The director-general of the UN migration agency, Amy Pope, who heads the International Organization for Migration (IOM), told AFP during a visit to Lebanon that members of religious minorities, which are numerous in Syria, had fled the country because of fear of “potential threats” after the coalition of Turkish-led radical Islamists took power in Damascus.

“Tens of thousands” of people have fled Syria and “we hear talk of religious minorities fleeing the country,” Pope said.

The UN also said one million Syrian refugees could return to the country between January and June 2025, following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad on December 8.

Christian religious officials in Damascus “said their communities remain very concerned, although they have not yet left,” Pope added.

The IOM chief added that the international community wants to ensure that the more radical voices in this coalition do not destabilize further the country.