Syrian Christian militias liberate Hasakah
Syrian Christian militia leader Ahiqar Issa talks to Al-Monitor about the reasons why Christians have taken up arms against terrorist groups in Syria.
BEIRUT — The armed parties to the Syrian conflict include the regime's army, various opposition factions, the Islamic State (IS), Jabhat al-Nusra and other groups, as well as Kurdish groups such as the Kurdistan Workers Party and the armed forces of the Kurdish self-administration. However, only few know that there is also an armed Christian militia in Syria fighting on several fronts along with all those groups in a bid to protect the smallest Syrian minorities threatened with extinction.
Al-Monitor interviewed Ahiqar Issa, one of the Christian militia officials, who talked about the armed force to which he belongs. He talked about the force's goals and latest engagements, and insisted that he considers himself Syrian first and foremost, and then Syriac Orthodox.
