U.S. State Department “deeply troubled” by Kessab attacks

PanARMENIAN.Net - The State Department announced that it was "deeply troubled" by the recent violence in the historically Armenian populated city of Kessab, Syria, but failed to condemn Turkey's role in facilitating the attacks by the al Qaeda affiliated extremist forces, that have forced the Armenian and civilian populations to evacuate the region.

"The ANCA welcomes this initial expression of U.S. Government concern, in the wake of our recent consultations with the State Department, and look forward to these words translating into concrete action in defense of Armenians, all Christians, and other at-risk minorities in Kessab, Aleppo, and throughout Syria," stated ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "We remain troubled, however, by the Administration's silence - in the face of compelling evidence - on Turkey's role in facilitating the cross-border incursions by extremist forces and look to Secretary Kerry to send a strong message to the Erdogan Administration to end its complicity in these attacks."

In a statement followed by a question and answer session during the daily State Department press briefing earlier today, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf began, "We are deeply troubled by recent fighting and violence that is endangering the Armenian community in Kasab, Syria and has forced many to flee. There are far too many innocent civilians suffering as a result of the war. All civilians, as well as their places of worship, must be protected." Harf continued to note, "We have long had concerns about the threat posed by violent extremists and this latest threat to the Armenian community in Syria only underscores this further."

Earlier, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) joined a delegation of Armenian American community and religious representatives to forcefully urge the U.S. government to take immediate action to end the vicious onslaught on Kessab. During the meeting, the community representatives stressed, in urgent and frank terms, that "the United States has a unique responsibility to protect the citizens of Kessab especially since a large proportion of them have American families desperately seeking to provide protection and refuge for them."

Earlier this week, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian sent a strongly worded letter to calling on President Obama to direct his Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and his Ambassador to the United Nations to demand that Turkey halt the cross-border attacks on Kessab that have forced the immediate civilian evacuation of the area and led to the looting of properties and the desecration of churches.

Over the past week, thousands of Armenian Americans have contacted President Obama and their Senators and Representatives urging immediate condemnation of the attacks against the civilian population of Kessab and, specifically, Turkey's role in facilitating those attacks.

Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA) and James McGovern (D-MA) have condemned the attacks and urged the State Department to investigate Turkey's involvement. In a joint letter to President Obama issued earlier today, Congressional Armenian Caucus co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Michael Grimm (R-NY) and Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.227) lead authors David Valadao (R-CA) and Adam Schiff, commented on the Kessab attacks, noting " When coupled with a mass exodus of the Armenian community, these events are far too reminiscent of the early days of the Armenian Genocide, which took place nearly 100 years ago in Ottoman Turkey under the cover of World War I." The letter goes on to note, " With the Christian Armenian community being uprooted from its homeland, yet again, we strongly urge you to take all necessary measures without delay to safeguard the Christian Armenian community of Kessab. We also believe that now is the time to redouble America’s efforts to ensure that all minority communities at risk in the Middle East are afforded greater protection."

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with Turkey, Kessab 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. On the morning of March 21 extremist foreign fighters launched a vicious attack on Kessab civilians, forcing them to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit.