The ‘Islamic State of Iraq’, an umbrella organisation dedicated to defend Islam, has increased its attacks against the Christian community in Iraq.
On 1 November 2010 the Islamist organisation claimed credit for a massacre at a Baghdad church that killed 58 and left at least 78 wounded Iraqi Christians.
The organisation’s official statement says that an “angry group of mujahideen from among the supporters of Allah raided one of the filthy dens of idolatry that was always used by the Christians of Iraq as a headquarters to fight the religion of Islam and to support those who fight that religion.”
Christians inside the church were listening to a bible reading when the gunmen burst in. After the gunmen killed the priest, they attacked the nearby stock exchange, and then stormed the church and took 120 Christians hostage, according to the Associated Press.
“This is more than a tragedy,” said Iraq's Human Rights minister, Wijdan Mikheil, who is a Christian.
The organisation also threatened to carry out attacks against Christian churches across the globe.
The government of Iraq has promised in the past to protect the Christian community, which provides a large number of Iraq’s doctors, teachers and other professionals. However, local Christians say not much has been done.
Church leaders also blamed inadequate security by the Iraqi government for the deadliest attack in Baghdad since before March elections.
“It was a massacre in there and now they are cleaning it up. We Christians don't have enough protection. What shall I do now? Leave and ask for asylum?” said Raed Hadi, a Christian from Baghdad, while cradling the coffin of his cousin, killed in the attack.
“We’ve lost part of our soul now,” said Rudy Khalid, a 16-year-old Christian who lived across the street. “Our destiny, no one knows what to say of it.”
Christian community and churches in Iraq have frequently been the target for bombings in recent years and priests have been kidnapped and killed.
There are around 1.5million Christians in Iraq, but the population has rapidly declined as Christians fled the country since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Sources
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