According to the Assyrian International News Agency, Assyrian Christians who have fled from an area of Syria called al-Thawrah (also known as al-Tabqah), have been told by rebels, "If you want to come back, convert to Islam, or you will be killed."
The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols has called for prayers in support of all those affected by the conflict in Syria.
Christians are being threatened into supporting the opposition and churches are being desecrated in civil war-ravaged Syria, a US congressional hearing has heard.