Assad regime. No one who has seen the images of people being freed from Assad’s prisons, and of families desperately seeking loved ones, can remain untouched. Five decades of dictatorship have suddenly come to an end, and that in itself is cause for celebration.

Dr. Abboud Zleik, a Christian who lived in Hama, Syria before immigrating to Canada in 2016, said that it is essential to have freedom of belief, speech and media in Syria. “The constitution of the new Syria should be the same as European countries, nothing more or less,” Zleik, a retired doctor, told CC. “The danger or concern is that the new powers would try to implement sharia law.”

Precarious peace

The fall of Assad is a setback for both Russia and Iran. Russia has used Syria as a base for its military operations in Africa, and Iran has used Syria to supply Hezbollah with weapons against Israel. Both countries are likely to face significant criticism as more information comes to light. As the Iranian historian Arash Azizi wrote in What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom (2024), many Iranian commentators were very critical of Iran’s costly involvement in Syria at the decision of Ayatollah Khamenei. Now these critics have been proven right. The atrocities that Russia, Iran and other countries helped perpetuate in Syria is clear for all to see, especially given how many people had been imprisoned for political reasons.

Syria’s future stability remains precarious. An urgent concern is in the north of Syria, where a Turkish-funded militia has committed atrocities against a Kurdish group supported by the United States. That is a situation that requires the dedicated attention of the international community. Christian NGOs should be counted on to do their part.

At the time of writing, a Sunni Muslim group has become the dominant power in Syria. The rebel group’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has spoken about cooperation, representative government and a pluralistic model, which is exactly what Syria needs. The country cannot afford more fighting and destabilization, although some external actors might prefer that scenario.

Fear and relief

More than six million Syrians fled Syria seeking safety and are now living as refugees around the world, including 100,000 who have settled in Canada since 2015. Some western governments – the Dutch among them – disgraced themselves by suspending asylum procedures for Syrians, creating unnecessary uncertainty.

Now that Russia and Iran have suffered setbacks, there may be strategic opportunities for Western powers to build new relationships and restore some credibility in Syria. This could take the form of establishing a working relationship with the new powers, for example, by providing development assistance in exchange for fair treatment and security guarantees to minorities or by supporting the talents and initiative of Syrians who fled to the West as they contribute to the rebuilding of their country of origin. Perhaps only a few Syrians will go back permanently, but I expect many will want to do their part. They should be empowered to do so without risking their residency rights in their host countries.

In this time of uncertainty mixed with hope, Canadian Christians can continue to pray for Syria and the Middle East, gather reliable information and work together to build relationships.

“Our hearts are with all Syrian people,” Joly said, “including those who have embraced Canada as their new home, enriching our nation with their resilience, courage and contributions.”