Hasaka, Syria (AINA) -- Syrian authorities continue to hold eighteen Assyrians, one Armenian and one Kurd, who demonstrated against the murder of two Assyrians in Hasaka, Syria on October 31 (story). No charges have been filed against the detainees and no date has been set for their release.

Background

A personal conflict between an Arab Muslim from the al-Radhi family and an Assyrian Christian from the Abraham family culminated in the murder of an Assyrian man on October 16. The Arab member of the Al-Radhi family enlisted the aid of members of his family and klan, including an officer in the Syrian Army, Mudhar al-Radhi, to attack and kill Naseem Abraham, a 35 year old married Assyrian man. The Arab attackers mutilated Naseem's body, dragged his body in the street, and insulted the Christians in that quarter of the city.

When Naseem's friend Yalda Yacoub, aged 25, rushed to attend to his friend, he was prevented from do so, attacked and shot. He was transferred to the hospital in Damascus. Yalda Yacoub died on the same day at the hospital.

The following is a list of the names of the detainees.