Ras al-Ain, Syria (AINA) -- Last week the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) played a major role in mediating a ceasefire between rival factions fighting over the control of Ras al-Ain. A truce was reached and a ceasefire was declared by the Free Syrian Army, which included two factions, Ghuraba Al-Sham and Jabhat Nusrat Al-Sham, and two Kurdish factions, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the United Democratic Party (PYD). The tense truce paved the way for many refugees to return to their homes.

The Secretary General of the ADO, Mr. Gabriel Moses, expressed his relief with the ceasefire and stressed the importance of peaceful means of resolving the current turmoil in Syria.

Ras al-Ain fell to the Free Syrian Army two weeks ago, and the rebels intended to move from Ras al-Ain east to the city of Qamishli in the Hassaka province. But the Assyrian Democratic Organization asked the Syrian Rebels not to enter the City of Qamishli, and they honored that request.

The situation is very tense in most of the towns and cities in the Hassaka province, which is home to more than 100,000 Assyrians.

The Free Syrian Army factions hope to push their control further east in the Syrian Jazeera.

ADO is a national, political and democratic movement struggling to safeguard the existence of the Assyrian people and the realization of their legitimate political, cultural, and administrative aspirations in their historic homeland. Additionally, ADO has been actively involved with the opposition groups in Syria (AINA 10-27-2012) and was a signatory to the Damascus Declaration, a statement of unity by Syrian opposition groups issued in October 2005 that criticized the Syrian government as totalitarian, and called for a peaceful and gradual regime change towards a democratically elected government.

A prominent member of the Assyrian Democratic Organization, Mr. Ablahad Astepho, is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Syrian National Council.