Syriacs establish military council in Syria

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

REUTERS/Ammar Awad

The Syriac community in Syria has established the “Syriac Military Council” to combat problems Syriacs face due to the conflicts in the country, the Council said in an official declaration issued Jan. 8.

The Syriac Military Council will operate particularly in the areas where Syriacs are densely populated, including Aleppo, Damascus, Al-Hasakah, Latakia and Homs.

Ashour Youssef, a member of the Council, said it would engage in military activities in order to make Syriacs stay in Syria. “We did not found the Council with aims of creating hostility or targeting a certain community. On the contrary, we aim to reflect our will for living in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere with the other communities,” Youssef said.

“The developments in Syria are directly influencing Syrians. The clashes have also harmed the Syriacs, limiting their life spaces. Syriacs are mostly affected by the clashes in Damascus, Aleppo, and Al-Hasakah provinces. They are trying to take shelter in more secure regions since their military and security forces are ineffective,” Youssef said.

“Especially in Aleppo and Al-Hasakah, people are being abducted for ransom. Our military council will target the factors that directly threaten our people and preserve the areas where Syriacs live. Also, it will engage in activities that would support Syriacs in Syria’s military and political platforms, and struggle for a change of regime along with the other communities,” Youssef said.