Whatever Russia’s motives in Syria, one thing is clear: persecuted Syrian Christians favor Russian intervention against the jihadis slaughtering them, while accusing the U.S. and Western allies of only engaging in cosmetic strikes. Here are the words of a Syrian Christian leader — one well acquainted with the persecution his people are experiencing — concerning Russian intervention, as reported in Asia News. Note also what he says of the non-IS rebels being struck by Russia, the groups the U.S. is eager to portray as simply “anti-Assad rebels,” but which in fact are also Christian-slaughtering jihadis:
Damascus (AsiaNews) – US air strikes in Syria are window-dressing, and have little real effect on the militias of the Islamic state (IS), who are left free to act on the ground. Instead the Russian attacks in recent days have been effective, forcing jihadists to fall back towards the Iraqi desert. This is according to Msgr. Jacques Behnan Hindo, referring to testimonies of people living in areas of conflict theater.
“Moscow’s intervention has been positive – said the prelate who leads the archieparchy Syrian Catholic Hassaké-Nisibis, – because they are really targeting Daesh [Arabic acronym for the IS/ISIS, Islamic State] and the militia are beginning to flee. They fled from the area in about 20 cars in a hurry in the direction of Iraq, leaving another 20 cars on site. A sign of a real retreat. “
The bishop of Hassaké-Nisibi lives under constant threat from IS: “I am less than three kilometers from the town – he says – a month ago their offensive was repelled and they folded around the city. In the past two weeks, thanks to the attacks of the Russians, they began to retreat. ”
In contrast, Msgr. Hindo reserves rather harsh words for the United States, who are not bombing the positions of jihadi militias but the Syrian government.
“It’s not about being for or against the government – he says – but people never believed in America’s attacks. Only the Kurds have really fought on the ground, but to hold their ground “and it is not plausible that they can, alone, solve the emergency. Besides the United States, France, Britain only speak of “attacking the Daesh, but do not speak of the Nusra Front and other Islamist militias linked to Al Qaeda. Indeed, there are extremist groups that have changed names to rebuild credibility, and these are not even mentioned. This is also a big problem. “
The prelate denounces Washington’s “ambiguity” seen in the American’s attitude during the seizure of hundreds of Christians originating in the villages of the valley of the river Khabur. “On the night of Feb. 23, when Daesh attacked, the American planes – he says – flew over the area for a long time without intervening. Then for three days we saw no more jets, leaving the field open to the militants. This makes us think that in some way have been helped by the Americans and their ambiguous attitude”.
Click here to read about the most recent Christians to be martyred in Syria — tortured, publicly raped, beheaded, and crucified for refusing to renounce Christ.
Interesting that Asia News is covering this. I don’t recall seeing anything like this in the North American main stream media.
I think we need a steady stream of commentary by Middle Eastern Christian leaders about this. Site like raymondibrahim.com , jihadwatch,org and others are well placed to do this.
From the perspective of Christian minorities in Syria who are now protected under Assad regime, you hope and PRAY for the complete defeat of the various barbaric islamic jihadists and their American backers. To Christians and other religious minorities in Syria and elsewhere in the middle east, the genocidal bad guys are the American-backed barbaric jihadists that are fighting Assad and the GOOD guys are the Russians who are preventing the collapse of the (protector of Christians) the Syrian regime. Anyone who cares about the safety and the protection of Syrian Christians in Syria MUST pray for the complete defeat of the barbaric and genocidal islamic jihadists and their American backers.
Is it a coincidence that the guys doing the serious airstrikes are led by a Christian Presedent, while the ones doing the cosmetic airstrikes are led by a Muslim?