ICC Note: The Islamic State has launched a heavy attack against a Christian village in the plain of Nineveh. Teleskuf, north of Mosul, came under fire early this morning, forcing Christians to once again flee their homes. These Christian communities in the Nineveh plain have been fleeing ISIS for almost two years now.
05/03/2016 Iraq (Asia News): In the early hours of today, the militias of the Islamic State (IS) have launched a heavy attack against Teleskuf, a Christian village near Alqosh, in the plain of Nineveh, causing serious damage. The area is north of Mosul, in Iraq stronghold of the jihadist group that controls the region for two years.According to reports a statement of the Chaldean Patriarchate sent to AsiaNews , some Christians were involved in the assault, which were guarding entrances to the village. The injured were immediately transported to hospitals in the area.
The Christian communities of the plain of Nineveh have fled their homes and villages between June and August of 2014, coinciding with the rise of Daesh [Arabic acronym for ISIS] in the region. In particular the inhabitants of Teleskuf fled in August, seeking refuge in Erbil and other areas of Iraqi Kurdistan. A few months later (in late 2014) militiamen backed away jihadists are abandoning the area, which then came under the control of the Peshmerga [Kurdish fighters] who have averted the destruction. For some time the control and of the guard is entrusted to groups of Christians, were now involved in the attack.
Sources of the Chaldean Patriarchate to manifest AsiaNews deep concern “about the presence of the Islamic State in the village” and the destruction caused. The fear is that the fighting and violence can be extended to nearby villages, forcing Christians to flee again. Complicating the picture is a possibility that “there may be even more displaced families” than “many that there are already” and that should be supported and maintained. “We rely on people of good will – concludes the statement of the patriarchate – because they stop these acts of terrorism.”
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