The Syrian coastal region (western Syria) is experiencing unprecedented security unrest since the Syrian crisis began in 2011. On Friday and Saturday, at least 745 civilians from the Alawite sect were killed in what the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described as an ethnic cleansing operation.

The events began when armed Alawite opponents of the current regime killed members of the General Security Forces, prompting reinforcements to be sent to the area and clashes to erupt between the two sides. The situation later escalated to include looting, random destruction, and targeting civilians based on sectarian grounds.

Christians were not spared from these events, even though they were not targeted for their religion. Some lost their lives simply for being in the area, including Jihad Bshara, the father of a priest in the coastal city of Baniyas, who was killed just hours ago.

A joint statement by Syrian patriarchs yesterday condemned any attacks on civil peace and denounced "the massacres targeting innocent citizens," emphasizing "the need to put an end to these horrific acts that contradict human and moral values." The statement stressed the unity of Syrian territory and rejected any attempts to divide it. It called for "swift action to create conditions conducive to achieving national reconciliation among the Syrian people and to ensure an environment that allows for the transition to a state that respects all its citizens and establishes a society based on equal citizenship and genuine partnership, free from the logic of revenge and exclusion."

Patriarch John X Yazigi of Antioch and All the East for the Greek Orthodox Church, in his sermon today at the Mariamite Church in Damascus, supported the formation of a fact-finding committee to hold those responsible for the bloodshed of civilians and security forces accountable. This demand was echoed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which condemned "in the strongest terms the atrocities committed against civilians on sectarian grounds."

Yazigi addressed President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, saying, "The sanctities and dignity of people have been violated, and the chants and slogans being used sow division, promote sectarianism, and destabilize civil peace. Many towns, villages, and cities have had their homes burned and looted. The targeted areas were predominantly Alawite and Christian, and many innocent Christian lives were also lost."

He continued, "Mr. President, the icon of the Virgin Mary has been desecrated and trampled upon. She is the Virgin Mary, honored by all Muslims alongside us." Yazigi concluded his message to Al-Sharaa by saying, "Mr. President, this is not your message, and these actions contradict your vision for a new Syria after the revolution's victory. We call on you, with your wisdom and efforts, to stop these massacres immediately and provide all Syrians, of all sects, with a sense of safety and stability."

It is worth noting that in the past few hours, outside the coastal region, two Christian men were killed in their homes: Wasim Karaz in the Bab Sharqi neighborhood of Damascus and Marwan Shahda, the mayor of Al-Mazraa village in Wadi Al-Nasara, rural Homs.