The Federalist: Christian female fighters take on ISIS

Monday, December 14, 2015

Christian female fighters take on ISIS

A Syriac Christian fighter, member of the battalion called the "Female Protection Forces of the Land Between the Two Rivers" fighting the Islamic State group, poses during a training on December 1, 2015 at their camp in the town of al-Qahtaniyah, near the Syrian-Turkish border (aka Kabre Hyore in Syriac, and Tirbespi in Kurdish).(AFP PHOTO / DELIL SOULEIMAN / AFP / DELIL SOULEIMAN)

While Obama Golfed Christians Fought

One of the Christian fighters said the community hoped to prevent "a new massacre like that committed by the Ottomans (Turks)... when they tried to erase our Christian and Syriac identity".

Hasakeh (Syria) (AFP) - Babylonia has no regrets about leaving behind her two children and her job as a hairdresser to join a Christian female militia battling against the Islamic State group in Syria.

The fierce-looking 36-year-old in fatigues from the Syriac Christian minority in the northeast believes she is making the future safe for her children.

"I miss Limar and Gabriella and worry that they must be hungry, thirsty and cold. But I try to tell them I'm fighting to protect their future," she told AFP.

Babylonia belongs to a small, recently created battalion of Syriac Christian women in Hasakeh province who are fighting IS.

They are following in the footsteps of Syria's other main female force battling the jihadists -- the women of the YPJ, the female counterpart to the Kurdish People's Protection Units or YPG.

So far the new force is small, with around 50 graduates so far from its training camp in the town of Al-Qahtaniyeh, also known as Kabre Hyore in Syriac, and Tirbespi in Kurdish.

But the "Female Protection Forces of the Land Between the Two Rivers" -- the area between the Tigris and Euphrates waterways historically inhabited by Syriacs -- is teeming with women eager to prove their worth against IS.

It was actually Babylonia's husband who encouraged her to leave Limar, nine, and six-year-old Gabriella and join the unit whose first recruits graduated in August.

Himself a fighter, he urged her to take up arms to "fight against the idea that the Syriac woman is good for nothing except housekeeping and make-up", she said.

- 'Fear quickly went away' -

"I'm a practising Christian and thinking about my children makes me stronger and more determined in my fight against Daesh," added Babylonia, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

Syriac Christians belong to the eastern Christian tradition and pray in Aramaic. They include both Orthodox and Catholic branches, and constitute around 15 percent of Syria's 1.2 million Christians.

Before the conflict began in March 2011, Christians from some 11 different sects made up around five percent of the population.

The unit's first major action was alongside the newly created Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab and Christian fighters, which recently recaptured the strategic town of Al-Hol.

"I took part in a battle for the first time in the Al-Hol area, but my team wasn't attacked by IS," said 18-year-old Lucia, who gave up her studies to join the militia.

Her sister also joined up, against the wishes of their reluctant mother.

"I fight with a Kalashnikov, but I'm not ready to become an elite sniper yet," the shy teenager said, a wooden crucifix around her neck and a camouflage bandana tied round her head.

Al-Hol, on a key route between territory IS controls in Syria and Iraq, was the first major victory for the SDF, which has captured around 200 villages in the region in recent weeks.

It has received air support from the US-led coalition fighting IS, as well as drops of American weapons.

1 comment:

T20 WC Schedule 2016 said...: Female Syria Christian group against IS, I applaud you for taking courage in standing up for your faith and your families. You give me courage to stand up. I am also a mother of 2, a toddler and a 7 month old baby. It breaks my heart to think that a mother has to leave her children unattended, especially to fight. May God grant you wisdom, strength and more courage. Psalms 18:39 - For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
Remember as you fight that we are praying for you. Remember also to pray because this is where we first win the battle, in the realm of the spirit. God can do what we cannot do. Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places.
May our God who gave our fore-fathers victory again and again in battle against their enemies also be with you and give you the victory of your enemies. May your enemies be His enemies. I call on the hosts of heaven to wage war on your behalf.; January 18, 2016 at 11:49 PM

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