North Iraq (AINA) --- Muslim terrorist threats against Assyrian Churches and kidnappings for ransom have risen sharply in November, especially in Northern Iraq. This past week, Father George (Georgis) of Mosul's St. Mary's Assyrian Church of the East was forced to leave his parish and escape the numerous threats to his life. His decision to move to Ain-Sifni in the Shaikhan District of northern Iraq was due to his inability to continue to pay the recommended 'donation' to the 'Islamic fighters'. This came after numerous and substantial payments were made to the "Mujahideen Islamic" forces in the past in order to keep the church and its parishioners from being kidnapped or killed. The priest was told that the group also warned the administrative director of the church, Mr. Edward Enwiya, and his brothers, to leave Mosul or be killed, since the church has not paid their 'donations'. Mr. Enwiya and his family have left their homes, shops and businesses in Mosul and are taking refuge in the northern Assyrian villages.

A similar incident occurred in the town of Telkaif, a few miles north of Mosul, where Father John (Yokhanna), the priest of the Ancient Assyrian Church of East, has been forced to flee to a town in the Kurdish controlled Iraqi province of Duhok.

Some Assyrians believe that this rise in extortion is caused by the financial support that churches in Mosul and Telkaif are receiving from the deputy minister of the Kurdistan regional government, Sargis Aghajan. The support has been mostly directed at improvements to church structures, as opposed to community support. The church improvements are visible to the Muslim groups and have emboldened them to commit more violence and extortion toward the Christian Assyrians.