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KESSAB TARGETED BY AL-QAEDA FRONT GROUPS IN CROSS-BORDER ATTACK FROM TURKEY
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2014/03/23/kessab-targeted-by-al-qaeda-front-groups-in-cross-border-attack-from-turkey/
By Contributor // March 23, 2014
KESSAB, SYRIA-The Armenian populated villages of Kesab (Kessab,
Kasab), Syria were the target of three days of brutal cross-border
attacks from Turkey by al-Qaeda affiliated armed bands, which have
cost 80 lives and forced the civilian population of the area to flee
for to neighboring hills, with many seeking safe-haven in the nearby
cities of Latakia and Basit.
In a written statement, the Armenian National Committee--International,
condemned the attacks and Turkey's active role in aiding and abetting
extremist groups in their targeted attacks against the Christian
and minority populations in Syria. "For months, we have warned the
international community of the imminent threat posed by extremist
foreign fighters against the Christian minority population in Syria,"
noted the ANC-I statement. "These vicious and unprompted attacks
against the Armenian-populated town and villages of Kesab are the
latest examples of this violence, actively encouraged by neighboring
Turkey. We call upon all states with any influence in the Syrian
conflict to use all available means to stop these attacks against the
peaceful civilian population of Kesab, to allow them to return to
their homes in safety and security. In the last one hundred years,
this is the third time that the Armenians are being forced to leave
Kesab and in all three cases, Turkey is the aggressor or on the side
of the aggressors."
According to news reports, the armed incursion began on Friday, March
21, 2014, at 5:45a.m., with rebels associated with Al-Qaeda's al-Nusra
Front, Sham al-Islam and Ansar al-Sham crossing the Turkish border and
attacking the Armenian civilian population of Kesab. The attackers
immediately seized two guard posts overlooking Kesab, including a
strategic hill known as Observatory 45 and later took over the border
crossing point with Turkey. Snipers targeted the civilian population
and launched mortar attacks on the town and the surrounding villages.
According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers crossed the Turkish
border with Syria openly passing through Turkish military barracks.
According to Turkish media reports, the attackers carried their
injured back to Turkey for treatment in the town of Yayladagi.
Some 670 Armenian families, the majority of the population of Kesab,
were evacuated by the local Armenian community leadership to safer
areas in neighboring Basit and Latakia. Ten to fifteen families with
relations too elderly to move were either unable to leave or chose
to stay in their homes.
On Saturday, March 22, Syrian troops launched a counteroffensive in an
attempt to regain the border crossing point, eye-witnesses and state
media reported. However, on Sunday, March 23, the extremist groups once
again entered the town of Kesab, took the remaining Armenian families
hostage, desecrated the town's three Armenian churches, pillaging
local residences and occupying the town and surrounding villages.
Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with
Turkey, Kesab had, until very recently evaded major battles in the
Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in
recently years with the city serving as safe-haven for those fleeing
from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo.
Assad Regime Protests Turkey's Involvement to United Nations
The latest onslaught on Kesab has prompted Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad's government to protest to the United Nations that Turkey was
providing cover to rebels crossing the border from its territory. In
a message to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Damascus demanded that
the Security Council denounce what it called a terrorist attack on
Syrian territory.
Syrian state television made reference to the fighting in a breaking
news alert, saying the army was "tackling attempts by terrorist gangs
to infiltrate from Turkish territory and attack border crossings in
northern Latakia province."
Turkey Downs Syrian Fighter Jet
On March 23, Turkey said its fighter jets shot down a Syrian jet
after it crossed into Turkish airspace.
Syria denied that its jet had violated Turkish airspace and,
according to Agence France-Presse, accused Turkey of "a flagrant act
of aggression that is evidence of Erdogan's support for terrorist
groups." The MIG-23 jets were reportedly flying a support mission to
assist ground forces repelling extremist fighters which had infiltrated
from Turkey into Kesab.
