[Today's Prayer] "4,711 Civilians Killed in 100 Days After Assad's Overthrow"

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a conflict monitoring group, announced on the 18th (local time) that over 4,000 civilians have died in the 100 days of security vacuum since the ouster of the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

SOHR reported that a total of 6,316 people, including militants and civilians, have died since the rebel forces led by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ousted former President Assad on December 8 last year.

Of these, 4,711 were civilians, including 4,172 adult men, 345 adult women, and 194 children.

The civilian deaths included 1,805 people who were executed without judicial procedures. The SOHR pointed out that most of these executions were carried out after Assad-loyal militias attacked government checkpoints in Latakia and other areas in western Syria on the 6th of this month.

The SOHR explained that "after the fall of the Assad regime, the military and security organizations collapsed, creating a security vacuum throughout Syria," and that "the (newly established interim government) forces were exposed to numerous armed attacks and assassinations in various places."

It also mentioned that crimes such as looting of public property and murder increased, and that massacres and executions based on sectarian or political factions were frequent.

(Omitted)

After the fall of the Assad regime, HTS established an interim government and took power by electing Ahmed al-Shara as interim president.

Since then, the Syrian interim government has been claiming to be a moderate government both domestically and internationally, but bloody clashes between pro-Turkish rebels and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northwest have continued for some time, and earlier this month, Assad's remnants caused riots, exposing security concerns.

Source: Yonhap News

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2)

Since the ouster of the Assad dictatorship in Syria, we have heard the sad news that over 4,000 people have been killed within 100 days in areas such as Latakia in western Syria due to clashes between Assad loyalist armed forces and rebels who established the current interim government, as well as massacres and executions based on religious and political factions.

According to local teachers, there are reports that about 10,000 people have been massacred. Please protect the Syrian people and reign over as the king of Syria.

May the peace of Jesus Christ, who saved us from our sins by the grace of the blood of the cross, come upon Syria. May the greed of all those who seek to seize power in Syria be cut off, and may only the Lord, the Lord of life, receive glory.

Now that the Sunni, the main force of the rebels who have seized power in Syria, are opposing the Alawites, the main force of former President Assad, and are committing sectarian massacres, please let the gospel flow quickly into the Latakia region and allow the local Syrian church and Arab church to seek out and serve the wounded and those who have lost their families.

At the same time, may the Lord be with the Christians and local missionaries who are enduring persecution while keeping their faith. When the community prays together, may the power of the church that the power of hell cannot overcome be revealed.

Although communication and transportation difficulties are so severe that it is even difficult to share this situation time to time, we pray for smooth communication and necessary support.

The united prayers of the global church are needed more than ever. Please the believers around the world to come together to intercede, so that Syria can become a nation that is freed by the truth.

May the power of death that is encroaching on Syria depart before the presence of the Kingdom of God, and with the power of resurrection, restore Syria again, so that the Syrian people can rise up as the high priests of the Arabs!