Bishop accuses Turkey over Syrian abductions

Terrorists can cross frontier but Christians are thwarted

Aprominent bishop yesterday accused Turkey of preventing Christians from fleeing Syria while allowing terrorists responsible for their persecution to cross its border freely.

Jacques Behnan Hindo, the Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Al Hassakeh Nisibi, made the claim on Vatican Radio, a day after Daesh militants abducted 150 Assyrian Christians from villages that had been under the control of Kurdish forces.

“Every day, families are emigrating from Damascus by plane because of the blockade we have around us,” the bishop said.

“In the north, Turkey allows through lorries, Daesh fighters, oil stolen from Syria, wheat and cotton: all of these can cross the border but nobody [from the Christian community] can pass over.”

Voiced fears

Pope Francis is among those who have voiced fears the minority Christian community could be decimated by mass emigration as a result of the conflict.

Control of Al Hassakeh is currently divided between Kurdish forces, who in some places patrol with regime troops, and Daesh fighters. A US-led coalition is conducting air strikes against the terrorist group.

The bishop said he was hopeful a Daesh offensive would soon be over “because the Kurds are gathering their forces to go and fight them.”