Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hassaké (Agenzia Fides) - On Tuesday evening, June 23 the city of Hassaké in the northeast of Syria was hit by a series of attacks carried out by militant jihadists of the Islamic State (IS), causing deaths and injuries. The series of attacks started with an explosion at a tank adjacent to a garrison of Kurdish militias. Then a truck full of explosives was detonated in the north-east of the city. Another attack took place near a mineral water factory. Even a raid was carried out by a commando of three jihadists against government army barracks, in the city center. Before being removed, the three commandos killed two officers and four soldiers.
"The intention" says Syrian Catholic Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo to Agenzia Fides, "was evidently to do more damage and spread more terror, hitting both the Kurdish militia, and the government army. On the other hand - adds Mgr. Hindo, these actions appear as desperate acts of those who are losing ground. The jihadists of Daesh (Arabic acronym used to refer to the Islamic State, ed) had tried to enter Hassaké and were rejected. In the last hours they have lost a lot of ground and many men because of the offensive of Kurdish militias, who prevailed in the clashes near the town of Ain Issa and are now advancing towards Raqqa, the jihadist stronghold. For this reason the isolated initiatives of some jihadist militants in Hassaké seem more like a sign of weakness on the part of those who act without following a clear strategic vision". (GV) (Agenzia Fides 24/06/2015)
