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Archbishop Michel Nauman Victimized in a Robbery in Homs
Archbishop Michel Nauman, the General Episcopal Vicar of the eparchy of Homs, Hama, and Al-Nabek for the Syriac Catholic Church, was subjected to an armed attempted robbery last night in front of his house in Zaidal village in rural Homs. The perpetrators were two masked individuals claiming to be from the “Public Security.”
According to the archbishop's account, the gunmen ambushed him as he arrived home, threatening him with firearms and forcing him to lean against the wall before stealing his gold cross, which he has been keeping for fifty years, along with some personal belongings. He mentioned that he narrowly escaped the incident unharmed after they left him confused without keys or a phone.
Nauman added that he did not feel fear for his safety as much as he thought of victims of similar attacks, emphasizing that his survival was due to divine protection. He also expressed gratitude to the villagers and priests who quickly came to his aid after the incident.
Security patrols arrived at the scene to investigate the attack, amid a wave of frustration among the mostly Christian residents of Zaidal.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of increasing security chaos and widespread weapons among civilians, with thefts and assaults on civilians rising over recent months.
On August 29th, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented a theft incident in which two armed individuals, believed to be affiliated with the Ministry of Defense, intercepted a young man in Damsarakh village in the rural area of Latakia under the threat of weapons. They stole his mobile phone and personal belongings before fleeing on a motorcycle.
