Syrian Christians Patrol Their Valley Following Attack on Church in Damascus

Following the terrorist attack carried out by ISIS militants at the Orthodox Church of Elijah in Damascus, the Syrian Christian community is organizing self-defense in their home regions. Particularly active are residents of the Valley of Christians — an area densely populated by Orthodox Syrians. This was reported by the “First Cossack” channel.

In the circulated video, local residents can be seen patrolling the streets of their towns, united by the desire to defend their homes and faith. Car and motorcycle columns, accompanied by crosses and church symbols, display a public expression of Christian identity.

This initiative comes as a response to growing threats from radical groups and reflects the Christian community’s determination to demonstrate unity, self-organization, and the defense of their rights to life, faith, and security.

It is also worth recalling that on June 24, 2025, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, held the funeral service for Orthodox Christians who died as a result of the terrorist attack at the Holy Elijah Church in Damascus. The Church leader declared those killed by Islamic radicals to be martyrs for the faith and called on Syrian authorities to respond to what he described as blatant lawlessness.