An Orthodox Christian priest narrowly escaped injury when armed men opened fire on residential homes in the predominantly Christian town of Squalbiyah in western Syria, following a dispute between young people from neighboring communities, the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported.

The incident occurred during the night of October 3 in Hama province. According to the organization, the confrontation began with an argument between young people from Squalbiyah and nearby Qalaat al-Madiq, a town inhabited predominantly by Sunni Muslims. Armed men subsequently arrived in Squalbiyah, opened fire on homes and damaged property.

An Orthodox priest, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, was among those targeted. He said the assailants fired at him and his car. One bullet passed close to him, but he escaped unharmed.

Fadi Sankari, the parish priest in Squalbiyah, urged residents to remain calm and prevent further violence.

“Security, justice and accountability, not revenge,” Sankari emphasized. He also called on Christians to remain united and resist provocations, warning that bloodshed would neither repair the damage nor secure a better future for the community.

The shooting marks the second similar incident in Squalbiyah in the past six months. In late March, a group of men entered the town at night and attacked shops, commercial properties and local residents. Security forces were subsequently deployed to restore order.

Located approximately 50 kilometers from the city of Hama, Squalbiyah was home to around 20,000 people before the outbreak of Syria’s civil war. The town was founded in the 19th century by Orthodox Christian settlers from southern Syria.

The latest violence has renewed concerns about the safety of the town’s Christian population and the risk of further tensions between neighboring communities.