(AINA) -- The Syriac Military Council (SMC), a founding member of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has issued a statement asking for full and equal support from the United States. SMC, along with Bethnahrin Women Protection Forces, a force comprised of Assyrian female fighters, participates fully in all combat and non-combat activities of SDF. In the statement SMC objects to being marginalized by the U.S. and being identified merely as a small Christian group. The statement stresses that Assyrians are not Arabs or Kurds or Turkmen, and that Assyrian forces should receive the same military supplies as Arab and Kurdish forces are receiving. Here is the full text of the statement:

General Votel stated in the congressional hearing of March 29th, 2017 that 'The most effective force (against ISIS) we have right now in Syria is the Syrian Democratic Forces that consist of both Kurds and Arabs, Turkmen and in some cases Christians