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IRAQI ARCHBISHOP, PRIESTS FLEE TO VILLAGES AMID JIHADIST ADVANCE
Assyrian International News Agency AINA
June 13 2014
http://www.fides.org
Posted 2014-06-13 20:03 GMT
Mosul -- "Now in Mosul jihadist militants control the city and the
situation is calm. But we do not know who they are and what they want
to do now". His Excellency Amel Shamon Nona, Chaldean Archbishop of
Mosul, describes to Fides Agency the climate that now reigns in Iraq's
second largest city, which was captured two days ago by the rebels
of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Jihadist
faction also active in the Syrian conflict. The Chaldean Archbishop
confirms that the vast majority of the 1,200 Christian families have
left the city.
He himself and his priests have found shelter in villages in the
Nineveh Plain such as Kramles and Tilkif, a few tens of kilometers
from Mosul. At the same time, His Excellency Ninth denies rumors of
attacks on churches operated by men of the ISIL. "Our church dedicated
to the Holy Spirit", the Archbishop refers to Fides, "was depradated
by gangs of robbers yesterday and the day before yesterday, while
the city was captured by the ISIL. But Muslim families living in the
surrounding area have called their Islamist militants, who intervened,
putting an end to the looting. The same Muslim families phoned us to
let us know that they themselves are controlling the church, and will
not allow the jackals to return".
The construction site of an Armenian church still under construction
was involved in the clashes and damaged just because it was next to
an army base attacked by jihadists. After their entry in the city,
Islamist militias manifest the intention to maintain public order under
strict control. Archbishop Nona does not confirm the rumors about the
alleged imposition of the Islamic veil on Christian women made by the
jihadists and points out that Christians in Mosul, locked up in their
own homes, are mostly elderly unable to escape because of their age
and health conditions. He also points out that, among the hundreds of
thousands of residents who fled Mosul, the vast majority are Muslims.
Mgr. Nona's doubts regard the pliancy shown by the Iraqi army and
police forces before the arrival of the Islamists: "What I can say",
said the Archbishop, "is that what has happened is a mystery. It is
not known how soldiers and police managed to leave the city in less
than an hour, leaving weapons and means of transport. All this raises
many questions".
The Chaldean church in Mosul dedicated to the Holy Spirit is where
Father Ragheed Ganni was killed along with three deacons on June 3,
2007 and where Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, was abducted, whose
lifeless body was found on March 13, 2008.
http://www.aina.org/news/20140613150326.htm
Assyrian International News Agency AINA
June 13 2014
http://www.fides.org
Posted 2014-06-13 20:03 GMT
Mosul -- "Now in Mosul jihadist militants control the city and the
situation is calm. But we do not know who they are and what they want
to do now". His Excellency Amel Shamon Nona, Chaldean Archbishop of
Mosul, describes to Fides Agency the climate that now reigns in Iraq's
second largest city, which was captured two days ago by the rebels
of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Jihadist
faction also active in the Syrian conflict. The Chaldean Archbishop
confirms that the vast majority of the 1,200 Christian families have
left the city.
He himself and his priests have found shelter in villages in the
Nineveh Plain such as Kramles and Tilkif, a few tens of kilometers
from Mosul. At the same time, His Excellency Ninth denies rumors of
attacks on churches operated by men of the ISIL. "Our church dedicated
to the Holy Spirit", the Archbishop refers to Fides, "was depradated
by gangs of robbers yesterday and the day before yesterday, while
the city was captured by the ISIL. But Muslim families living in the
surrounding area have called their Islamist militants, who intervened,
putting an end to the looting. The same Muslim families phoned us to
let us know that they themselves are controlling the church, and will
not allow the jackals to return".
The construction site of an Armenian church still under construction
was involved in the clashes and damaged just because it was next to
an army base attacked by jihadists. After their entry in the city,
Islamist militias manifest the intention to maintain public order under
strict control. Archbishop Nona does not confirm the rumors about the
alleged imposition of the Islamic veil on Christian women made by the
jihadists and points out that Christians in Mosul, locked up in their
own homes, are mostly elderly unable to escape because of their age
and health conditions. He also points out that, among the hundreds of
thousands of residents who fled Mosul, the vast majority are Muslims.
Mgr. Nona's doubts regard the pliancy shown by the Iraqi army and
police forces before the arrival of the Islamists: "What I can say",
said the Archbishop, "is that what has happened is a mystery. It is
not known how soldiers and police managed to leave the city in less
than an hour, leaving weapons and means of transport. All this raises
many questions".
The Chaldean church in Mosul dedicated to the Holy Spirit is where
Father Ragheed Ganni was killed along with three deacons on June 3,
2007 and where Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, was abducted, whose
lifeless body was found on March 13, 2008.
http://www.aina.org/news/20140613150326.htm