Syria Rebels Warn of Attack against Hama Christians
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Islamist rebels warned two Christian towns on Saturday they will be attacked if they do not evict regime forces, as the new Greek Orthodox patriarch said Syria's often-fearful Christians will stay put and urged a peaceful end to the conflict.
Yet a key opposition group said Syria's conflict is not sectarian, contradicting warnings this week by a U.N. team that increasing sectarianism is threatening whole communities.
In a video message to the Hama provincial towns of Mharda and Sqilbiya, one of seven men armed with Kalashnikovs warned residents to expel gangs of (President Bashar) "Assad and shabiha (pro-regime militia) from your towns and convince them not to bomb our villages and families."
"If not, we will immediately attack the hideouts of Assad's gangs and shabiha," added the man, who identified himself as Rashid Abul Fida, head of the al-Ansar Brigade in Hama.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman said Mharda and Sqilbiya both had pre-war populations in the tens of thousands but that most of their residents have already fled.
As the news circulated, Syria's new Greek Orthodox leader called in Damascus for Christians to remain in the country despite the conflict.
Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Yuhanna X Yazigi also appealed to warring parties to renounce violence "in all its forms" and to start a process of dialogue.
In his first press conference since succeeding Ignatius IV Hazim, who died on December 5, he said: "We Christians are here in the country and we will stay here.
"We believe that Christ is always present in this region, which is where Christianity was born."
The patriarch sought to downplay dangers faced by Christians.
"What is happening to us is happening to others too. We are in the same situation as everyone else, Muslims and Christians, shoulder to shoulder, facing the difficulties," he said.
There are some 1.8 million Christians in Syria. Many have remained neutral in a conflict that erupted in March 2011 and has killed an estimated more than 44,000 people. Others, fearing a rise of Islamism, have taken Assad's side.
The messages came two days after U.N. investigators described the 21-month conflict as "overtly sectarian in nature."
In response, the opposition Syrian National Council, hit out against the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria, saying the "revolution is neither sectarian nor bloody."
"The only division that Syrian society is witnessing is between a bloodthirsty, oppressive regime... and people calling for freedom and equality," the SNC said.
On Thursday, the commission said the conflict threatened whole communities, and warned that newly formed armed Islamist groups were increasingly operating independently of the main rebel force, the Free Syrian Army.
Fabrice Balanche, director of the French research center Gremmo, says 80 percent of Syrians are Sunnis, around 10 percent belong to Assad’s Alawite community, five percent are Christian, three percent Druze and one percent Ismaili.
Meanwhile, there was no let-up of violence, as a car bomb in the northeast Damascus district of Qaboon killed five people and wounded dozens of others, the Britain-based Observatory said.
And Haidar al-Sumudi, a cameraman for state television was gunned down outside his Damascus home, the broadcaster said.
Elsewhere, warplanes carried out air strikes on several flashpoints, among them the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and Homs in the center of the strife-torn country, said the Observatory.
Despite Syria's raging war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow that he believed "no one has an appetite for external intervention" in the country's long-time ally.
"I even have the feeling that they are praying for Russia and China to continue blocking permission for external intervention. Because if there is such a decision, they will have to act, and no one is ready to act."
In Lebanon, German Development Minister Dirk Niebel pledged new funds to boost aid efforts for Syrian refugees streaming and called on Syria's neighbors to keep their borders open to those fleeing.
22 December 2012, 13:49
45
are u sure about that?... al-kafi.. they will attack the christians, because if they don't evict the shabiha /assads gang the sunni extremists will they the christians are on assad side.. therefore this mean christians become legitimate targets in their eyes.
S A D
22 December 2012, 14:43
43
You're right al-kafi. They want to remove Xerxes and Darius III men from the Christian town. The war is almost over... If the Christians fight them off, there might be consequences. They should just open the town's gates and let the cleaning occur.
22 December 2012, 15:14
33
Theresistance aka FT. Who said I don't give a damn about Alawites? I don't give a damn about the terrorists, the shabiha regardless of the religion. You're a racist, you differentiate people according to their sects. Only a fascist cogitates as you do.
22 December 2012, 14:27
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I do not know what God these terrorist believe in? I think they warship the devil, becuase they look like one. If they are peace loving people, you do not attack any other relgious group no matter who they believe in. God is loving, kind and peaceful not full of hate and killing.
