Christians in Iraq are celebrating the rebuilding of Qaraqosh with music and dancing as Iraqis return to the town previously devastated by ISIS' occupation.
The Facebook page 'This is Christian Iraq' shared a video yesterday with the caption: ''This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.'
'People of Baghdeda/ Qaraqosh celebrating the start of the reconstruction and rebuilding of their town.'
The video, which can be watched below, shows jubilant music and dancing crowds in the town.
Qaraqosh, once the largest Christian town on Iraq's Nineveh Plain, was largely destroyed under ISIS' jihadist occupation.
The jihadist group swept into Qaraqosh in August 2014 and declared a 'caliphate' there. The town that once boasted 50,000 citizens was soon deserted, while ISIS ransacked shops, destroyed churches and burned out homes.
Christian presence in Iraq dates to the 1st century AD, but the jihadist occupation did much to desecrate any symbols of the town's Christian heritage. ISIS used one church as a bomb factory while others were used as shooting ranges, with church statues beheaded and images used for target practice.
In October 2016 Iraqi forces regained control of the town but many former residents have been reluctant to return there, fearing instability and lack of security in the region.
Slowly though, a return is taking place. 'This is Christian Iraq' also shared images of the 'The consecration of the Cross in the eastern entrance of the city and the start of the rebuilding of the city' yesterday (see above), alongside which the foundations for new homes in the town were laid.
According to the Nineveh Plain Protection Unit, the cross was built by local youth from Qaraqosh.
