The Christian town of Anaz in Syria’s Wadi Nasara (Valley of Christians) has been shaken by tragedy and outrage after three young men were gunned down by unidentified assailants on Wednesday evening. The victims were attacked while sitting outside the village mukhtar’s office, sparking grief and fury throughout the community. Local residents condemned what they see as empty reassurances from security officials, while the incident has spilled over into the political sphere as several Christian parliamentary candidates announced their withdrawal from upcoming elections. Among them, Ghassan Youssef al-Shami stressed the urgent need for laws to curb the uncontrolled spread of weapons and to address repeated attacks against civilians, particularly in the Christian-majority valley.

The killing ignited immediate unrest in Anaz, where residents torched a General Security Forces checkpoint, blocked roads, and set tires ablaze in protest. Anger soon spread into a general strike across the Valley of Christians, with streets closed and calls for church bells to toll across every village. On October 2, residents gathered for a candlelight procession, beginning at St. Elias Church in Hawash and ending at the site of the killings in Anaz, in a solemn act of mourning and defiance. The procession underscored both the grief and the determination of the community to honor its martyrs and demand accountability for the violence consuming their region.

SOURCE: Syriac Press