Homes Destroyed, Six Killed as Attacks Target Baghdad’s Christians

Maliki Seeks to Block Christian Exodus From Iraq

Baghdad’s Christian community is under siege again today, with a series of bombings and mortar attacks destroying Christian homes and killing at least six people. Dozens of others were also reported wounded in the attacks.

The city’s Christians were still reeling from an attempted “rescue” during a hostage situation at a church late last month which ended with scores of deaths and virtually the entire rest of the congregation wounded.

A number of Iraqi Christians are looking to leave the nation now, convinced that the Maliki government is unable or unwilling to protect them, and Syria is reporting a dramatic increase in arriving Iraqis, including large numbers of Christians, in recent days.

European nations are also keen on helping Iraq’s Christian community flee, but Prime Minister Maliki has cautioned them against allowing large numbers of Christians to relocate, saying it would be better to encourage them to remain.

An ancient community with a long history as a minority, Iraqi Christians became a popular target for insurgents after the 2003 US invasion, and seven and a half years later it seems the situation has not improved. It seems that the flight of the community will continue to increase, barring Maliki’s ability to force them to remain.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.