"The international community should restrain Turkey to stop this
and similar anti-Armenian operations and in general it antagonistic
policy against Armenia and the Armenian people," concludes the ANC
International's statement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2014/03/23/kessab-targeted-by-al-qaeda-front-groups-in-cross-border-attack-from-turkey/
By Contributor // March 23, 2014
KESSAB, SYRIA-The Armenian populated villages of Kesab (Kessab,
Kasab), Syria were the target of three days of brutal cross-border
attacks from Turkey by al-Qaeda affiliated armed bands, which have
cost 80 lives and forced the civilian population of the area to flee
for to neighboring hills, with many seeking safe-haven in the nearby
cities of Latakia and Basit.
In a written statement, the Armenian National Committee--International,
condemned the attacks and Turkey's active role in aiding and abetting
extremist groups in their targeted attacks against the Christian
and minority populations in Syria. "For months, we have warned the
international community of the imminent threat posed by extremist
foreign fighters against the Christian minority population in Syria,"
noted the ANC-I statement. "These vicious and unprompted attacks
against the Armenian-populated town and villages of Kesab are the
latest examples of this violence, actively encouraged by neighboring
Turkey. We call upon all states with any influence in the Syrian
conflict to use all available means to stop these attacks against the
peaceful civilian population of Kesab, to allow them to return to
their homes in safety and security. In the last one hundred years,
this is the third time that the Armenians are being forced to leave
Kesab and in all three cases, Turkey is the aggressor or on the side
of the aggressors."
According to news reports, the armed incursion began on Friday, March
21, 2014, at 5:45a.m., with rebels associated with Al-Qaeda's al-Nusra
Front, Sham al-Islam and Ansar al-Sham crossing the Turkish border and
attacking the Armenian civilian population of Kesab. The attackers
immediately seized two guard posts overlooking Kesab, including a
strategic hill known as Observatory 45 and later took over the border
crossing point with Turkey. Snipers targeted the civilian population
and launched mortar attacks on the town and the surrounding villages.
According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers crossed the Turkish
border with Syria openly passing through Turkish military barracks.
According to Turkish media reports, the attackers carried their
injured back to Turkey for treatment in the town of Yayladagi.
Some 670 Armenian families, the majority of the population of Kesab,
were evacuated by the local Armenian community leadership to safer
areas in neighboring Basit and Latakia. Ten to fifteen families with
relations too elderly to move were either unable to leave or chose
to stay in their homes.
On Saturday, March 22, Syrian troops launched a counteroffensive in an
attempt to regain the border crossing point, eye-witnesses and state
media reported. However, on Sunday, March 23, the extremist groups once
again entered the town of Kesab, took the remaining Armenian families
hostage, desecrated the town's three Armenian churches, pillaging
local residences and occupying the town and surrounding villages.
Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with
Turkey, Kesab had, until very recently evaded major battles in the
Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in
recently years with the city serving as safe-haven for those fleeing
from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo.
Assad Regime Protests Turkey's Involvement to United Nations
The latest onslaught on Kesab has prompted Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad's government to protest to the United Nations that Turkey was
providing cover to rebels crossing the border from its territory. In
a message to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Damascus demanded that
the Security Council denounce what it called a terrorist attack on
Syrian territory.
Syrian state television made reference to the fighting in a breaking
news alert, saying the army was "tackling attempts by terrorist gangs
to infiltrate from Turkish territory and attack border crossings in
northern Latakia province."
Turkey Downs Syrian Fighter Jet
On March 23, Turkey said its fighter jets shot down a Syrian jet
after it crossed into Turkish airspace.
Syria denied that its jet had violated Turkish airspace and,
according to Agence France-Presse, accused Turkey of "a flagrant act
of aggression that is evidence of Erdogan's support for terrorist
groups." The MIG-23 jets were reportedly flying a support mission to
assist ground forces repelling extremist fighters which had infiltrated
from Turkey into Kesab.
"The international community should restrain Turkey to stop this
and similar anti-Armenian operations and in general it antagonistic
policy against Armenia and the Armenian people," concludes the ANC
International's statement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress