Hassaké – The militants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (Daesh) have withdrawn from the surroundings of Hassaké. For years, they had positions in less than twenty kilometers from the capital of the province, in northeastern Syria. Now they are at least sixty kilometers away. The city breathes, but the consequences of the conflict continue to weigh on daily life: “in the South of the capital” refers to Agenzia Fides Jacques Behnan Hindo, Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Hassaké Nisibi “there are villages where Bedouins suffer hunger. They had accepted the dominion of Daesh, which guaranteed them the necessities of life. Now many of them support the Kurdish militias. But many have nothing to eat. As a diocese, we have just finished distributing three thousand head of goats and kids among them, so they can have milk. They will be resources to ensure survival. Christians here suffered so much during the war. But there are those who suffered as much and more than Christians. And we help everyone”.
The Syrian Catholic Archdiocese – adds Archbishop Hindo – has also restored 25 homes in the neighborhoods south of Hassaké, and distributed them to non-Christian families. The intent is to contribute over time to weaken sectarian conflicts. In this regard, the Syrian Catholic Archbishop continues to regard the behavior of some militarized Kurdish groups ambiguous: “for almost a year”, says the Archbishop “they continue to maintain control of the hospital under construction that they had promised to vacate already in June last year, to start the restoration work and allow the healthcare facility to begin functioning”.
Source: Fides News
