04/26/2019 Syria (International Christian Concern) – This week, on the 104^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Syrian Armenian Christians formally founded an armed force. According to their statement, the Martyr Nubar Ozanyan Armenian Brigade was founded to defend themselves from attacks by ISIS and the Turkish State.

Many Syrian Armenians are the direct descendants of the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, now modern day Turkey. Their ancestors had fled to Syria in order to escape the genocide. Today, their situation is perilous. Syrian Christians have been targeted on all sides throughout the eight-year civil war. A report released last fall indicated that while most Syrian Christians have left the country, Armenians are fearful to do so because it often means traveling through Turkey.

Turkey has heavily interfered in the Syrian conflict. There are many reports of Turkish forces acting aggressively and with impunity towards Christians. This has caused great fear among Armenian Christians.

Meanwhile, Turkey continues to deny the existence of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey immediately called the new Armenian brigade a terror organization.

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