Syriac Military Council Vows Resistance: “This is our country”

HASAKAH, North and East Syria — The Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulhoyo Suryoyo, MFS), co-founder of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), says it will not lay down arms in the face of what it describes as a growing threat from extremists, authoritarian factions, and Turkish-backed forces. The Council, which draws its fighters largely from Syriac and other Christian communities in North and East Syria, has emerged as a key voice of resistance amid a rapidly fragmenting political landscape.  

In an interview with Christian Broadcast Network this week, MFS member Aram Hanna warned that Syriac fighters will continue to defend their communities against encroaching threats — from jihadist groups, and from regional powers alike. “HTS, Assad, the FSA, the SNA—they’ve all launched attacks, whether through airstrikes or ground offensives,” Hanna said, referring to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the Free Syrian Army, and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. “The Turkish army is no different. We will not give up our weapons to the same forces we fought to defeat. It would be like handing our future over to ISIS.” 

His comments come as U.S. officials have issued warnings about the trajectory of post-Assad Syria. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said before a US Senate commission that the country may face “full-scale civil war of epic proportions” within weeks, as the transitional authorities struggle to maintain control.

Clashes have occurred in the north, where Turkish-backed factions have engaged in renewed clashes with Kurdish fighters near the Euphrates River, while sporadic sectarian violence continues to erupt in southern provinces. The Tishreen Dam, a key strategic asset, has changed hands in recent weeks and remains the site of continued drone and artillery strikes, despite a fragile ceasefire. 

Amid this chaos, according to the CBN report, the SDF has gone underground and turned to defensive positions, fortifying cities with tunnels, camouflage systems, and internal corridors designed to evade drone surveillance and sniper fire. In Kobani, miles of subterranean passages now connect neighborhoods once bisected by open conflict. 

The sense of siege is palpable. Mohammad Ahmed, a field volunteer with the humanitarian group Free Burma Rangers, described near-constant bombardment. “Day and night, we hear airstrikes. Buildings are being destroyed. It never stops,” he said to CBN. 

For the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulhoyo Suryoyo, MFS), the stakes go beyond tactical survival. Aram Hanna emphasized the broader vision of a pluralistic Syria where all communities—Syriac, Greek (Rum) Orthodox, Kurdish, Armenian, Arab, and Yazidi—can coexist and participate in governance. “We will continue fighting until we have a real plan that includes us all. This is our country too,” he said. 

Christian leaders in the region have expressed similar concerns. The rise of a transitional government with ties to extremist elements has alarmed Syriac and Armenian communities, many of whom fear a return to the persecution they endured under ISIS.

The Free Burma Rangers, which have operated alongside local forces in Syria since 2016, has urged continued U.S. engagement. Founder Dave Eubank warned that without international backing, particularly air cover and diplomatic support, minorities across Syria would face devastating consequences. “If the U.S. withdraws, the Kurds, Christians, and Yazidis will be slaughtered,” he said. “The presence of American forces creates space—not to impose solutions—but to allow local communities to work together. And in the SDF-controlled areas, that cooperation has worked.” 

With Washington scaling back its presence in the region, many in northeast Syria fear that the window for a negotiated peace is closing. For groups like the MFS, that means preparing for a long fight—one they see not just as a battle for territory, but for survival and representation in Syria’s uncertain future.