Posted on 06/13/2017 7:41:56 PM PDT by Texas Fossil
Leaders of the Syriac Military Council, a Christian force that is part of the US- backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighting ISIS (Photo: Courtesy)
The battle for Raqqa, the Syrian city serving as the “capital” of ISIS’ caliphate, has begun. You’d never know it from the media coverage, but a Christian force is taking part and is asking for U.S. support and prayers.
The Syriac Military Council (SMC) and its female wing, the Bethnahrin Women Protection Forces (HSNB), have issued a press release announcing their participation in the offensive on Raqqa. The SMC is a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S.-backed, multi-ethnic force led by Kurds. The Syrian Democratic Forces are about 55,000-strong and include 29,000 Arabs.
The 2,000 members of this Christian unit complains that the international community is discriminating against them in its support for the Syrian Democratic Forces. The press release reiterates their request for help — a request they’ve been making
“We ask them [the international coalition] to support us in equal measure as our Kurdish and Arab brothers and sisters,” it says.
The SMC is asking Christians around the world to pray for guns, ammunition, minimal bloodshed and a speedy victory. About 4,000 ISIS fighters are in Raqaa, preparing for a street-by-street battle.
The Christian female fighters and their Kurdish allies see themselves as warriors for women’s rights who will open a new chapter for their gender in the region.
“This is a fight for all women in the world. ISIS is the worst oppressor in modern time, if I will be able to help release some of the women they are holding hostage and selling as sex slaves, it’s enough for me. I am ready to die for that.
“It’s also a struggle for the survival of my people, the Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs and for all other Christians in Middle East. I am ready to die for that, too,” said Bushra, one of the Christian female fighters.
Among other objectives, the forces hope to liberate about a dozen Christian families who remain in Raqqa, a city that used to be 10% Christian. The Christians have reportedly been banned from leaving.
After ISIS took over, it issued seven strict rules for Christians living in Raqqa in accordance with traditional sharia law, such as banning criticism of Islam and the display of crosses in Muslim areas.
There are about 100,000 civilians living under ISIS’ theocratic rule in Raqqa. There are reports that ISIS is stopping them from leaving so they can be used as human shields.
Raqqa is the last of the three main cities of ISIS’ caliphate. Dabiq, a city that is central to ISIS’ claims of fulfilling apocalyptic prophecies, fell without much resistance in October. Mosul is in the last stage of liberation. ISIS fighters there are preparing a last stand at the Grand al-Nuri Mosque where their leader declared the ISIS caliphate in 2014.
Raqqa is expected to be a tough fight, but it is only one-fifth the size of Mosul. ISIS leaders are already moving to Deir Az-Zour, where the group is fighting forces loyal to Syrian dictator Assad backed by Iran and Russia. Others are retreating to Mayadin, including chemical weapons experts, as well as the Iraqi city of Al-Qaim near the border.
According to an Iraqi government assessment in early May, the “caliph” of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was hiding in one of four places: Al-Baaj near Mosul; Al-Qaim on the Iraqi side of the border; Deir al-Zour or al-Bukamal on the Syrian side of the border. Al-Baaj was recently captured.
The SMC and its allies have every reason to believe the fight with ISIS will continue after Raqqa falls, making the Christians’ requests even more urgent.
And, after ISIS falls, the SMC is likely to fight Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria and its allies, as it has done in the past. There is no shortage of Islamist “rebels” that the Christians will need to defend themselves against.
The Islamist government of Turkey is threatening to attack the Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqa if President Erdogan deems them to be a threat. SMC condemned Turkey for bombing Kurdish targets in April and may very well come under attack from Turkish proxies in the near future.
The SMC is also opposed to the Assad regime. In other words, the SMC Christians have plenty of enemies to worry about for the foreseeable future. The aid they are asking for from the international community should be granted without hesitation.
Some other communities have had almost 100% Christian population for many generations.
The non-Kurd Christian Communities have joined the SDF and are asking for the US government to treat them like we have their Kurdish counterparts in order to defend themselves. They are involved in the Raqqa campaign.
