Remembrance event for Khabur martyrs held in Tel Hermez

TEL HERMEZ, Syria — In remembrance of the martyrs who gave their lives in the fight against the Islamic state (ISIS), a commemoration event was held in the village of Tel Hermez in the Khabur River Valley, Syria. Suroyo TV was present at the event, providing live coverage to the global Syriac community.

The commemoration began with a minute of silence for the souls of martyrs.

After the moment of thought and prayer, many speeches were made by representatives of various political parties and institutions of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria. The speeches referred to the greatness of the martyrs who gave their lives defending the Khabur and the struggle that all peoples made for their rights in Syria.

It was on 23 February 2015, that operatives of ISIS attacked the Syriac–Assyrian villages in the Khabur River Valley. The soldiers of the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulḥoyo Suryoyo, MFS) mounted a brave defense, confronting the brutal fighters of ISIS with their strong and free will.

The MFS struggled, together with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of North and East Syria, to prevent ISIS from gaining a foothold in Khabur. On that day, and in the fierce resistance to ISIS that followed, a number of forces rose to the point of martyrdom, which is the highest level of sacrifice.

MFS spokesperson Matay Hanna, who participated in the 2015 Khabur resistance, gave a speech in which he stated, “The MFS has made promises to continue the path of struggle until the last breath and martyrdom.”

After the event, a program about the struggle carried out in the Khabur was shown.

Attempts to make the area of Khabur a separate canton for the Suraye people have so far been unsuccessful.