Syrian Christian Goldsmith George Ishoh Executed in Homs by Islamic Militants After Refusing Jizya and Conversion to Islam

Syria Desk, Delhi Magazine – In a harrowing act of religiously motivated violence, 45-year-old Syriac Christian goldsmith George Ishoh was brutally shot and killed outside his home in the historic Al-Hamidiyah district of Homs, Syria. The perpetrators: armed Islamic militants who demanded that he either pay the Islamic “jizya” tax or convert to Islam. He refused both. Their response was a cold-blooded execution — a bullet to the head.

George Ishoh, a father of two, was a well-respected craftsman in his community. He lived through Syria’s civil unrest, quietly running his small jewelry business. But his Christian identity ultimately marked him for death.

Why Was George Ishoh Targeted?

According to local sources and Syriac Christian community leaders, Ishoh had been receiving threats for weeks from a group believed to be affiliated with jihadist remnants still operating in Homs. The men demanded that he pay the jizya — a historical Islamic tax imposed on non-Muslims under Sharia law. When Ishoh stood his ground and refused to convert to Islam, they responded with brutal force, executing him outside his residence in broad daylight.

Neighbors rushed him to the nearby university hospital, but it was too late. His wife and child were not at home during the attack, narrowly escaping the psychological trauma of witnessing the killing.

Echoes of a Broader Persecution

The murder of George Ishoh is not a standalone incident. It is part of an escalating wave of anti-Christian violence in Syria, a country where Christianity once thrived for centuries. Just weeks earlier, a suicide bombing targeted Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus on June 22, killing at least 25 worshippers and injuring many more. That attack was also carried out by Islamic extremists — making it one of the worst recent assaults on the Christian population in Syria.

The pattern is chilling: abductions, demands for ransom or conversion, forced jizya, home invasions, and outright killings. In each case, Christian families are the targets, and in most cases, no one is held accountable.

The Return of Jizya: An Ideological Tool of Oppression

The resurgence of jizya demands by radical Islamic groups is a glaring warning sign. Under the historical caliphates, non-Muslims had to pay this tax as a symbol of submission in exchange for limited protection. Today, extremist factions have revived it as a method of extortion and religious control, particularly in war-torn areas like Syria and parts of Iraq.

George Ishoh’s defiance in the face of this threat made him a symbol of quiet resistance, but it also made him a target. His assassination was not a robbery gone wrong — it was an ideological killing, aimed at sending a message to all non-Muslims who dare to say no to jihadist pressure.

Syrian Government’s Empty Promises

The Syrian government, while promising protection to religious minorities, has largely failed to contain or punish such crimes. Christian neighborhoods like Al-Hamidiyah, once bustling with life, have turned into ghost towns as families flee one after another.

The impunity with which Islamic militants operate in these areas only reinforces the fear. Residents claim that even when crimes are reported, the authorities do little to investigate or protect survivors.

International Silence and Media Blindness

One of the most shocking aspects of this tragedy is the international silence surrounding it. While global media outlets cover sectarian violence when it fits political narratives, the ongoing genocide of Christians in the Middle East — often at the hands of Islamic extremists — receives minimal attention.

“This is not Islamophobia. This is fact,” said one Syriac Christian activist. “We are being slaughtered. And no one in the West even wants to talk about it because it doesn’t fit their moral narrative.”

The Christian Exodus

Once nearly 2 million strong, Syria’s Christian population has dwindled to less than 300,000. Every killing, like that of George Ishoh, accelerates the exodus.

In the days following the murder, more Christian families from Homs have already crossed into Lebanon or begun the paperwork to leave. Those who remain live in fear — not just of armed Islamic groups, but of being forgotten by a world that seems unwilling to acknowledge the religious genocide playing out in plain sight.

A Final Stand

George Ishoh’s funeral was attended by dozens of mourners, many of whom wept openly. Local priests and community elders spoke of his courage, his faith, and his unwillingness to bow to radical Islamism.

“He refused to pay for his right to live as a Christian,” said one mourner. “And for that, he was murdered.”

As the smoke clears in Homs and the world moves on, one thing remains painfully clear: George Ishoh died not for politics or property — he died for his faith.