Christians in Iraq facing new threats

By STEFAN J. BOS

As the death among United States troops serving in Iraq rapidly approaches 700, one of the Islamic rebel groups “currently terrorizing” Fallujah has urged United Nations to stop the America siege of the town or the group will attack and kill local Iraqi Christians, a human rights group has learned.

Barnabas Fund said in a statement monitored by ASSIST News Service (ANS) on Tuesday April 20 that the threats came from ‘Saraya wal Mujahideen’ (Brigades and Mujahideen) in the form of a fax to Dubai-based Arab television channel Al Arabiya.

They have “threatened to destroy churches, assassinate or kidnap priests, and target local Christians,” it said. The threats to local Christians come amid the seizure of foreign nationals. Seven South Korean Christian missionaries were kidnapped on April 8, but have since been released.

In recent weeks, some 40 hostages from 12 countries have been seized in Iraq, many if them are still being held, while at least one Italian hostage has been killed by those holding him.

The latest threat could not come at a worse time for the U.S. as it and Iraq’s multinational peacekeeping force scrambles to regroup after Spain’s announcement that it would pull out its 1,300 troops.

Barnabas Fund can be reached via info@barnabasfund.org.

— ASSIST News Service