22 December 2012, 14:28
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Its sad that anyone that calls themselves Christians would ever support a horrible dictator like Assad. Christians should be at the forefront of struggles for freedom and democracy. Not support horrible dictatorships for security and financial benefits. Just shows you the old saying is true, "blood is thicker than (holy)water".
22 December 2012, 14:29
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Allow me to clarify their statements:
"We issue this warning so that you expel gangs of (President Bashar ) Assad and shabiha (pro-regime militia) from your towns"
Translation: " We want to use your towns as we have done with previous towns to stage attacks on the army, you either let us into your houses to be used as Civilian shield or we will massacre you and rape your daughters as we have previously done, also it'll be great headlines for us after we come in to your homes and the army retaliates, to tell the world that Syrian regime is now killing its own christian population! great!"
"and convince them not to bomb our villages and families,"
Unable to make sense to Translate: Beyond Fact and Logic I don't see syria bombing their families in Lybia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.
22 December 2012, 14:53
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My friends and dearest compatriots of March 14 (and these are mostly Christians if you do not count Lebanon First Some Twenty-Two Damn Years Late), do not feel discouraged by such news about the sad fate of the Christians in this lovely and rosy Arab Spring. After all, Dr. Arreet 7akeh asked one: so what if these Arab Springers rule? I repeat: SO FRIGGIN DAMN WHAT. You do not have to repeat after me, though. But can you please repeat after Dr. Arreet 7akeh while dancing and clapping and dreaming behind him all the way to paradise? God bless, March 14. Keep up the good work maintaining such wonderful associations with other lovers of life, democracy and freedoms! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, warriors.
22 December 2012, 15:14
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lol @ Al - Kafi, saying i have persian goggles? haha
@the resistance - u actually got it right.
22 December 2012, 15:25
00
I just have one question to any of the pro Assad users here!! If the Rebels are nothing but foreign terrorist groups sent by Zionists and the U.S. then why is Assad with the backing of Iran and Russia trying to form a national unity goverment with them? i mean who forms a national unity goverment with foreigners funded but zionists, especially when he justifies all his actions and political decisions as anti israel
22 December 2012, 15:28
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for anyone saying that we should support Assad cause someone more evil "might or will take his place" i tell you this: you cannot support Evil in fear of worse Evil. you cannot support Evil at any cost.
22 December 2012, 16:13
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Haven't you heard he joined in to send milk and flour to the suffering christian children of Syria
22 December 2012, 16:25
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no collateral damage? Ouf? Who the fuck made u an expert on the outcome of the situation. For 35 yrs, lebanese were slapped acroos the face by syrian shoes, now u guys are tough since they're gone. Bunch of cowards...stop worrying about syria, don't u think we have other real problems in lebanon to deal with? Water, electricity, unemployment, fraud, debts and the list goes on
22 December 2012, 16:30
31
Cos the FSA said that, this will make thenchristians flee ... Don't u think?.. As if the Christians will take arms against the Assad forces.. They can't , their hands are tied by both sides
22 December 2012, 16:30
21
Cos the FSA said that, this will make thenchristians flee ... Don't u think?.. As if the Christians will take arms against the Assad forces.. They can't , their hands are tied by both sides
23 December 2012, 00:57
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In fact the FSA refrained and halted the attack. The Syrian regime forces are using the villages to launch mortars and katushas.
22 December 2012, 17:39
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Guys for me both sides are criminal and barbarians, just watch the videos from both sides, nothing can justify this from either side ! Assad is a criminal and ASL are criminals. If Assad goes it will be worth than the 30 years dictatorship, so what is the solution, get rid of both them and let the country be govern by a neutral country and not part of the countries, that taking part with this fight (Russia, USA, Iran, Qatar, SA, ect ..).
22 December 2012, 18:07
12
@resistance so we are to believe that Assad isn't doing the bloodshed? and that assad didn't fight christians in the war, even his new pet Aoun foguth against him so yes Assad killed ten's of thousands of christians in Lebanon.Also it seems you do care if someone is sunni or shiaa because you only hate sunni islamists while you support shiaa islamists( iran islamic country+ hezboallah=party of "god" led by a sheikh who believes ayatollah is the holly leader thus follows his word), either they all bad or they all good.
