The territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria continues to erode under the weight of unresolved conflicts, competing regional agendas, and the persistent failure to protect indigenous peoples. Among those most affected by this reality is the Assyrian people, whose historic lands have been transformed into arenas for proxy struggles rather than safe regions that uphold dignity, rights, and the rule of law.
The defeat of ISIS in certain areas did not bring justice nor ensure lasting security. According to multiple reports, thousands of ISIS members and affiliates have been transferred or reintroduced across borders, including more than 7,000 individuals brought back into Iraq. This raises serious and legitimate concerns for the Assyrian people:
Are those who destroyed our towns, enslaved our people, and erased our heritage being allowed to re-emerge once again, this time under political cover or as part of regional deals?
At the same time, the Iraqi government’s deepening alignment with Iran and Iran-backed armed groups has escalated tensions with the United States, further destabilizing the region and placing the Assyrian people once again in harm’s way. Assyrians continue to pay the price for geopolitical rivalries on their ancestral lands.
For many years, our response has been largely limited to verbal protests, statements, social media campaigns, and appeals to conscience. We have also made it clear that we do not support silence, compromise, or political softness, whether from certain church leaders or political parties that have failed to defend our people, our land, and our rights, or that have aligned themselves with those responsible for land confiscation and occupation.
Words alone are no longer sufficient.
While perpetrators operate openly without accountability, the region has witnessed demonstrations and incitement led by Kurdish groups and actors who have burned American flags and images of U.S. envoys and attacked consulates and diplomatic missions. This reflects a dangerous double standard: such actors are permitted to engage freely in hostility and provocation, while the victims of genocide, the Assyrian people, are expected to remain patient, silent, and divided. This imbalance is neither acceptable nor just.
The time for unity and organization has arrived.
Read more: http://www.aina.org/guesteds/20260124114641.htm
By Namrood Shiba | Aina
