Speaking in Al-Qamishli, a city of 185,000 in northeastern Syria, Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II said that “we are very grateful to our young volunteers who are members of the militias, who carry arms to defend and fight for your homes and city,” according to a report from the Assyrian International News Agency.
“We are not the type of people who want to carry weapons, but because the army is not able to protect us, it is imperative that we find another solution,” he continued. “For this reason, when we see our youth carrying weapons and protecting our homes and lands, we give them our blessing and do not question their actions. We continually ask God to bless and protect them.”
