For gay Syrians, jihadist threat adds new fear The Syrian gay community has long suffered from persecution in socially conservative Syria. But now that the country is in the grip of a deadly conflict, with the regime of Bashar al-Assad busy fighting armed opposition groups, the situation is changing. Gay people feel less targeted in areas under regime control, but the threat of jihadists from groups like the Islamic State is looming. A voiced AFPTV report.