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Christians in northeastern Syria seek to revive Easter spirit following IS ouster

After the fall of IS, Easter celebrations were held in only in some northeastern Syrian areas.
A priest blesses worshippers during an Orthodox Easter service at the Church of Saint Jacob in the Kurdish-controlled city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria on April 28, 2019. (Photo by Delil souleiman / AFP)        (Photo credit should read DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Christians in Syria on April 28 celebrated their first Easter following the declaration of the defeat of the Islamic State (IS). The militant group had taken the province of Raqqa as its main stronghold in recent years, and had committed atrocious crimes against Christians in Raqqa and in Hasakah province.

The Eastern Orthodox church celebrated Resurrection Sunday on April 28. Catholics and Protestants, who observe the Western Christian liturgical calendar, had observed Easter on April 21.

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