Assyrian Christians Demand Arms, Support to Fight Isis As Hundreds Kidnapped

Assyrian fighters in Syria.

The following excerpts are from AINA.org:

People in the Islamic State's (ISIS/ISIL) way in the Middle East are desperate to fight against the terrorist group as the jihadists expand their caliphate. Syria's Assyrian Christian population has increasingly expressed frustration over the lack of international funding and arms for their militias, while ISIS continues to kill and abduct hundreds.

Nino Youkhana left Syria for Lebanon two years ago to escape the civil war. He called his uncle when he heard the Islamic State entered villages around the Khabour River. An Islamic State member answered the phone and did not allow Youkhana to speak with his family. After a few tries, the jihadists allowed the two to speak, but only if "they spoke in Arabic and not in their Assyrian dialect." That was the last time they spoke.

"All of my relatives have been kidnapped, and their houses and the churches in the area burnt," he said. "Apart from the first day's brief phone call, we haven't been able to speak to them, and we know nothing. All we want is some news on them, on what is going on. This is all we're asking for."

The Islamic State kidnapped 220 Assyrian Christians in northeast Syria on February 23, as they attacked twelve villages. The victims include men, women, and children. Osama Edward, founder of the Assyrian Human Rights Network, told CNN the Islamic State kidnapped more than 262 people on February 23. The network is based in Sweden, but team members on the ground in Syria supply Edward with information. On Sunday, the terrorists released 16 men and three women in exchange for money. However, those released were over 50 years old, which makes officials believe "age might be a factor" in future negotiations.

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Assyrian Christians Demand Arms, Support to Fight Isis As Hundreds Kidnapped

As many of you already know, I was fired from my previous job back in January, as I told you in a previous post here. At the time, I did not want to go into the details of the reason I was given for being fired, so I will now. My former employer had told me, and the young lady that I worked with, that he was going to have to cut hours... Read more by clicking here.