Sutoro

Not to be confused with Sootoro.
Sutoro
ܣܘܬܪܐ
Active 2012–present
Country Syria
Allegiance Syriac Union Party (Syria)
Federation of Northern Syria – Rojava
Type Police
Role Security and policing
Size 1,000+ (June 2013)[1]
Nickname(s) Sutoro

The Syriac Security Office (Syriac: ܡܟܬܒܐ ܕܣܘܬܪܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ‎, Arabic: سوتورو‎‎), commonly known as the Sutoro or the Sutoro Police, is an ethnic Assyrian, Syriac-Christian police force in the Federation of Northern Syria – Rojava in Syria, where it works in concert with the general Asayish police force with the mission to police ethnic Assyrian areas and neighbourhoods. Its establishment is associated with the Syriac Union Party (SUP).[2][3]

History

Integration in the Rojava institutions

With the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War and the Rojava conflict, Sutoro units were first organized in town of al-Qahtaniyah (Qabre Hewore), and soon thereafter in al-Malikiyah (Dayrik).[4] The Syriac Union Party maintains warm and friendly relations with its Kurdish neighbours, and it was one of numerous organisations to join the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in establishing a formal administration for self-governance in northern Syria called Rojava. Following this policy, the Sutoro has sought to align itself with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) from an early juncture.[5] Although the Kurds were initially suspicious when it started organising and wanted its members to either disarm or join Kurdish formations, the Sutoro was soon accepted and welcomed by Kurdish forces. It became fully integrated in the administration of the Federation of Northern Syria – Rojava, operating alongside the general Rojavan Asayish police force, manning joint checkpoints and patrolling neighbourhoods together, while its paramilitary counterpart, the Syriac Military Council (MFS), formally joined with YPG in January 2014.[6]

Breakaway of group "Sootoro"

Main article: Sootoro

The Sutoro Police should not be confused with the Sootoro which has the same name in the Syriac language, but uses the English translation "Syriac Protection Office" and the transliteration "Sootoro". This police organization in the city of Qamishli was originally organization founded as the local branch of the Sutero but in late 2013 broke away, turning itself into a militia aligned with the Ba'athist government of Bashar Assad.[3][6][3][4] The Sutoro later founded a new branch in Qamishli.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ramezani, K. (12 July 2013). "20 Minuten - Schweizer Söldner im syrischen Bürgerkrieg - Hintergrund". 20min.ch. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Bürgerkrieg : Die Christen in Syrien ziehen in die Schlacht - Nachrichten Politik - Ausland - DIE WELT". Welt.de. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Carl Drott (18 November 2013). "Qamishli's Cold War". Le Monde Diplomatique. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  4. 1 2 al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (23 February 2014). "Christian Militia and Political Dynamics in Syria". Syria Comment. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  5. ↑ Andrea Glioti (20 June 2013). "Syriac Christians, Kurds Boost Cooperation in Syria". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  6. 1 2 Szlanko, Balint (20 February 2014). "Instead of fleeing, some of Syria's Christians will stand their ground". The National. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.