NGO asks international community to protect Christians from Iranian-backed militias

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A Christian organization urged the international community to intervene and protect minorities from Iranian-backed Shia militias and Iraqi army human rights violations in Christian populated towns in Peshmerga-controlled areas. 

The Suraya Organization for Culture and Media in a statement released on Saturday urged the international community to protect Christians and Yezidi (Ezidi) Kurds in areas vulnerable to attacks launched by the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militia and Iraqi forces. 

“Christian and Ezidi populated villages in Khabur area on the Syrian-Turkish-Iraqi border have been under significant threats of attacks from the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi in the past days,” the statement said. 

According to the statement, eight Christian and ten Ezidi villages where 17,000 people reside are being threatened by the Hashd al-Shaabi.

The organization warned Christian and Ezidi populated areas might be turned into battlefields by the Iranian-backed Shia militias

The Suraya Organization urged the United Nations Security Council, United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), UNAMI office in Kurdistan Region, the foreign diplomatic and representative offices in Iraq and the Region to break their silence and prevent the Christians and Ezidis to be displaced again.

On Saturday, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert praised the Kurds for their role in protecting Christians and other minorities in Iraq.

“Without the Kurds, many of those families would eventually not be able to come home,” she said, responding to a question from Kurdistan 24.

Editing by G.H. Renaud