Sootoro
| Sootoro ܡܟܬܒܐ ܕܣܘܬܪܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ | |
|---|---|
| Active | 2012–Present |
| Country | Syria |
| Type | Light infantry (militia) |
| Role | Security and policing |
| Nickname(s) | Sootoro |
| Engagements | Syrian Civil War |
The Syriac Protection Office (Template:Lang-syr, Template:Lang-ar), commonly known as the Sootoro or Qamishli Sootoro is a Christian militia composed of members of the Assyrian and some members of the Armenian communities in Syria. It claims to be affiliated with the Civil Peace Committee for Syriac Orthodox, and it exists only in the town of Qamishli.[1] Unlike all other Sutoro groups in Al-Hasakah Governorate which are aligned with the pro-Syrian opposition Syriac Union Party, the Qamishli Sootoro is aligned with the Syrian government .[2]
The Qamishli Sootoro should not be confused with the Sutoro Police, which has the same name in the Syrian/Aramaic language, but uses the transliteration Sutoro. The Sutoro Police is the armed wing of the Syriac Union Party. The Sutoro Police considers the Qamishli Sootoro to be a breakaway group from the Syriac Union Party, while the Qamishli Sootoro has made the claim that the main SUP Sutoro groups in al-Qahtaniya, al-Hasakah city, and al-Malikiya has appropriated its name, despite the fact that the SUP affiliated groups existed before the Qamishli Sootoro.[1] Notably, each group has a different emblem.[3] The SUP eventually lost contact with this group in Qamishli,[4] which became seen by many SUP members as being infiltrated by agents of the Syrian government,[3] as well as threatened by Assad regime attacks and demands to fly the Ba'athist flag.[5]
In late 2013, the split between this branch and the rest of the Sutoro became clear. Now transliterating its name as "Sootoro" (alternately referring to itself as the "Syriac Protection Office"), the militia in Qamishli adopted an entirely different logo and started openly asserting a separate identity. In November, the media office of the Qamishli Sootoro stated that it operated exclusively in the city of Qamishli and had not managed to form branches anywhere else, despite multiple attempts to do so.[1] By December 2013, the group was explicitly disavowing any connection to the SUP in their press releases. Though it continues to officially claim neutrality, the Qamishli Sootoro has become effectively a pro-government militia. Members of the group are frequently shown next to government flags and portraits of Bashar al-Assad in visual media, and flags bearing its distinct logo have been seen at pro-Assad rallies in the government-controlled sector of the city.[1]
Qamishli is one of the last places in northeast where government forces, having been pushed out of most of Hasakah Governorate by either rebel groups or the Kurdish-autonomist forces of the YPG, still maintain some presence. The Kurds control most of Qamishli, while loyalist forces remain in a few majority-Arab districts in the south, parts of the city centre, the border crossing to Turkey, Qamishli Airport, and an army base on the southern outskirts. The assertion of loyalist control over the Qamishli militia has been identified as a potential effort by the government to strengthen its position in the city by expanding and solidifying its shrunken territorial holdings.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (23 February 2014). "Christian Militia and Political Dynamics in Syria". Syria Comment. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ Al Tamimi, Aymenn J (24 March 2014). "Assad regime lacks the total support of Syria's Christians". The National. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ a b c Carl Drott (18 November 2013). "Qamishli's Cold War". Le Monde Diplomatique. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ Szlanko, Balint (20 February 2014). "Instead of fleeing, some of Syria's Christians will stand their ground". The National. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ Glioti, Andrea (20 June 2013). "Syriac Christians, Kurds Boost Cooperation in Syria". Al Monitor. Retrieved 16 February 2015.