2008 attacks on Christians in Mosul
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 2008 attacks on Christians | |
|---|---|
| Location | Mosul, Iraq |
| Date | October 2008 – January 2009 |
| Target | Christians |
Attack type | Killings, intimidation |
| Deaths | >40[1] |
2008 attacks on Christians in Mosul was a series of attacks which targeted Iraqi Christians in Mosul, Iraq. The Christians of Mosul, who were already targeted during the Iraq War, left the city en masse heading to Assyrian villages in Nineveh Plains and Iraqi Kurdistan. Both Sunni extremists, and Kurdish Peshmerga were blamed for the attacks.
Christians and religious minorities in general were badly affected by the rise of Islamic fundamentalism after the invasion of Iraq. A number of Christians were killed in Baghdad and Mosul, and on 1 August 2004 a series of explosions targeted Churches in Baghdad, Mosul and Kirkuk leaving 15 dead and 71 injured.[2]
On 13 March 2008, the body of the Chaldean Archbishop of the city, Paulos Faraj Rahho, was found buried in a shallow grave near Mosul. Rahho was the highest ranking Christian cleric to be killed in Iraq.[3]
Attacks
October attacks
The first series of attacks started in October when Christians families were given choice of death or converting to Islam.[4] By the end of the month around 14 Christians were killed[5] and more than 13,000 were forced to flee to Nineveh Plains.[6] The Iraqi government gave $900,000 to help the refugees.[6]
November attacks
Seven bodies belonging to Christians were found in the streets of Mosul on early November. A house belonging to Syriac Catholic sisters was attacked and two nuns were killed and a third severely injured.[7] Around 500 families were forced to flee the city as a result, where they found refuge in Churches and with relatives in nearby villages.[8]
Aftermath
2009 attacks
In January 2009 15 Christians were killed in Mosul and more Christians fled to the Nineveh Plains and Christian villages in Iraqi Kurdistan seeking safety.[citation needed]
Accusation of Kurdish involvement
The Christians, however, blamed the attack on the Peshmerga, who were forcing Christians out of their homes by threatening them with death or by killing them. Eyewitnesses claimed that some of the assailants, because of their accent, were easily identified as Kurds attempting to pose as Arabs.[9][10] Rumour circulated that Kurds were posing as Arabs and had secretly targeted the Christians in order to draw them towards the Kurdish side during an anticipated referendum concerning the Disputed territories of northern Iraq, of which the Christians form a substantial minority.
Some Iraqi and American military officials denied the allegations of Kurdish responsibility.[11] Younadem Kana, a member of Iraq’s parliament and head of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, said media reports, including the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, "published lies under my name" accusing the Kurds of allowing violence to displace more Mosul Christians. "My statements were changed and fabrications were published under my name," said Kana, who also heads the Assyrian Democratic Movement. He said the accusation against Kurds, first publicized at a press conference 25 October by Sunni parliamentarian Osama al-Nujaifi, were "baseless."[12]
Accusations against Kurdish groups were also made by al-Hadba Arab political bloc of Mosul, which is led by Osama Al Naijafi and his brother, Atheel, the current governor of Nineveh.[13]
See also
References
- ↑ سبعة ضحايا بانفجار استهدف كنيسة "مار توما " وسط الموصل. al-Mada (in Arabic). 12 December 2009. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ↑ "At least 15 killed in Iraq church blasts". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 August 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ↑ "Archbishop Paul Faraj Rahho: The Times obituary". The Times. 14 March 2008. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ↑ "Thousands of Christians flee Iraq city". CNN. 16 October 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Spokesman: Shooter in Iraqi uniform kills U.S. troops". CNN. 12 November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - 1 2 "Iraq pledges $900K to help displaced Christians". CNN. 2 November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Fleeing Christians Face New Hardships in Turkey". Compass Direct News. 14 November 2008. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ↑ "Attacks in Mosul force Christians to flee". NBC News. 10 November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ↑ National Public Radio – 'Some Displaced Iraqi Christians Ponder Kurds' Role' https://www.npr.org/2008/10/28/96103301/some-displaced-iraqi-christians-ponder-kurds-role
- ↑ Iraqi_MP_Peshmerga_-_not_al-Qaeda_-_targeting_Christians_in_Mosul_ http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1319626&lang=EN%5B%5D
- ↑ "Kurdish expansion squeezes northern Iraq's minorities | McClatchy". Archived from the original on 9 August 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
- ↑ "Sound journalism, grounded in facts and biblical truth".
- ↑ "Gulfnews: Provinces in Iraq face different challenges". Archived from the original on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
