On January 23, an ICAD photo report revealed the reality of life for Assyrian residents under the control of the People’s Protection Units (YPG/SDF) for years, confirming that all the slogans about “protecting minorities” were merely a facade concealing a stark reality of oppression and coercion.
Thirty-five Assyrian villages in the Hasakah countryside have effectively become besieged enclaves, where residents have no say in their movements or daily activities. They have become hostages within their own lands, subjected to the militia’s rules by force. The Assyrian Christians themselves appealed to local and international organizations through Assyrian media outlets, most notably The Assyrian newspaper, asserting that they are being forced to take up arms in the mobilization against the Syrian government. They stated that any refusal exposes them to harassment or direct threats, while they are denied any form of protection from security forces or the state.
This situation didn't begin today; it's a logical continuation of what started years ago: the disarmament of Tel Tamer before the ISIS invasion, the assassination of Daoud Jendo and the survival of Elias Nasser, who exposed the true nature of the conspiracy, the siege of villages and their transformation into front lines, the closure of Christian schools, and the conversion of churches into military bases. All of this has accumulated into a recurring pattern, exposing the YPG's rhetoric about democracy and minority rights, and revealing the use of civilians as political and military pawns, exploiting their fear to consolidate control.
In contrast, clear statements have emerged from representatives of the Assyrian community, most notably Gabriel Moushe, who emphasized that Christians, especially Syriac Assyrians, support the sovereignty of the Syrian state and the return of its institutions, and reject the exploitation of their areas for partisan or military purposes. This statement reveals the stark contradiction between the SDF's media narrative and the reality on the ground, where residents live in daily fear, are physically and psychologically exhausted, and are denied the right to remain safely in their villages.
The photo report by ICAD, along with public appeals through local media, presents an undeniable picture: the Assyrian community in the Khabur region and the Hasakah countryside has become a hostage, not because of external conflicts, but because of systematic internal policies imposed in the name of protection. The reality on the ground is that residents are being used as human shields, forced to bear arms, their educational and religious institutions violated, and they are subjected to constant psychological pressure and coercive control that extends to every aspect of their daily lives. This reality confirms that the real danger no longer lies in an external threat, but in the very forces they relied on for protection, forces that have themselves become instruments of oppression and subjugation, and of which the Assyrian Christians remain victims to this day.
Reem Al-Nasser - Zaman Al-Wasl
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