Syriac Military Council spokesperson Hanna: Turkish attacks seeks to destabilize North and East Syria

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — In recent comments, spokesperson for the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulḥoyo Suryoyo, MFS) Matay Hanna stated that the repeated Turkish attacks on the predominantly Syriac–Assyrian Khabur region of North and East Syria coincided with the signing of the Document of Understanding between Syriac–Assyrian political parties and with the potential resumption of the Kurdish–Kurdish dialogue.

The goal of Turkey, said Hanna, was to undermine social cohesion and political unity in North and East Syria through violence. The attacks on the villages of Tel Tamr and Abu Rasayn are aimed at emptying the region of its residents and destabilizing security and stability in it, he added.

Hanna pointed out that what is currently happening to the villages of Tel Tamer is similar to the attacks of the Islamic State (ISIS) on the area in 2015.

ISIS systematically attempted to empty the area of ​​the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people through the destruction of churches and the kidnapping of women and children.

Turkish attacks always come during times of cultural and religious celebrations, such as Akitu, Nowruz, and Easter. On East/Palm Sunday, Turkish shelling resulted in the martyrdom of a member of the Assyrian Khabur Guards.