Assyrian Christians pray for Attackers despite Further Hostilities

Just over a week after five Christian Churches were attacked in Baghdad and Mosul, an Assyrian Christian compound came under more attack on Monday 9th August, this time by mortars. However there are no recorded casualties as of yet.

The targeted compound, which is located in the Iraqi capital's Zayuna district, contains a clinic, a women's centre and a computer centre all inside. It also provides free telephone calls to those in need and offers support to humanitarian relief activities in addition to serving as the nerve centre for Assyrian Christians in Iraq.

The recent attacks have increased concern among Iraqi Christians. Hundreds and possible thousands of Christians have reportedly fled to neighbouring countries such as Jordan and Syria.

The attacks shocked many Christians, and it was the largest attack against Christians since the 15 month-old insurgency began. Yet believers including Baghdad's Chaldean Church of St Peter and St Paul where most Christians died, have prayed for their attackers.

The Chaldean Church and its Assyrian offshoot are nearly 2,000 years old. Founded by St Thomas, who doubted the resurrection of Jesus, Chaldean Christianity was Mesopotamia's universal religion until the arrival of Islam. But many were forcibly converted to the Muslim religion after centuries of persecution, especially under the last years of the Saddam Hussein regime. Today there are only 800,000 Christians remaining in Iraq - about three per cent of the population.

Many of the traditions of the ancient church persist and services are conducted in Aramaic, the language of Jesus, which is still spoken by some Iraqi Christians.

Some believed the current attack against the Assyrian compound further confirmed that "the anti-democratic forces in Iraq are trying to start sectarian warfare, yet they failed to generate support from the Iraqi public who have been sympathetic to the plight of the Christians.

"This latest savage attack, as the previous ones, will fail because the Iraqi people understand what is happening," an official said.