500+ Iraqi Christian families flee

The Assyrian International News Agency is reporting that Iraqi Christians are continuing to flee their country, with 507 families moving to the Kurdish north, where security measures are relatively stable. Many more families have fled directly abroad, mainly to Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

Despite calls for them to stay, many Iraqi Christians feel they have no future left in the country. This follows violent attacks against Iraqi Christians, which you can read about here, here and here.

Churches in Baghdad are reported to be almost empty with senior Christian clergymen fearing that Iraq is on its way to losing its Christian minority. Baghdad was the last remaining city with a sizeable Christian community, but thousands have fled the latest upsurge in anti-Christian violence.

Pray for the nation of Iraq. Pray for anointed leaders who can act with wisdom, courage and integrity. Pray that God will heal this land and its people. Pray that Christians might persevere in this difficult situation; pray also for their protection.

You can read the full story here.

12 arrested over Baghdad church massacre

Our Lady of Salvation Church after the
October 31 attack.
Photo by Ankawa.com

VOM reported in early November (see story here) that Islamic militants stormed a Catholic church during Mass in Baghdad, killing 70 people and wounding 75.

The Assyrian International News Agency and CNN reported today that Huthaifa al-Batawi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, the "mastermind, direct supervisor and planner" of the October 31 attack, was among 12 arrested in connection with the deadly church siege.

The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group that includes a number of Sunni extremist organizations and has ties to al-Qaida in Iraq, claimed responsibility for the Baghdad church siege. It was among the first of many attacks in recent weeks targeting Christians (see stories here and here), which have left scores dead and many more wounded throughout the Middle Eastern nation.

Iraqi security forces made the arrests of the 12 "suspected terrorists," who also have links to al-Qaida in Iraq and a wave of Baghdad explosions on November 2, an Iraqi interior ministry official confirmed.

Gen. Ahmad Abu Ragheef, the head of internal affairs at the Interior Ministry, said in an Iraqiya interview that al-Batawi confessed to his role in the church siege, telling Iraqi authorities who he was and about other attacks he supervised.

You can read the full story here.