As many as 80% of Syria's Christians have left their country since the start of the civil war in 2011, while 50% of Iraq's Christians have been uprooted since 2006, according to a report produced by Christian charities Open Doors International, Served and Middle East Concern last year, which said the arrival of IS was only the "tipping point" of a trend already gathering pace as Christians...
BASRA, Iraq -- Recent violent protests in the southern Iraqi city of Basra have brought to light years of suffering by Iraqis in what is known as the economic capital of Iraq due to its vast oil reserves and deep-sea port access connecting the country to the international market. Basra, a predominantly Shiite city, also has a significant minority population, including black Iraqis and Christians.
The Syriac-led Suturo forces sent a large number of reinforcements to the Deir Ezzor Governorate this week to aid their allies from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near the key town of Hajin. According to the group, the Suturo sent the reinforcements to the Hajin front after the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) captured several areas from the Syrian Democratic Forces near the...
VATICAN CITY -- Appealing to the international community to help bring peace to Syria and Iraq, Pope Francis and Catholicos Gewargis III, patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, also paid homage to the lands' persecuted Christians, who demonstrate that faith in Christ is a bond that is stronger than any denominational difference.
Pope Francis spoke about the "great suffering" that many Christians are enduring in the Middle East, and prayed for peace in the region, especially in Iraq and Syria. The Pope was meeting Friday with Mar Gewargis III, the Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East.
When a two-meter tall stone relief from Nimrud fetched nearly $31 million at an auction in New York, descendants of the Assyrian Empire took the news with sorrowful pride. "For every Assyrian Chaldean Syriac people, we felt very sad because this is our heritage and history that is now selling in the world's auction.