-Iraq: Christian Persecution Rises Up Again—7 Churches Bombed 4 Dead and 32 Injured
by Dr. D ~ July 13th, 2009
(Photo: AP Images / Karim Kadim)
Persecution of Christians has risen up again in Iraq this week with the bombing of 7 churches, 6 in Bagdad and one in Mosul. Resulting in 4 dead and 32 injured including at least 4 children.
Past persecution of the Christian community in Iraq has forced nearly 500,000 Iraqi Christians—close to half of the Christian community–to flee the country during the American occupation. Last week the American forces pulled out of the cities and allowed the Iraqi army to take over. Now comes this most recent stream of bombings against Christians which is probably calculated to drive even more from the country.
It is truly ironic that the near destruction of the Iraqi Christian community has been one of the by-products of the dissolution of the Saddam Hussein regime. The chaotic conditions in the country that followed U.S. invasion of Iraq led to the outright persecution of Christians by radical Islamists. Now that American forces have left the cities, the persecution seems to have returned. This does not bode well for the Christians that are left in Iraq. *Top
UPDATE 7/14: Iraqi authorities have placed security around Christian churches and in Christian communities for protection against further incidents. The quick response shows that the government really does want the Christians to stay–at least some of the officials. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told the Pope last year that he hoped that the Iraqi Christians who left would return to the country–maybe he was sincere after all.
