Turkish escalation targets vital facilities and civilians in North and East Syria, says Syriac Military Council spokesperson Matai Hanna

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — Amidst a surge in Turkish attacks during December 2023, targeting crucial infrastructure, health centers, and civilian property in North and East Syria, Spokesperson for the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulhoyo Suryoyo, MFS) Matai Hanna emphasized to our newsdesk that the escalation, especially during the Christmas holidays, is part of a broader Turkish policy aiming to displace and erase the cultural and historical roots of the region’s peoples, particularly the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community.

Hanna underscored the lack of effective intervention by guarantor countries, Russia and the US, despite the significant damage caused by the Turkish military actions on various ethnic components. He highlighted the detrimental impact of this escalation on ongoing efforts to combat the Islamic State (ISIS) and secure detention centers and camps housing families of terrorist elements.

Calling on the guarantor countries to fulfill their responsibilities, Hanna stressed the MFS and Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) commitment to international laws and ceasefire agreements. He reiterated their legitimate right to self-defense against Turkish occupation and any threat to the region’s people and the gains of the uprising.

In a New Year message, Hanna extended congratulations to the families of the martyrs, expressing hopes for fraternity and peace in Syria overall, with a specific desire for the liberation of occupied Syrian territories, the return of original inhabitants, and the establishment of a democratic life respecting the diversity of ethnic components in North and East Syria.