December 8 marked the day the Syrian government was overthrown by rebel forces. This move sent the region of Damascus into chaos and conflict as the over 50-year al-Assad regime toppled, leaving people to wonder who is now in control. But amid all the lingering questions related to this major conflict, concerns are being raised about the country’s Christians.

The Middle East is not known for welcoming Christianity with open arms. On Monday’s episode of “Washington Watch,” Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), explained the role Syria has had in the lives of Christians in the Middle East. It used to be that Syria served as a “safe haven for Christians in the Middle East,” he explained. Even though Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was “a tough dictator … Christians were protected there.” But over the course of roughly 14 years, King added, there has “been probably about an 80% reduction” of Christians in that area.

This, he emphasized, “kind of reflects the whole picture of the Middle East and with Iraq. … [T]his is the birthplace of Christianity.” And yet, when “radicals [are] free to do what they want … [and] Christians [are] without protection,” the people of faith are the ones who end up fleeing. Guest host Jody Hice speculated that if 80%, “give or take, of the Christians who are in Syria … have already [left] or are in [the] process of leaving, that would say to me [that] they are fearful for their lives with the new power that is coming into place.” On the other hand, if Christians have been leaving the country for over a decade, it begs the question of what’s truly causing their migration in the first place.

With this in mind, Hice asked, “Are you at all hopeful about what lies ahead with the Assad regime now [in the past]? Or is it still a very dangerous place?” King responded, “I’m just as hopeful about the situation in Syria as I am about Afghanistan.” For instance, “The guys that took over … [are from] al-Qaeda and ISIS. … They’re radical Islamists … [who have] rebranded, and they’re very politically savvy.” And if these are the groups that end up in charge, Hice argued, then it “would explain why so many Christians are fleeing.” Even though the future for Syria is still to be determined, King believes “there’s no indication that these [new leaders] are going to be pleasant or at all safe in terms of the Christians.”

“So,” Hice clarified, “you don’t think that the Christians are likely to have a haven there … in the future?” According to King, “No. Definitely not.” Moving forward, Hice wondered how the incoming Trump administration may “fit into all of this.” As King put it, that’s “a very complicated question.” However, “these movements … don’t just spring up out of the blue.” Historically, the U.S. has had its “interest to topple the Assad regime and to break Iran’s hold on the region. … We wanted Assad to fall … [and] to break Russia’s hold on power, which now that’s happened.” Ultimately, King observed, this conflict became prominent long “before Trump. … But this is an untenable situation. My guess is we’re going to slowly clean up and push these guys out. But it’s going to be [a] long and interesting” effort.

Hice asked, “How can we be praying for and assisting … our Syrian brothers and sisters in the Lord?” King replied, “[T]he Syrian population is relieved to have Assad gone, but they are terrified.” And so, the ultimate prayer, he said, is that they’re able to help “get people out and … provide emergency relief” when needed.