Millions of Christians are caught in crossfire of Muslim wars in Mideast

[Geee]

Washington Times:

The Arab Spring has not been kind to Christians, and Syria is a good example: The nation’s 2 million-plus Christians are caught in the middle of a Muslim war.

 

Jihadist rebels threaten and kidnap them while coercing others to become Muslims. Government troops loyal to President Bashar Assad order them to fight the opposition or face death.

 

A Christian bishop this year fled the northern area for Vienna to escape Syria’s secret police. He suspected they planned to kill him for not cooperating. In June, al Qaeda sympathizers beheaded a Catholic priest and proudly posted online cellphone videos of the bloody scene.

 

“The Christians have been practically targeted by both sides,” said Emanuel Aydin, a bishop of the Syrian Orthodox Church. “There is always some tension between Alawites, Shiites and Sunni Muslims, and in the middle are the Christians.”