Persecution Outlook: Syria

Ten years of civil war in Syria have decimated the country’s Christian population. Prior to the war, there were 1.5 million Christians; now, estimates say that only a third remain. And those who stay continue to suffer. They wait in line for food and oil, and have lost power for up to 12 hours; they are also unable to take out loans, and many Christians live on less than a dollar a day. And while religiously motivated violence has decreased, Church leaders and infrastructure are still targeted wherever extremists are active, and some observers claim that aid meant for Christians and the poor has gone instead to the Syrian army. But the Church is doing what it can to create employment and educational opportunities so that the faithful can stay in their country.