"Christian minorities are facing a growing threat and thousands are being forced to flee their homes as they face harassment and discrimination from opposition radical Islamist factions. At least 9,000 Christians from the western Syrian city of Qusayr were forced to seek refuge after an ultimatum from a local military chief from the armed opposition, the Vatican’s Fides news agency said. Earlier, a Christian man was shot dead by a sniper in Qusayr, which neighbors the city of Homs. Some reports have even suggested that a number of mosques in the city have announced that "Christians must leave Qusayr within six days." Two Catholic priests who fled the city confirmed to the news agency that they heard the ultimatum repeated from the minarets "with their own ears." Attempts to evacuate Christians from the city of Homs over the past two weeks have also been unsuccessful, and a priest in the city said the rebels appeared to want to keep the civilians inside to use them as bargaining chips. Thousands of Christians have fled certain areas of Homs that fell into rebel hands in February. Meanwhile, US intelligence operatives and diplomats continue to step up their contacts with Syrian rebels to help organize their growing military operations against President Bashar al-Assad's forces." (thanks Raed)