Syria

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)-- Suspected Islamic gunmen shot dead at least 11 people, mostly Christians, in central Syria on Saturday, August 17, in what local residents and activists said was the latest in a series of attacks on the country's Christian minority.

By Martin Roth, BosNewsLife Senior Special Correspondent DAMASCUS/LOS ANGELES (BosNewsLife)-- Syrian Christian activist and filmmaker Sargon Saadi has urged Christians in the West to step up efforts to help besieged Assyrians, after the kidnapping of 150 Assyrian Christians by militants of the Islamic State group.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)-- An Iraqi Franciscan priest abducted by Islamic militants in northwest Syria has been released, but Christian leaders cautioned that persecution of minority groups continues in the war-torn region.

By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Devoted Christians in Hungary and the Middle East stood up against Nazism or Islamic extremism this week, while others worshiped Christ behind bars, between bomb explosions and in bitter cold conditions.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service BEIRUT, LEBANON (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Syria remained in the crossfire Sunday, November 18, as rebels captured up to 30 percent of the heavily Islamic nation, a leading Dutch legislator and investigator told BosNewsLife.

By Martin Roth, BosNewsLife Senior Columnist DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife Columns)-- An article in The Times newspaper alleging atrocities by Christian militia in Syria has sparked some “I told you so” posts on social media, from people claiming that Christianity is inherently just as violent as Islam.

By BosNewsLife News Center VATICAN CITY/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Pope Francis has called a Christian Syrian woman "a martyr" after hearing she was killed by Islamic militants for refusing to deny her faith in Jesus Christ. The leader of the world's one billion Catholics told the faithful in St. Peter's Square that he spoke with the young woman's widow during his visit Saturday, April 16, to the Greek island of Lesbos where he also visited refugees held in an overcrowded detention center.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Senior Mission Correspondent Dr. John M. Lindner and Stefan J. Bos ALEPPO/DAMASCUS (BosNewsLife)-- Minority Christians in Syria's largest city Aleppo said Friday, December 7, they face starvation after dozens of believers already died in targeted attacks rocking Christian areas of the war-torn country.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with additional reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos   BEIRUT, LEBANON (BosNewsLife)-- The Bishop responsible for Maronite Christians in Europe warned the Western world Thursday, October 25, that recent deadly attacks in Christian districts of Beirut and Damascus could "unleash" a massive "new wave" of Christian refugees

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)— Fighters of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group have released another 37 Assyrian Christians who had been kidnapped nine months ago, but hundreds of other Christian hostages remain detained, Christians confirmed Friday, November 20.