Inside an Oasis of Religious Freedom in Northeast Syria

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(OPINION) Syria has struggled for years with human rights abuses and inadequate religious freedom protections under Bashar al-Assad’s national government. However, the Syrian civil war gave birth to a new regional government in the country’s Northeast that has become known as a rare defender of religious freedom and equality in the Middle East—the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Unfortunately, this new regional government is under constant threat.

At this time last year, Turkey was launching a military incursion against the region of Northeast Syria, which is controlled by the Kurds, staunch U.S. allies in the fight against ISIS. Heartbroken religious freedom advocates watched Turkey’s authoritarian President Tayyip Erdogan invade the small area governed by the AANES. Today, Turkey still controls some of the areas in Northeast Syria it invaded.

The AANES administration not only respects religious minorities but also has placed women in leadership positions, a defining characteristic that sets Northeast Syria apart from much of the Middle East. Elizabeth Kourie is one such woman, a Syriac Christian who represents her communities and others in Northeast Syria. Kourie’s native tongue is Aramaic — the language spoken by Jesus.

Kourie’s work started during the agonizing Syrian civil war, an ongoing nine-year conflict that has cost some 500,000 lives. The war continues, due to al-Assad’s brutal dictatorship and the emergence of countless terrorist groups — including ISIS — and power moves by Russia, Iran, Turkey and other competing nations.

Against all odds, the region Kourie represents in Northeast Syria continues to offer a thriving democracy, religious freedom and women’s rights. Family Research Council (FRC) highlighted these elements at an event last year. Of course, the AANES has suffered along with the rest of war-torn Syria — in their case, suffering that is often the result of relentless attacks by neighboring Turkey. 

Kourie described to us her experience during one such assault:

“One of the first bombs that came from Turkey struck a Syriac Christian house in Qamishli, severely injuring parents and their children. Our people were very much afraid. We knew that Turkey was coming with its Sunni jihadist mercenaries. We faced them a year ago in Afrin. We faced them in the history of the Ottoman Empire. We have had experience with Turkey with a couple of genocides, the largest being 1915. We know that if Turkey is coming, it’s coming with jihadists. And we know that we Christians will be targeted more than anyone else.”

As a result of Erdogan’s repeated assaults, thousands of Christians in Northeast Syria have had to run for their lives. This situation was aggravated by the withdrawal of U.S. military troops in late 2019.

During the Turkish incursion last fall, few remained to assist the people of Northeast Syria. Free Burma Rangers stands apart as a Christian organization that provided humanitarian aid on the frontlines of the conflict.

Yet, even now, there are also steps the U.S. government can take to alleviate the suffering. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged the U.S. to elevate its engagement with AANES, recognize it as a legitimate local government and lift sanctions from all areas it governs. In order to give the religious freedom found in Northeast Syria a chance to flourish, the U.S. government should exempt the AANES regional government from broader sanctions placed on Assad’s regime in Syria.

USCIRF also believes “the U.S. should pressure Turkey to provide a timeline for its withdrawal from Syria, particularly given the disastrous consequences that its presence in northeastern Syria could precipitate: the tragic disappearance—and feared religious and ethnic cleansing, if not worse—of Yazidis, Christians and other marginalized communities.” 

As the Trump administration continues to make religious freedom a priority in foreign policy, high-level officials should seriously consider implementing USCIRF’s recommendations to strengthen freedom in Northeast Syria.

Let’s speak up for the persecuted believers in Syria, particularly in the uniquely democratic AANES region. And let’s remember to pray for them and ask for special blessings for Elisabeth Kourie and so many others. They are working tirelessly to bring about a safe and just future for Christians and all people living in Northeast Syria. May God reward their efforts.

Lela Gilbert is senior fellow for international religious freedom at the Family Research Council.

Arielle Del Turco is assistant director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council.