Family of Chaldean Priest Kidnapped, Missing for 10 Days

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Parents of İstanbul Chaldean Church priest Remzi Diril who have been missing since January 11, have been kidnapped by "unknown perpetrators," according to the Federation of Syriac Associations (SÜDEF) said in a statement.

Hürmüz and Şmuni Diril were residing in Mehre (Kovankaya) village in Beytüşşebap district of the southeastern Şırnak province.

The statement further said that Syrians Assyrians and Chaldeans, Christian minorities mostly residing in southeastern Anatolia, have come under attack recently, being killed, kidnapped and arrested.

Yusuf Kurt was killed in a mine explosion on September 22, 2019, on İzlo (Bagok) Mountain in Nusaybin, Mardin. On January 9, three Syriacs from the same district were detained for aiding a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"Since the 1980s, our people have been systematically oppressed because it belongs to the religion of Christianity and for its ethnic identity.

"In the 1990s, more than 50 Syriacs were murdered in killings by unknown assailants. Dozens of residential areas were abandoned and [people's] lands were usurped by their neighbors and some agencies. Due to the conflicts that have occurred in the region for many years, our people have suffered material and moral losses and had to move away from their country and values.

"The confiscation of our people's property for different reasons has caused great problems and a political attitude is being carried out for the purpose of ethnic cleansing towards our people."

SÜDEF called on Turkey to "fulfill its responsibilities" and reveal what happened to Hürmüz and Şmuni Diril. (EKN/VK)