Syrian crisis creates Christian militias
Syria’s security and political
turmoil has pushed the Syrian Christians in March 2013 to form a militia called
Sutoro to face terrorist groups which targeted minorities in Syria.
In January 2014, Ishtar TV said Assyrian
Christian communities formed armed militia called Sutoro, comprising members of
a number of Syrian Christians.
Sutoro, which means “protection” in
the Syriac language, comprises Chaldean Christians, Syrians, Melkites in
addition to Armenians of Aleppo. The militia stipulates that the members should
at least 16 years of age. The militia stipulates the approval of the members’
families to join it.
Applicants should pass all of the intellectual
and physical tests to join the militia, which is like a police force.
There are some French, Belgian,
German and Swedish individuals who joined the militia.
Sutoro’s leader Sarkoun Ibrahim said
the militia’s objective is to protect the city and not to have guns.
Bassam Ishak, a Syrian opposition
leader, was quoted by the media as saying that the Sutoro militia is force just
to protect the civilians. It was formed to protect the people from gangsters in
Hasakah.
There are 2 million Christians in
Syria, or 8% of population.