Some time ago, a close Kurdish friend explained this group to me.
I'm personally going to request my congressman to help them like we are the Syrian Kurds and the other SDF members.
Syria Ping
Help them? Oh, hell yeah!
Onward Christian soldiers!
Syriacs and Chaldean Christians have been in ME almost forever. As have the Copts in Egypt.
They have sure been hit badly for past 10 years.
Yes, they deserve our help.
Me too brother.
My house rep. actually returns (I know it’s not him writing it) every email I send him.
I will have to figure out how to word it to get to the point.
I posted this earlier about the Kurds helping Christians in Syria. Kurds tell me this is a pretty accurate story, not long after Kobani. (had to check to see if either of you had posted there.)
The War Nerd: A Glorious Victory, For Once! (Kurds in Syria)
https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3558431/posts
Pretty good read.
If Obama were still in charge, no doubt he and Brennan would make them drone targets.
Send them SNIPER rifles and some US Black Ops forces to help them with mini-UAV’s.
Yes, grasshopper, your memory is very good.
hee hee hee
That unfortunately was exactly how it was. Hope I never see or hear him again. I’m sure I won’t get that wish.
You might be interested in this public release from the Syriac Forces in Syria.
SyriacMilitary MFS: @SyriacMFS Jun 6
PRESS RELEASE 06.06.2017: Syriac forces participate to #Raqqa city liberation campaign
https://twitter.com/SyriacMFS/status/872011907917631488
and this video statement
SyriacMilitaryMFS @SyriacMFS Jun 8
Message of #MFS Spokesman G. Kino to Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people regarding Raqqa city liberation campaign with #SDF. @CENTCOM @OIRSpox
https://twitter.com/SyriacMFS/status/872768060989616129 (Video)
I’m personally going to ask almighty God to blight all neocon agitation, deceit, regime change and warmongering in the region.
SDF is a false front. So is this “Christian” photo-op.
This was the article I also learned of the asking for prayers...so I did post it on our Prayer Vigil thread.
we are helping them Militarily from what I understand....I thought mostly they were asking for our prayers now?
OK, Thanks.
I thought I had heard that they were being helped, but the press release was recent so I was not sure.
I have some phone calls to do in the morning. I know a fellow in a well know Christian broadcasting station that I’m sure will pick this up. I had previously called my congressman.
Well, you are wrong.
No. The malevolent, bloodcaked churning we are doing over there is wrong. It was wrong as Obama policy, and it is wrong now.
America is being used as muscle for anti-Christ governments in the region.
I sent you a message.
I have no issue discussing this with you, but don’t agree with you. I’ve known some of these people a long time. I promise I know about them warts and all.
You don’t find better people in the ME than the Syrian Kurds.
Do you think we out to help the Jews?
We’re not helping anything or anyone except murderous, covetous, and godless elites in a handful of nations.
Photo ops with sock puppets do not count, and it sure took a LONG time time to put this propaganda gloss on McCain’s SDF friends.
The perpetuation of these globalist, neocon/neolib Obama era policies must end.
McCain has never been a friend of the Kurds. Not the YPG or the YPJ. The SDF is more than 1/2 made up of Kurds. The Arabs that have joined were never any of those that McCain and Hillary hired to dismember Syria.
I don't know where you get your information, but the SDF did not exist until after Manbij. It was formed to pacify Turkey by including Arabs in it to take Raqqa (predominantly Arab city). Of course, pacifying Turkey is a total lost cause, but they are a NATO member.
You avoided answering my question, do you think we should support the Jews in Israel?
This is a tiny group with very little support. The vast majority of Syrian Christians, including in the northeast part of Syria, support the government and fight for the SAA or NDF.
It’s really a US front group designed to give the false impression that Syrian Christians don’t support the government. They have no combat power. The entire SDF is a fig leaf for the Kurds, not a real organization.
If you care about protecting Christians in Syria, support the government.
Write to your Congressmen and ask them to stop arming all rebels.
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