The rebels led by the Turkish-aligned jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) are advancing in Syria. After capturing Aleppo and nearby towns, the Islamist rebels reportedly entered Hama, 140km south of Aleppo, while Syrian government aircraft, backed by the Russian air force, carried out bombing raids targeting the rebels to slow their advance. Yesterday, 1 December, an air strike hit the Franciscan College of the Holy Land in Aleppo. The Custody of the Holy Land reported the incident in a note from the Custos, Fr Francesco Patton. “Thank God, there were no casualties or people wounded, only the building was damaged. Our friars and the faithful of the parish are all well. We are in close contact with them from our Curia.”
Fr Patton shares the news from Aleppo: “The tension and anxiety of the local civilian population is growing in the face of the unpredictable course of the ongoing clashes. We invite our brothers, the Christians of the Holy Land, and all the Churches to join us in prayer for peace in Syria, a country devastated by so many years of violence and war.”
Food and water shortages. Speaking to SIR from Aleppo, Davide Chiarot, a Caritas Treviso and Caritas Italy worker in Syria for the past two years, describes the growing tension and fear among Aleppo’s civilians. “The curfew, which was extended by decision of the HTS jihadists, ended this morning at 7 am local time,” he tells SIR. “It was originally due to end at 5pm local time yesterday. Heavy fighting inside Aleppo, where the University Hospital was hit by an airstrike, and in the suburbs, was reported yesterday. Despite the imposed curfew, I went out to buy provisions, the shops were open and I saw people on the streets stockpiling food and queuing to buy bread from a bakery.” The shortage of food supplies, confirm the Aleppo-based staff of the NGO Pro Terra Sancta, “is a very worrying possible development, especially after the roads leading in and out of Aleppo – thus for the transport of flour – were blockaded,” says Jacob, one of the volunteers. We are currently facing power cuts and water shortages. But despite the attack, the volunteers of the Holy Land College continue with the distribution of bread. I visited the bakery just this morning: we have 2,000 kg of flour in stock, which we hope will be sufficient.”
Concern about the future. “When you talk to people,” Chiarot adds, “it’s clear that they are afraid of reliving the darkest moments of the war. They don’t know what will happen next. What is most striking is the sheer pace at which the rebels have entered the city and occupied large territories.” It is also important to remember that
the war in Syria has never really ended
amid continuing instability. This can be seen in the ongoing developments. People are going through a very hard time. They went through the war, last year’s earthquake, and now the war is being reignited.” In this context, Chiarot explains, “Caritas Italy carries out its activities in support of Caritas Syria, with which it collaborates, as well as with the local Church, for projects of a humanitarian and socio-pastoral nature. We support health care projects, micro-credit projects for business activities, vocational training and reconstruction work following the earthquake of February 2023. In addition, we are developing new initiatives, directed in particular at young people, with the aim of opening pathways for reconciliation and peace.”
Bombing over Idlib. Chiarot says he doesn’t know what will happen next: “It will also depend on the extent of the response by Assad’s Russian-backed forces. There are reports of bombing raids in Idlib. The M5 motorway, which runs south from Aleppo to Homs and Damascus, has been blocked, as have other communication routes. This makes it difficult to leave Aleppo and the other combat zones. At the moment,’” the Caritas worker explains, “we are waiting for news about the UN convoy. I am in touch with the Italian embassy in Damascus.” The convoy awaits authorization to depart from all the warring parties.
