Al-Qaeda and ISIS Fighter Now Syria's President: Christians Fear for Their Future

Michael Ringer

Michael Ringer

— 4 min read
Al-Qaeda and ISIS Fighter Now Syria's President: Christians Fear for Their Future
Ahmad al-Sharaa

Damascus, Syria — Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former member of al-Qaeda and affiliate of ISIS, now serves as president of Syria after leading rebel forces to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024. Al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, was on the FBI's Most Wanted List from 2013 through 2024 and had a $10 million bounty on his head.

Al-Sharaa joined al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003, shortly before the U.S. invasion, and was imprisoned at Abu Ghraib prison from 2006 to 2011 alongside ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. After his release, he founded Jabhat al-Nusra (the al-Nusra Front) in Syria, which pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda. In 2016, he rebranded the group as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, and later united several Islamist factions into Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Syria's Christian minority, which has dwindled to a fraction of its pre-war population, faces growing fear under the new government. On June 22, 2025, a suicide bomber attacked the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus during Sunday services, killing at least 25 worshipers and wounding over 60 others. Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi, Syria's most senior Christian cleric, publicly rebuked al-Sharaa at the victims' funeral, stating the government "bears responsibility in full" for the attack.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported in July 2025 that HTS members and allied militias have engaged in mass killings, discrimination, and persecution of Christians, Druze, and Shia Muslims. The report noted that "Islamist militia members regularly intimidated and taunted Christians at checkpoints and looted the homes of Christians with no known links to the Assad regime."

In March 2025, revenge killings targeted the Alawite minority, leaving over 1,300 dead in under 72 hours. Seven Christians were reportedly killed in these attacks as well. The new government has retained many HTS fighters, including "the most militant violators of religious freedom during the Syrian civil war," according to USCIRF. Senior government positions are held by individuals with al-Qaeda and ISIS backgrounds, including intelligence chief Anas Khattab, a former al-Qaeda commander.

Syria's interim constitution, signed in March 2025, declares Islamic jurisprudence "the principal source of legislation" and requires the president to be Muslim. While the document claims to protect "all divine religions," it has done little to ease Christian fears. One priest in Mashta Hilou stated plainly: "If Sharia Law is implemented, then Christians will be immediately discriminated against."

President Trump met with al-Sharaa in May 2025 and announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions against Syria, describing him as a "strong, transformational leader." In July 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked HTS's Foreign Terrorist Organization designation.

THE CRUSADER'S OPINION

A terrorist becomes president, and the West celebrates "pragmatism." Al-Sharaa didn't stop being a jihadist. He just learned to wear a suit and shake hands with presidents while Christians die in their churches. Twenty-five murdered at prayer. Bodies dragged from rubble. Women harassed at checkpoints for wearing crosses. This is Syria's "fresh start."

The same ideology that murdered Christians across the Middle East now runs Syria's government. Al-Qaeda commanders hold intelligence positions. Former ISIS fighters serve in the military. And Trump lifted sanctions. Christians, the least-armed group in Syria, watch former extremists consolidate power while the Patriarch begs for actual protection instead of phone calls.

Sharia law as "the principal source of legislation" means Christians are second-class citizens by constitutional decree. History screams the obvious: jihadists don't moderate, they calculate. Al-Sharaa's transformation from terrorist to statesman is theater for Western audiences desperate to believe Middle Eastern strongmen can change. They can't.

Syrian Christians now rely entirely on divine protection because their government is run by men who spent careers killing infidels. The West's rush to normalize relations with a rebranded terrorist regime betrays every Christian who trusted American promises. When the persecution intensifies—and it will—remember who shook al-Sharaa's hand and called it progress.

TAKE ACTION

Pray for Syrian Christians who face daily threats under this jihadist-led regime. Pray for protection, provision, and the courage to remain faithful.

Contact Your Representatives:

  • Urge Congress to condition any Syria aid on verified religious freedom protections
  • Demand investigations into massacre reports and government complicity
  • Call for redesignation of HTS as a terrorist organization

Support Organizations Helping Persecuted Christians:

Stay Informed:

  • Follow reliable persecution monitoring organizations
  • Share credible reports on social media to raise awareness
  • Educate your church about the reality facing Syrian Christians

The church in Syria needs more than thoughts and prayers—they need action, advocacy, and our unwavering voice demanding their protection.

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