Christians attend Christmas mass at the Lady of Damascus Church in the Syrian capital, on December 24, following the ousting of the country’s president Bashar al-Assad. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former al-Qaeda affiliate that led the rebel campaign against Assad, has preached religious coexistence and pledged to protect minority groups. However, members of minorities remain concerned that the new rulers may seek to impose an Islamist government, with many, especially Christians, feeling anxious about the future. [Reuters]