ROME — Syrian Christians are living in “trauma” following the recent jihadist takeover of Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city, reports a major Christian persecution watchdog group.
In Defense of Christians (IDC), a leading U.S.-based advocacy group for Christians in the Middle East, noted this week that the jihadist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) had seized full control of Aleppo, forcing a total withdrawal of Syrian government forces from the city and its environs.
“HTS is a Turkey-backed rebel group which has operated under several names during the Syrian conflict, including ‘Jabhat al-Nusra,’” IDC wrote, adding that the group is an ideological offshoot of al-Qaeda, and “includes Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (of ISIS notoriety) among its founders.” HTS has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States.
This fall of Aleppo into jihadist…
