At least seven churches in Iraq were bombed Sunday in what appears to be coordinated attacks on Orthodox Christians celebrating New Year’s Eve.
Mortar shells, explosive devices and car bombs were used in attacks targeting churches and monasteries in Baghdad and Mosul, according to Dubai-based Khaleej Times newspaper. At least six people were wounded, including two guards, reported Voices of Iraq news agency.
In the explosion at Saint Maskinta Church in Mosul, the bomb destroyed the external wall of the church and caused panic among children and nuns inside where the church had an orphanage for girls.
“I’m very upset. That the explosions went off at the same time proves that this was part of a plan,” said Mosul’s Chaldean archbishop, Farac Raho, on the TV channel Ishtar, according to the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA).
“Both our Muslim brothers and we had just celebrated Eid and Christmas at the same time this year and everything went well,” he said, referring to the Gregorian calendar still used by the Eastern Orthodox Church where Christmas and New Year fall on a later date.
“But the opposition has never really stopped pointing their weapons at us…Iraq’s government must immediately act against violence directed towards us Christians,” the archbishop pleaded.
On Monday, Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, a Sunni, condemned the attacks and expressed sympathy with the Christian “brothers.”
“I stand with them against this brutal attack that turned happiness into misery and concerns,” he said, according to the Khaleej Times.
“Iraqis have a lot more to do to free themselves from the phenomenon of violence and terrorism, despite indications of relative improvement to a level of security,” according to Adnkronos International news site.
He called on Iraqi president Jalal Talabani to use “care and prudence to cure Iraq from this phenomenon.”
Persecution such as church bombings, kidnappings, as well as general violence and instability has forced a disproportionate number of Christians to flee Iraq – nearly half of all refugees leaving the country are Christians, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Christians in Iraq, composed mostly of Chaldeans, accounts for less than three percent of the country’s population. Today there are about 600,000 Iraqi Christians – down from 1.2 million before the 2003 U.S.-led offensive.
Many Christians in Iraq and abroad, as well as religious freedom advocates, have expressed concern of the extinction of Christians in Iraq – either through death or forced emigration – if more is not done to protect the powerless minority group.
“Many believe that it had become a little safer for non-Muslims in Iraq but now even those who held that hope have begun to waver,” said Iskander Bikasha, an editor of the Iraq-focused news site Ankawa.com, to AINA. “It’s not just churches that are being bombed but even monasteries and convents.”
“It’s a war but we are not at war,” he added emotionally. “We are not a part of this war. We carry no weapons. We kill no one. We turn the other cheek. A day doesn’t go by without us hearing reports about Assyrians, also called Chaldeans and Syrians, who have been killed.”
But some Iraqi Christians are defying the violence by refusing to allow persecution to stop their worship service. At one of the bombed churches in Baghdad on Sunday, believers still met after the attack to hold the Epiphany mass.
“We have decided to continue to go to church, let them bomb us, we’ve had enough,” said “Daniel” (name withheld for security reason) to AINA. “It’s our country too. If they want to wipe us out, they’ll be able to do it anyway. I will die proud,” he said in defiance of increasing Christian persecution.
Christians are especially vulnerable in Iraq because they hold no political or military power. In October, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had vowed to protect and support Iraq’s Christian community.
Comments
"it is, sadly, part of the civil war that the US has ignited in Iraq."
Here you go again, blame America for every problem that ever existed. The truth is that Christians have been getting slaughtered and persecuted against long before the US "ignited" a civil war in Iraq. Besides that ignorance is no excuse, on your part or the Muslims there that are wrongly attacking peaceloving Christians.
"Innocent Muslims killed by US bombs in Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11."
Oh so it is ok for Muslims to have mistaken their presuppositions and intentionally kill peaceful Christians, but it is not ok for the US to unintentionally kill Muslims? I agree that this is a problem, but do you not see your blatant contradictions in logic?
"Innocent Muslims in the US get mugged and killed because they are Muslims."
This is sad and I am not denying it didn't happen. If the killers would have been Christian they should have known that it was unacceptable to steal from anyone, kill anyone, or persecute someone for their faith. However this is uncomparable to the massive torturing and murdering of Christians allowed and comitted by the Governments of these countries. In America it is not only illegal, but largely considered wrong to do that. In these countries it is legal and considered good. Stop your blatant biases, they do nothing for your self-professed status as someone who is learned.
To paraphrase you "Your lack of knowledge is shocking"
No, my lack of knowledge is not the problem here, your lack of coherency and decency is the problem. People are being publicly tortured and killed and you just blame the US and Christianity. You dont even give an alternative worldview or solution.
"The peoples of the ME, mainly Muslims, see the US as an aggressor and occupier in the ME for decades. And now they have every reason to view the US as a country that is set on destroying Muslims- thats how they see it. The US military now occupies two predominately Muslims countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, and threatens to attack another- Iran. America would not tolerate invading armies here or in nearby countries, why should they?"
Saudia Arabia does not see the U.S as a "country that is set on destroying Muslims" nor does the Palestinian people, nor do many afghanistan people, nor do many north african countries. Iranians might, but look at the propoganda that they are being fed by their government. Also, you should take into consideration the fact that many that hate us are either involved in or being fed information by various extremist groups. IRAN is asking for trouble, there is nothing else about it. Their leader has publicly announced that he denies the Holocaust and desires that the nation of Israel be wiped off the map, they have taunted American warships, and have supported terrorists groups for a long time. If they had a button that could torture and kill every American and Israeli then they would press it happily, what is your problem? Are you just blind or filled with so much hatred for America and Christians that you cannot think straight?
Chris333, "Christianity is not attacking Muslims. Muslims all throughout the middle east and africa kill Christians simply for their beliefs."
The peoples of the ME, mainly Muslims, see the US as an aggressor and occupier in the ME for decades. And now they have every reason to view the US as a country that is set on destroying Muslims- thats how they see it. The US military now occupies two predominately Muslims countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, and threatens to attack another- Iran. America would not tolerate invading armies here or in nearby countries, why should they?
"These Christians in the Middle East surely had nothing to do with the attacks as this article said. "
it is, sadly, part of the civil war that the US has ignited in Iraq.
Here something for you to consider:
Innocent Muslims killed by US bombs in Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11.
Innocent Muslims in the US get mugged and killed because they are Muslims.
To paraphrase you "Your lack of knowledge is shocking"
citsonga,
Christianity is not attacking Muslims. Muslims all throughout the middle east and africa kill Christians simply for their beliefs. These Christians in the Middle East surely had nothing to do with the attacks as this article said. You are just putting your agenda on their plight, that is sick. Your lack of sympathy is shocking
I guess it pay back. Christians from America drop bombs on Muslims, they pay back the Christains in kind.
The Iraqui Christians are living our what the Apostle Peter warned their brothers would happen 2,000 years ago. May the church around the world rise to aid them and pray for them to glorify God in the midst of the chaos!