Bethnahrin Women’s Protection Forces marks 10th anniversary of defending homeland

QABRE HEWORE, North and East Syria — Amid the devastation of war, Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) women have emerged as a beacon of resilience, reviving hope from the rubble with love, courage, and determination to defend their land.

Saturday, 30 August, marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Bethnahrin Women’s Protection Forces (Ḥaylawotho d’Sutoro d’Neshe d’Beth Nahrin, HSNB), the first all-Syriac women’s military formation in Syria. Established in 2015, the HSNB was created to affirm women’s role in the military sphere and their ability to protect their people and homeland while cultivating intellectual, cultural, and social identity.

The HSNB was founded in the village of Rutan near Qabre Hewore (Qahtaniyah), east of Beth Zalin (Qamishli) in North and East Syria, two years after the establishment of the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulhoyo Suryoyo, MFS) in 2013. It began with 60 young Syriac women from across the Gozarto (Jazira) Canton, who joined despite personal and societal challenges.

The force was established to demonstrate that Syriac women are capable of taking up arms and defending their communities just as men do, breaking the restrictions of a patriarchal society.

The HSNB plays a vital role in training female fighters through military courses that teach weapons handling, defense tactics, and crisis response. In addition, educational and ideological programs aim to refine their character and expand their knowledge in various fields.

On the battlefield, the HSNB has fought alongside the MFS — a founding component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — in several campaigns across North and East Syria. They have also helped protect churches and other places of worship, often serving as a frontline defense.

Their most significant contribution, however, came in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group, where members of the HSNB fought, were wounded, martyred, and achieved victories in defense of their land and the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people.

As the HSNB marks its 10th anniversary, its record stands as one of courage, sacrifice, and heroism. The force has sent a clear message to the world that the defense of their homeland is not solely the duty of men, but a covenant that Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) women have embraced with bravery along the path to freedom.