Johny Messo
864 posts
@johnymesso
President World Council of Arameans (Syriacs), @wca_ngo: UN NGO & global umbrella organization | Author book on THE LAST ARAMAIC-SPEAKING CHRISTIANS MIDDLE EAST
Urgent Alarm Over Violent Attacks Against Christian Civilians in Al-Suqaylabiyah, Northwest Syria The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (WCA) raises urgent alarm over escalating violence in the city of Al-Suqaylabiyah, located in Syria’s Hama province in northwest Syria, where the predominantly Christian population has reportedly been under attack for the past three hours. According to eyewitness reports, what began as a local dispute following harassment of young Christian women quickly escalated after Muslim individuals from the nearby village of Qalaat al-Madiq returned with reinforcements from surrounding areas. As circulating videos show, armed groups on motorcycles and in vehicles have since entered Al-Suqaylabiyah, destroying a Marian monument, looting shops, vandalizing property, and injuring an unknown number of defenseless civilians. Residents describe scenes of chaos and fear, with large numbers of attackers arriving while women and even children can be heard in distress in the background. For over three hours, residents report a lack of effective intervention by local security forces, leaving civilians exposed and raising fears of further escalation. The situation is currently extremely critical. The apparent sectarian nature of these attacks, targeting a predominantly Greek Orthodox Christian town, raises serious concerns about escalating intercommunal violence. @johnymesso, President of the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs), stated: “What we are witnessing is deeply alarming. No community should be left exposed to such violence and fear. The protection of civilians, especially vulnerable minority communities, must be immediate and unconditional.” These developments raise serious questions about accountability and the enforcement of the rule of law in this area. The apparent ability of armed individuals to act against unarmed civilians is extremely concerning. If such acts are not immediately addressed, they risk fueling further violence, eroding public trust, and destabilizing already fragile intercommunal relations. WCA calls upon the Syrian government for immediate action to: · Protect all civilians and restore order; · Stop ongoing attacks and looting; · Safeguard religious sites; · Hold perpetrators accountable. The international community must urgently monitor this situation and ensure the protection of vulnerable communities. The people of Al-Suqaylabiyah must not be left defenseless. @SecRubio @statedeptspox @StateDept @StateDept_NEA @USAMBTurkiye @USEmbassySyria @AuswaertigesAmt
The greatest opportunity for the Kurds in Syria right now lies in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This moment offers a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation— long denied under Bashar al-Assad’s regime, where many Kurds faced statelessness, language restrictions, and systemic discrimination. Historically, the US military presence in northeastern Syria was justified primarily as a counter-ISIS partnership. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurds, proved the most effective ground partner in defeating ISIS’s territorial caliphate by 2019, detaining thousands of ISIS fighters and family members in prisons and camps like al-Hol and al-Shaddadi. At that time, there was no functioning central Syrian state to partner with—the Assad regime was weakened, contested, and not a viable partner against ISIS due to its alliances with Iran and Russia. Today, the situation has fundamentally changed. Syria now has an acknowledged central government that has joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (as its 90th member in late 2025), signaling a westward pivot and cooperation with the US on counterterrorism. This shifts the rationale for the US-SDF partnership: the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps. Recent developments show the US actively facilitating this transition, rather than prolonging a separate SDF role: • We have engaged extensively with the Syrian Government and SDF leadership to secure an integration agreement, signed on January 18, and to set a clear pathway for timely and peaceful implementation. • The deal integrates SDF fighters into the national military (as individuals, which remains among the most contentious issues), hand over key infrastructure (oil fields, dams, border crossings), and cede control of ISIS prisons and camps to Damascus. • The US has no interest in long-term military presence; it prioritizes defeating ISIS remnants, supporting reconciliation, and advancing national unity without endorsing separatism or federalism. This creates a unique window for the Kurds: integration into the new Syrian state offers full citizenship rights (including for those previously stateless), recognition as an integral part of Syria, constitutional protections for Kurdish language and culture (e.g., teaching in Kurdish, celebrating Nawruz as a national holiday), and participation in governance—far beyond the semi-autonomy the SDF held amid civil war chaos. While risks remain (e.g., fragile ceasefires, occasional clashes, concerns over hardliners, or the desire of some actors to relitigate past grievances), the United States is pushing for safeguards on Kurdish rights and counter-ISIS cooperation. The alternative—prolonged separation—could invite instability or ISIS resurgence. This integration, backed by US diplomacy, represents the strongest chance yet for Kurds to secure enduring rights and security within a recognized Syrian nation-state. In Syria, the United States is focused on: 1) ensuring the security of prison facilities holding ISIS prisoners, currently guarded by the SDF; and 2) facilitating talks between the SDF and the Syrian Government to allow for the peaceful integration of the SDF and the political inclusion of Syria’s Kurdish population into a historic full Syrian citizenship.
WCA STATEMENT | Equality in Syria Must Last ⚖️ We welcome Syria’s decree recognizing the Kurdish people and their rights. It is a positive step forward. But an important question remains: can real equality rest on temporary measures, or must it be secured in the constitution? As our press release notes: “An executive decree is a vital bridge, yet it is not a lasting foundation.” The Aramean people are Syria’s oldest continuous indigenous people, with over 3,000 years of presence. For nearly two millennia, they preserved Syria’s Christian institutions and the Aramaic language—the language of Jesus and early Christianity—and served as civic stewards of towns, education, and peaceful coexistence. They did so without militias, territorial claims, or armed leverage, relying instead on continuity, social responsibility, and restraint. ⚖️ That is why constitutional recognition matters. Syria’s future should recognize not only force, but also those who helped build and shape its civilizational continuity, from biblical Aram-Damascus to today’s capital. 🔗 Full statement (EN & AR): tinyurl.com/syria-arameans… 💬 Are decrees enough for long-term coexistence? 💬 How could Syria recognize its oldest indigenous people? 👇 Share your thoughts below.
“Syria’s prolonged fragmentation has become an untenable status quo and a growing strategic liability with consequences that extend well beyond Syria’s borders,” argues @johnymesso @wca_ngo trib.al/qZgseKh
