Bashiqa: Kurdish Military Free Towns, Restore Hope
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BASHIQA, Kurdistan – Across Iraq, ISIS has blazed a trail of terror, targeting Christians and other minorities. Now that military forces have freed a number of towns and villages, the persecuted see a glimmer of hope. It's coming in the form of a sanctuary town courtesy of the Kurdish military.
The town of Bashiqa sits just a few miles from Mosul and ISIS forces. Driving through the town, it bears the scars of a bitter battle.
Before the Kurdish military liberated Bashiqa and other towns from ISIS, the terror group planted thousands of IEDs (improvised explosive devices), booby-trapped homes and dug dozens of tunnels. It will take months to make these areas completely safe.
Commanding Gen. Bahram Yassin told CBN News his Peshmerga soldiers are clearing the town to create a safe zone.
"We are in the process of implementing democracy and making it stronger in this region and providing a peaceful area for all the Christians, as well as all the different religions, to live here and for all the people," the general said. "Even [Kurdistan region] President Barzani, when he came to the city, promised all the people from the nations, different religions or colors to live together in peace."
Gen. Bahram says the town will need major help from humanitarian and relief groups to help in the rebuilding.
"This assistance by all the NGOs is really important for us and we really appreciate that because those people that are here now don't have anything," he said. "ISIS took everything from them and they really need the assistance."
Dalton Thomas with Frontier Alliance International directs one group that supports the Peshmerga.
"We are here to serve the military in a medical capacity because we think it is morally, ethically, biblically appropriate and noble thing to do – to help people who are fighting to preserve life. We want to preserve life as they fight to preserve life," Thomas told CBN News.
"For the Peshmerga, this is not a war of conquest or dominion.This is a war of defense and stabilization," he explained.
Thomas believes it's an important time for the United States to stand with the Kurds.
"Kurdistan is our greatest ally in the region other than Israel," he said. "Kurdistan is here as a bastion of hope in this region. I think they deserve our trust. I think they deserve our support … I am glad and proud as an American that we have served Kurdistan. I would like to see that service and commitment seen exponentially grown over the next few years."
Some hope the incoming Trump administration will increase that support to the Kurds.
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