A farewell prayer and tribute were held for the Papal Nuncio, Monsignor Mario Zenari, on the occasion of the end of his diplomatic service in Syria after 18 years of work.

📍 Location:
Patriarchate of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church – Church of the Olive Tree

During the event, attendees presented letters directly to the Papal Nuncio, reflecting the daily fears and dangers faced by Syrian Christians. The content included:
• The current reality does not represent us
• They stole the statue of St. Paul
• Today, our future is being stolen
• Our lives matter — open the doors of migration
• We do not want to be victims

🔴 The appeal also included a clear and direct message:

“Monsignor Mario, Christians are in danger — help us.”

This peaceful initiative reflects the growing concerns among Syrian Christians regarding:
• Marginalization and forced displacement
• Erosion of communal presence
• Lack of effective guarantees for security, dignity, and freedom of worship

Amid a fragile political and security situation, daily violations include the killing of civilians, extrajudicial executions by elements of the de facto authority following the ideology of Ibn Taymiyyah and terrorist groups, as civilians are considered, according to their extremist and doctrinal approach, enemies of God — infidels, polytheists, and apostates. This is in addition to daily thefts and looting, enforced disappearances, kidnappings and captivity, systemic marginalization in state institutions, mass dismissal based on sectarian lines, targeting of religious symbols, bombing and attacks on churches, and threats to Syria’s historically diverse social fabric.

📌 This appeal falls within the legitimate demands to protect all components of the Syrian people across their religious and sectarian groups, ensure their fundamental rights, and halt practices that threaten the Christian presence and Syria’s historical identity.

Over the past few days, several media outlets have circulated a video clip of an individual claiming to be a doctor detained in al-Hol camp. Subsequently, Al Jazeera aired a new segment portraying him as an innocent civilian—an “angel from heaven.”

However, a review of archived video footage revealed another recording of the same individual, originating from Al-Furat Network, in which he appears clearly among the ranks of the ISIS terrorist organization. This exposes a fundamental contradiction in the media narratives circulated regarding his identity and status.

🔴 Details:
• The recently circulated clip was presented as depicting a civilian detainee held in al-Hol prison/camp during the period of control by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• In contrast, an older video shows the same individual as a militant within ISIS, issuing direct threats against unarmed civilian populations, vowing retribution, killing, slaughter, and forced displacement, calling for the imposition of what he terms “Sharia law,” and stating: “We are the subjects of the Commander of the Faithful; we support our brothers in the Islamic State; we fight in the cause of God and to elevate the word ‘There is no god but God,’ to defeat these few riffraff,” using this language to describe local civilians.
• The match in facial features, voice, and contextual indicators confirms that both recordings belong to the same person.

Recasting ISIS operatives as “civilians” or “victims of detention,” while omitting their past and their direct involvement in crimes, constitutes a recurring pattern of media disinformation. This practice aims to launder the image of the organization and its members and to manipulate Arab and international public opinion.

The de facto authority in Damascus, along with its affiliated media platforms, continues to rely on disinformation and the fabrication of misleading narratives rather than adhering to professional standards and accountability. This represents an attempt to whitewash a record deeply tied to terrorism and grave violations, without any genuine change in conduct or practice.

The mouthpieces of the de facto authority, along with certain Arab media channels, are key contributors to the media and on-the-ground recycling of terrorism—at the expense of victims and their right to truth and justice.