The once-familiar sound of bombardments has given way to a new threat: hunger.
Despite bread distribution continuing on the streets, the situation is dire, with skyrocketing food prices and growing needs, said Fr. Bahjat Karakach, parish priest of the St. Francis of Assisi Church in Aleppo.
Speaking to AsiaNews, he described a population “frightened” but reassured by recent calm skies, though their foremost concern is now survival.
“The greatest concern,” Fr. Karakach explained, “is to scrape together food to put on the table with food prices that have now skyrocketed, while the needs and necessities are becoming ever greater.”
The challenges are compounded by the ongoing conflict. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militias, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, have made advances in Aleppo and other areas. They have pledged moderation in their governance, assuring the protection of minorities, including Christians, Kurds, and Alawites.
Ahrar al-Sham, another ultraconservative rebel faction, has reinforced these commitments. A commander from the group called for unity and emphasized the need to safeguard Christians and Armenians, signaling a seemingly inclusive approach amidst the chaos of war.
However, despite these assurances, doubts persist. Many question the durability and authenticity of these promises, leaving residents uncertain about the future under rebel control.
Fr. Karakach highlighted the escalating humanitarian crisis. “Our church has become a well-known distribution point in the surrounding neighborhoods, but the growth in the number of people asking for food is putting us in difficulty because our possibilities are limited. And it is a source of great disappointment that we cannot feed everyone.”
His church prioritizes feeding children and the elderly amidst what Cardinal Mario Zenari, the apostolic nuncio to Syria, has previously called the “poverty bomb.”
Essential services remain unreliable. Electricity is unavailable for long hours, and although gasoline is accessible, it is prohibitively expensive, costing nearly a tenth of an average salary per liter. Salaries remain unpaid for many government employees since November, forcing them to endure without income.
While anti-government forces attempt to normalize life in Aleppo by cleaning streets and distributing supplies, uncertainty prevails.
“The opposition forces are working hard to normalize life in the city,” said Fr. Karakach. “They send messages of tolerance and civility, set up security commissions, and make themselves available to any request.”
However, fear persists among residents. Many question the longevity of the current calm and worry about the potential for renewed violence or future restrictions.
“What if there were to be bombings on civilians? What if the tolerance shown today were to turn into discriminatory laws tomorrow?” Fr. Karakach relayed the questions of Aleppo’s people.
Despite small signs of progress, such as improved street conditions, Fr. Karakach remains cautious. “There are winds of change in the air,” he said, adding that while they bring “a little hope” to a weary population, they are “still not enough to reassure people.”
“All hope,” he concluded, “is placed in the fact that these events can be a real opportunity for a definitive political solution, and until this is achieved, what remains are the fear and the sense of danger that the people of Aleppo have been living with for years.”
