Introduction
This report examines the 2015 attacks, massacres and destruction wrought by the terrorist organization Daesh (Islamic State) on Assyrian villages along the Khabour River in northeastern Syria. It also highlights the struggle of the Syriac Military Council (MFS) against Daesh, and the sacrifice of Syriac fighters who died as martyrs in this heroic resistance.
Daesh’s attacks constitute a systematic attempt at genocide against the Syriac/Assyrian people, and those responsible for these crimes must be tried and punished in accordance with international law.
Daesh attacks and massacres against Assyrian villages
The Khabour offensive in 2015 and the massacre of Syrians
On Feb. 23, 2015, Daesh launched a massive offensive against Assyrian villages in Hassaké province in northeastern Syria, particularly around Tell Tamer. A total of 35 Assyrian villages along the Khabour River were affected by these attacks.
The consequences of these attacks were disastrous:
- At least 200 Syriac/Assyrian civilians were kidnapped and taken hostage.
- A large number of civilians, including the elderly, women and children, were killed.
- Homes, churches and infrastructure were looted and torched.
- Thousands of Syriacs/Assyrians were forced to flee the region.
The hardest-hit villages are Tell Hormiz, Tell Shamiran, Tell Nasri, Tell Jazira and Tell Goran.
The massacre and cultural destruction in Tell Hormiz
One of the most strategic and symbolic villages in the region, Tell Hormiz, fell under the control of Daesh and was the scene of a massacre of tragic proportions.
Daesh terrorists:
- Forcibly abducted women and children and executed civilians who tried to resist.
- Destroyed Syriac/Assyrian churches and set them on fire.
- Targeted Syriac cultural heritage by razing monasteries and places of worship to the ground.
One of the most symbolic acts of this destruction was the demolition of the Mar Bisho church in the village of Tell Nasri, which was dynamited by Daesh. This crime was not only against the Syriacs/Assyrians as a people, but also against their memory and cultural identity.
Hostages, ransoms and executions
During these attacks, Daesh kidnapped hundreds of Syriacs/Assyrians and tried to obtain ransoms in exchange for their release. However:
- Some hostages were executed, while others disappeared without a trace.
- The executions were filmed and broadcast by Daesh for propaganda purposes.
- The survivors who were freed testified that they had been tortured.
As a result of these attacks, most Assyrian villages in Khabur were stripped of their populations, and the Syriac/Assyrian community was forced into exile.
The Syriac Military Council’s (MFS) opposition to Daesh
Faced with this existential threat, the Syriac people organized their own defense by creating an armed force called the Syriac Military Council (MFS).
Resistance and fighting of the MFS
- The MFS joined forces with Kurdish YPG forces and other local defense groups to fight Daesh.
- Fierce battles were fought to retake villages occupied by Daesh.
- The MFS lost dozens of fighters in this heroic battle.
Thanks to the tenacity of the Syriac fighters, the villages of Khabour have been gradually liberated from terrorist occupation.
The liberation of the Assyrian villages in Khabour
The operations of the MFS and its allies have resulted in :
- The complete liberation of the Assyrian villages of Khabur in 2016.
- The establishment of a permanent military presence of the MFS to secure the region.
- The establishment of aid projects to facilitate the return of Syriac/Assyrian families to their villages.
The goal of this battle was not only a military victory, but also the preservation of the existence of the Syriac/Assyrian people in their ancestral homeland.
The effects of Daesh’s occupation on the Syrian people
The occupation of Khabour by Daesh has had devastating effects on the Syriac/Assyrian community.
- Much of the Syriac/Assyrian population in the region has gone into exile, mostly to Europe, the United States and Lebanon.
- Churches, monasteries and historic sites were destroyed or severely damaged.
- Syriac/Assyrian heritage has been systematically targeted in an attempt at cultural and religious extermination.
These events must be recognized as attempted genocide against Syriac/Assyrian population.
Conclusion and Assessment
Daesh’s attacks on the Assyrian villages of Khabur constitute a crime against humanity. Those responsible for these atrocities must be tried and punished in accordance with international law.
- The Syriac/Assyrian people suffered genocide during these events.
- Thanks to the courage of the MFS and allied forces, the region was liberated, but at the cost of heavy losses.
- Nevertheless, the Syriac/Assyrian community was severely affected and thousands were displaced.
Recommendations and actions to be taken
a. Daesh’s crimes must be tried by international courts and those responsible punished.
b. Humanitarian and financial support must be provided to Syriac/Assyrian families returning to their villages.
c. Destroyed churches and monuments must be restored to preserve the Syriac/Assyrian cultural heritage.
d. There must be international security guarantees to protect the Syriac/Assyrian people and prevent further attacks.
Despite centuries of persecution, Syriac/Assyrian have always resisted and preserved their identity. Even today, the MFS and other local forces continue to fight to ensure the future of the Syriac/Assyrian people.
