Open Doors: Anti-Christian Violence Escalated in Syria, Extremist’s Violence To Trigger Mass Exodus

Open Doors published its report on persecution once a year, concluding that “an estimated 100 million Christians” faced persecution around the world in 2012.
Syria went from 36th in 2011 to 11th position in the Open Doors index, with the report pointing to a perceived connection between Syrian President al-Assad and the Christian minority making them targets for attack.
“Foreign extremists now terrorize Christians in Anti-Christian Violence,” warned Ron Boyd-MacMillan, Open Doors Chief Strategy Officer.

According to its statement, “For many years, Christians were able to worship freely in Syria under President Assad’s regime. Now…anti-Christian extremists entering Syria make life impossible for Christians, causing tens of thousands of Christians to flee the country in the last few months.”
Open Doors further warned that “many Syrian Christians are facing violence against them, many have been kidnapped or murdered, while churches have been severely damaged or demolished.”

“As the regime is losing control over the country, tens of thousands of Christians are forced to flee Syria,” it added, and noted that “could lead to further isolation of Christians and their mass exodus like the one we witnessed in Iraq.”