The city of Aleppo, a long-suffering symbol of the Syrian conflict, has experienced a slight reprieve in hostilities, though fear continues to grip its residents.
“Today the situation is a little calmer, the climate is better than other days,” Bishop Hanna Jallouf, the Franciscan apostolic vicar of Aleppo since July 2023, said in a report by AsiaNews.
“Yesterday they bombed the Terra Santa College, causing very heavy material damage but sparing people. Now the situation is calmer, even if people continue to be afraid of Russian missiles falling on our heads,” he added.
The city has become a focal point of the conflict, with rebel groups and opposition forces pushing the narrative back into international headlines. The streets of Aleppo remain inaccessible.
“The roads are blocked,” Jallouf said, “and no one can enter or exit,” following scenes of chaotic exodus triggered by advances of anti-government militias and retreats by President Bashar al-Assad’s army.
Recent changes have brought partial relief to the city. “There have also been some small changes: water and electricity seem to have returned, and within the next two days bread and fuel should also return,” Jallouf explained.
“As of today, about 90% of the city is under the control of the rebels or anti-government forces, while the remaining 10% is in the hands of the Kurds,” who are expected to withdraw soon.
The conflict has complicated even burial rituals. “The problem is linked to the cemeteries, which are in the border area between the Kurds and the rebels, and it is difficult to bury the bodies,” said Jallouf.
“The temporary solution is to bury them in the land near the vicariate without making distinctions,” he said, adding that once stability returns, the burials would be properly managed.
Jallouf offered insights into relations with the rebels controlling Aleppo, many of whom he had encountered during his years in Idlib.
“They treat us with respect,” he said. “So far, they have not touched any Christians. The order is to respect our rites, our churches, even our clothes.”
