Hundreds of thousands of Kurdish people of northern Syria are being forced to flee for their lives as they face attacks from Islamist militias supported by the Turkish military. Many from rural areas surrounding Afrin (a city located in what was considered the Kurdish region) had initially fled into the city. However, on March 18th, Kurdish soldiers in Afrin were also forced to flee, leaving the city under the control of the Islamists. Turkish president Recep Erdogan has promised to repopulate the city with non-Kurdish Arab Syrians who are presently dwelling in Turkey as refugees.
Since the takeover, the ousted Kurdish residents have been fleeing Afrin to neighbouring villages with only the clothes on their backs. Among the Kurds facing this crisis are 300 followers of Christ who had been faithfully carrying out a relief project in Afrin. While there are now various other organizations providing humanitarian relief to those who've been recently displaced, please pray that these Christians will not be overlooked in the disbursement of aid.
Thank you for remembering these believers in your prayers as they endeavour to encourage others from this area who are likewise suffering, demonstrating the compassion of Christ in the midst of the tremendous challenges they themselves are presently facing. Pray for all who are serving in the various humanitarian outreaches, that they be granted strength, protection and the necessary relief supplies to assist all the victims of this emergency crisis. May God mightily intervene in this troubled land, bringing His peace and provision to the varying people groups caught in the conflict near the Syrian and Turkish borders.
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