Muslim, Christian, Druze, Alevi and Ismaili beliefs have been living together for centuries in the ancient Mesopotamian lands of Northern and Eastern Syria, which cradle the peoples. The peoples such as Kurdish, Arab, Armenian, Assyrian-Syrian, Circassian and Turkmen are struggling to exist with their language and identity. However, this geography has been persecuted by the Turks and the elements provoked by them since the Ottoman Empire.

 

Faced with denial, genocide and ethnic cleansing, the deep suffering in the history of the peoples here is still fresh. Among these peoples, Christians were the ones who suffered the most severe genocide and ethnic cleansing.

 

In 1915, 2 million people were massacred in the genocide targeting Armenians and Assyrians, and the rest were deported to the deserts.

 

 

With the Syrian civil war, Turkey started persecuting the Christians by the hands of more radical Salafi groups like ISIS and El Nusra. 

 

Efrin, one of the cantons of North and East Syria, was the city most populated with Christians. There were 20 churches and monasteries in the region. There were more than 250 Christian families residing in the area before Turkey started attacking Efrin. 

 

An Armanian family was targeted by Turkish war planes in Raco after Turkey started its attacks on January 20, 2018. Mother and son lost their lives in t he bombardment. The daughter lost one leg in the attack.

 

The 250 families had to migrate to Aleppo due to the bombardment and the threats of Turkey backed groups, stating that they will behead the infidels. The churches and sacred places belonging to them were destroyed.

 

 

GİRÊ SPÎ

 

El Nusra and ISIS members attacked Girê Spî in 2013. More than a thousand Kurds and Armanians were abducted during the attacks. Most of the others had to migrate because of the violence they were subjected to. 

 

Girê Spî had many Armenian Orthodox churches. However, the gangs burned down all the Christians' sacred places and churches and turned them into military bases and training places and buildings where the commandments resided.

 

After the liberation of Girê Spi by the SDF in 2015, a number of Christian families returned to the city. The Christians who tried to repair the destroyed churches and go back to normal life, had to migarte again due to the attacks of Turkey and Turkey backed groups on October 9, 2019.

 

During this period, the images of the destruction and looting of the Armenian Orthodox Church reflected in the press. 50 Armenians and Syriac families living in the city migrated to Kobane because of these attacks.

 

 

SERÊKANİYÊ

 

 

According to the information, there were approximately 150 Assyrian and Armenian families belonging to different sects, and there were three churches: Mar Toma Resul Syriac Orthodox Church, Virgin Mary Assyrian Catholic Church and Armenian Church. Around a thousand Christian Armenians and Assyrians lived in the city. Armenians and Syriacs were forcibly displaced in the attacks of Al Nusra, ISIS and Xerebe al-Sham members towards the city.

 

Turkey backed groups looted and ransacked the houses belonging to the Christians in Serêkaniyê, in December 2012. They attacked the churches and burned down what's inside. Mined the places. One of those churches, the Syriac Orthodox Church was destroyed and the church was completely mined. Salafi groups who burned down the Syriac schools, abducted many Christians whom they think is affiliated with Syrian regime.

 

After rescuing the city from gangs in 2013 with the resistance of YPG / YPJ, the people of the Christian community were able to continue their worship and lives according to their beliefs.

 

However, around 100 families living in the city had to flee their homes and their lands as a result of Turkish offensive. The families who fleed to Haseké were able to find refuge with the help of Armanian churches. Their belongings and homes which they left behind was looted.  

 

 

 

DÊRAZOR

 

 

One of the first works of ISIS in Dêrazor province, which was occupied in 2014, was the destruction of the Armenian Catholic Church. Approximately 4,000 Armenians in the city settled in the areas of the Autonomous Administration, especially in Qamishlo. All the Armenian properties were seized by ISIS and their houses were ransacked.

  

 

TİL TEMİR

 

Towards the end of 2012, Free Syrian Army (FSA) members invaded some of Hesekê and Serêkaniyê and Til Temir with their attacks on Cizirê region. FSA members and other organizations that established points on the roads in these regions kidnapped and tortured civilians.

 

In 2013, a number of Christian vehicles were targeted on the roads between Til Temir, Reqa and Aleppo.

 

On February 23, 2015, ISIS members attacked Til Temir, which has 35 Assyrian villages in it and Xabur district.. In these attacks, 200 civilians including women and children were kidnapped to Shedade and Reqa, and villages, churches and cemeteries were destroyed.

 

One of the ancient city inhabited by people of Til Temir in the region, is once again under attack by Turkey and Turkey backed groups.The Syriacs, whose villages were bombed after 9 October, continue their resistance in order not to leave their lands. During the last month, many civilians lost their lives in the attacks against Til Temir and its villages. 

 

Simultaneously with the Turkish attacks, ISIS members murdered the pastor of the Qamishlo Armenian Catholic Church, Hosip Petoyan and his father Abraham Petoyan on Haseké - Deir a Zor highway.The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria announced that the attack was carried out by Turkey in alliance with ISIS. 

 

 

TİRBESPİYÊ

 

The Christians living in Tirbespiyê were also the targets of Turkey and Turkey backed organizations.As a result of these attacks, dozens of Christian villages were evacuated. The village of Til Cihan, where Syriacs live, has been attacked by Turkish Armed Forces more than 10 times. Finally, on November 2, 2018, a civilian passing over the road to Til Cihan village was massacred by the Turkish Armed Forces.

  

 

QAMİŞLO

 

The Armanians and Assyrians living under the Rojava administration by their own faith and culture were also attacked by Turkey and Turkey backed organizations. On 11 July 2019, ISIS carried out a bomb attack near the Syriac Ezra Church in Wista Neighborhood. 5 people lost their lives, 23 people were injured in this attack, the church suffered great damage, remained closed for months.

 

After October 9, the policy of displacement of Christians from their regions was put into effect. Shortly before this date, President Tayyip Erdoğan, after the Friday prayer he made at the Üsküdar Mosque, said “We will be cruel to the non-muslim' while the elements at the borders were threatening to 'behead the infidels' with guns in their hands.

 

It was clearly stated that the Christians living in the area would be the targets of the occupation attacks. The gangs under Erdoğan's command and the Turkish troops targeted Christian peoples in all the cities they entered.