22 December 2012, 19:44
01
where do you make these numbers? lol those aren't facts!! still going around the issue that iran is an islamic country and we both know if hezbollah could get 2/3 of parliament without march 8 lebanon would be islamic like iran!
22 December 2012, 18:43
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Takbir for the poor opressed people who offered thousands of martyrs to liberate themselves from 40 years of rape, murder and tyranny, takbir for those children in daraa who have written history on the walls and were raped, takbir fo 7amza khatib whose blood did not go in vain. Allah Akbar min yazeed ibn mu3ayia and Allah akbar min bashar, asef, dawood raj7a, and rustum ghazale. I hope you read your Quran with eyes wide open my brother.
22 December 2012, 18:45
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FYI bro, according to your definition all sunis are wahabis and all of them are your enemies, because headsup 95 percent of sunis are with the Syrian revolution. Abdul ra7eem mrad and omar karamis of the suni world fail in election. Im being honest with you. Go listen to sub7i tfayle and shiekh ameen, we have no choice but to make peace. We do not want to destroy each other.
22 December 2012, 18:48
01
what did the resistance shout when they attacked the israelis? what did imam hussein shout when was attacked in karbala?? 'takbeer'.. did you learn from the lessons of karbala?? imam hussein offered himself a martyr because he refused opression, why do you accept the syrians to be ruled by the neo yazid: bashar assad?? opression is opression whether it is suni ,alawi or chrisitian right?
22 December 2012, 19:21
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Guys for me both sides are criminal and barbarians, just watch the videos from both sides, nothing can justify this from either side ! Assad is a criminal and ASL are criminals. If Assad goes it will be worth than the 30 years dictatorship, so what is the solution, get rid of both them and let the country be govern by a neutral country and not part of the countries, that taking part with this fight (Russia, USA, Iran, Qatar, SA, ect ..).
22 December 2012, 20:21
00
Another reason why all patriotic and moderate Lebanese should shed off their M14 or M8 identity and stand for one united and Democratic Lebanon with a strong army, protected borders and efficient institutions. We can not affect what happens outside our borders so let us at least take care of what happens within. United we stand divided we fall.
22 December 2012, 22:52
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They should use their sarin chemical weapons on these Wahabi animals before Assad himself is killed. It's the only hope for a peaceful transition, the Islamist rebels are better dead then alive. Assad has two choices, as do the Alawites and probly Christians: kill or be killed. If you are not preparing to kill, emigrate. The rebels do not want peace...Assad was bad, but it looks like the violent Wahabi rebels may be even worse.
23 December 2012, 00:22
02
I agree mate, these FSA are a danger to Lebanon.. God help us from our own salafist sympathisers at home if the FSA take power in Syria ... Btw I don't support Assad at all just to make it clear
23 December 2012, 01:01
10
Your distorted reality is precisely the problem. If the suni syrians are with bashar my friend the revolution would have been over in two weeks as 18 million syrians are sunis. The revolution is taking time because all the heavy weaponry and special forces are in the hands of the alawites, so it was not an even battle at all. As time passes by the arms start to flow to the sunis and demographics take over and prevail. If you are to believe manar and not jazeera and all international media outlets then the revolution would have been over long time ago, but we both know it will prevail and bashar's fate will b like the shah of iran. Revolutions take time my friend, read some history. It took the afghianis ten years to kick the russians out and kill the dictator, in this case it will not take that long. And yes suni muslims are against iran and bashar, wake up and smell the coffee.
23 December 2012, 01:10
11
Just an excuse for exrem terrorist to carry out more horrendous violence. What is happening in Syria could easily be classed ad genocide. Muslim extremists are killing all minorities to declare Muslim rule in Syria.
23 December 2012, 05:51
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ouwette, we should be ready to stop the FSA from infiltrating into Lebanon..and if they do attack syrian christian towns, what will stop them attacking Lebanese ones?.. and of course i think the resistance should disarm with all weapons given to the army..but that's another issue.
23 December 2012, 12:10
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ansar ballout & shabbi7a , hizib allah & al ka3eda, Israel & Iran.... are two faces of same currency. each thrives on the other & is the reason of his existance.I never doubt that they serve each other's purpose...
