Syria: young Christian says 'minorities are being crushed' from all sides

Damascus before the war

in Syrian society are being crushed in a conflict that is growing in intensity and is increasingly becoming a struggle between different tribal and religious factions - that is the view of a young Syrian Christian, driven from his home in Hassake, with his family to the town of Ras al-Ain, on the border with Turkey, in upper Mesopotamia.

The civilian population in the area beyond the Euphrates (Eastern Syria), has been devastated by the conflict that has resulted in an exodus of civilians, displaced especially from the cities of Hassake and Kamishly. From there, the local Bishops have sent an urgent appeal to the international community and the Pope, "to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe".

In Ras al-Ain, captured by troops of the Free Army on 8 November, clashes between Kurdish and Arab military factions are currently underway. These two factions were previously united against the Syrian regular army.

The young Christian, who claims to be close to the Syrian opposition and requested anonymity for security reasons, described the plight of minorities (Arabs, Kurds, Syrians, Assyrians, Christians) in Mesopotamia. He said: "In the middle of the night, at two on 8 November, residents of Ras al-Ain were awakened by the sound of explosions, of helicopters and machine guns. They were the fighters of the Free Army and Turkish helicopters reached Syrian territory and easily conquered the border crossing and the city. The military began to seize civilian homes to use them as fighting positions. My grandfather's home was among those that were seized, where there were women, children and my paralyzed grandmother.

"All civilians were expelled from their homes in pajamas, without being able to take documents, money or anything else. Military and combatants went further: with a 'black list', they went from one house to another looking for their enemies. Among these were the names of the heads of Christian families. Why? ".

"Without the intervention of a neighbour, a Sunni Muslim who prayed the gunmen not to hurt us, we would have died. We are safe and we fled. The population of Ras al-Ain, Muslims and Christians, Arabs and Kurds, Syrians and Assyrians, lived in peace and brotherhood for decades. But now we want to put one against the other. Why? ".

"In Ras al-Ain, the victims were not only Christians, but Christians were the only ones who were immediately expelled from their homes, carrying babies in their arms, put to flight the streets strewn with corpses. Such intervention is that of an army of invaders and not an army of liberators, as the Army of the opposition call themselves. "

The young man concludes: "Kurds, Arabs and Christians, more than 70.000 people fled, mostly to Hassake. Within hours, the city became a ghost town. The Alawites had the worst destiny: killed because they were Alawites. One of the victims was a school teacher, who loved the city so much and for many years taught children of all families.

"Some militants found, captured and killed him in front of his wife and children, who were kidnapped. "

"Today the roads are blocked. A bus travelling between Hassake and Aleppo was stopped and all passengers Identified, to eliminate those who are not Sunnis.

"Who gave the militia the order to kill on the basis of religion? What right do they have to kill innocent civilians? International law provides that, even in war, it is the duty of the conquerors to ensure the survival and rights of civilians. But this principle does not seem to be included among those that organise the rebel military factions. Why? We have always accused the regime of these disasters. Now we talk about the crimes that we have seen with our eyes, perpetrated by the Free Syrian Army."

Source: Fides