Amid escalating violence against Christians, Iraqi church leaders have appealed directly to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for increased efforts to curb continuing attacks in Mosul.
In a meeting with Al-Maliki, 10 heads of Iraqi churches urged the prime minister Oct. 16 to send the army to Mosul to help the about 1,000 police dispatched during the week to keep watch over Christians in the city. Church leaders said police efforts to curb violence were insufficient and more needed to be done to stabilize the city from which an estimated 1,500 families have fled following recent killings of Christians.
Al-Maliki assured the church heads that he would do whatever was in his power in cooperation with them and that he hoped to send soldiers to Mosul “immediately.”
Members of the Christian communities believe the police already sent to the city have made little difference and more forces are needed to ensure peace. Father Basher Warda of St. Peter’s Seminary said government officials have visited Mosul promising to help, “but there is nothing. A few initiatives here and there, but they cannot correspond to the whole crisis.” (CD)
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