Demonstrations started in Syria after the militants burned the Christmas tree near the city of Hama.
The BBC reports that according to the videos spread on social networks, on the evening of December 23, masked militants set fire to the Christmas tree in the main square of the central Syrian city of Suqeilabiya.
The city is mainly inhabited by Christians. Thousands of protesters have been demonstrating across the country, demanding that the new Islamist leaders protect the rights of religious minorities.
The leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the main group that carried out the regime change in Syria, announced that the men responsible for the arson were foreign fighters who were detained. One of the religious officials of HTS assured the participants of the action gathered in Sukeylabiya that the Christmas tree will be restored by morning.
The BBC points out that the man was holding a cross as a sign of solidarity, something Islamist conservatives would never do.
On December 24, more protesters took to the streets. Many ethnic and religious groups live in Syria, including Armenians, Kurds, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawis. Since the end of November, anti-government forces of Syria have occupied several major cities of the country.
On December 8, opposition representatives entered Damascus and announced on state television that they had established control over the country. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family received asylum in Moscow.
A transitional government was established in Syria, which is led by Mohammed al-Bashir. HTS is still considered terrorist by various countries and organizations, including the USA, EU, Great Britain, Russia and the UN. However, this position may change after meetings between the representatives of different countries and the leadership of the group.
