Persecution Watchdog's Warning to Trump as Syria Descends Into Chaos

"This is going to fundamentally change the balance of power in the region." Joel Veldkamp, international communications officer for Christian Solidarity International, a persecution watchdog, is sounding the alarm about what will happen as the result of the toppling of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria and the rise of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terror group. "It won't be good for Israel," Veldkamp told CBN News. "It won't be good for the Christians. It won't be good for anyone except Turkey, really." The watchdog's comments come after Syrian rebels entered Damascus Sunday and Assad reportedly fled the nation with his family, finding asylum in Russia. HTS is led by Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a man who had longtime ties to al-Qaida — connections he has, in recent years, reportedly renounced. The future of Syria remains up in the air, as Veldkamp and others worry about how shifting power dynamics will harm Christians and members of other minority groups. And with President-Elect Donald Trump set to take office next month, there are also international elements to these developments that must be considered. Veldkamp offered advice and warnings to Trump ahead of his second term. "When [Trump] was president the last time, he actually cut off U.S. support for groups like HTS for a time, because I think he recognized what a bad idea," he said. "And I would say to him, 'Look, these guys are now in the driver's seat in Syria. They're about to be in the driver's seat in the whole region — and the U.S. still has some influence there. They have influence with Turkey; They have influence with Saudi Arabia. They probably have influence with HTS itself.'" Veldkamp cautioned Trump not to take a backseat on the Syria issue and pushed back against arguments that it's not America's job or responsibility to be involved, especially considering what's at stake. "Trump has the chance now to keep Christianity from disappearing in Syria and probably the whole Middle East," he said, going on to deliver a specific message to the incoming commander-in-chief. "I would say, 'Think about it, reflect on it, reflect on your legacy, and have mercy on the people of Syria.'" Veldkamp also explored some of the history and backstory leading up to the current chaos in Syria, noting Assad's family has ruled the nation for the past 50 years. He described them as "brutal dictators" and said "lots of people have suffered under their rule." The roots of the current crisis were set in 2011 when a peaceful uprising took hold and Assad pushed back. Over time, the fighting intensified and other forces got involved. "The U.S., and Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, and some other countries had a strong interest in trying to push Russia and Iran out of Syria," he said. "And so they started sponsoring armed groups in Syria that were fighting against the Syrian dictatorship." Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show each week on CBN News Watch the weekly "Newsmakers" TV show on CBN's YouTube channel Download the free CBN News App