On the front line in Syrian Kurdistan, militias fight to free kidnapped families

By Ruth Pollard
Updated February 27 2015 - 7:08pm, first published 2:24pm
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia, near the besieged town of Tel Hamis.  Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia, near the besieged town of Tel Hamis. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family.  Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family.  Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia, near the besieged town of Tel Hamis.  Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia, near the besieged town of Tel Hamis. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family.  Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Sutoro Assyrian militiamen in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia, near the besieged town of Tel Hamis.  Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia, near the besieged town of Tel Hamis. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Residents of Tel Tamer line up for bread during a lull in the fighting. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family.  Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
Atur Aisak, an Assyrian from Tel Tamer. Many of the first 90 Christians kidnapped from the village by IS were members of her extended family. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk
A fighter of the Syriac Security Office, or Sutoro, an Assyrian militia, looks out over territory held by Islamic State militants at a post in Tel Tamer. Photo: Fadi Yeni Turk

Tel Tamer, Syria: "They want to divide us, to drive us from our lands, to separate us from our families, our tribes and our homes," Atur Aisak tells me.

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