Pope Francis in solidarity with victims of Erbil missile attack

"I express my closeness and solidarity with the victims, all civilians, of the missile attack that hit Erbil."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2024/01/17 23:08

Pope Francis (right) tours ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, March 7, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Vincenzo Pinto)

Kurdistan Pope Francis erbil attack Peshraw Dizayee Iran IRGC religious coexistence

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Pope Francis on Wednesday expressed closeness and solidarity with the victims of the Iranian missile attack that hit Erbil on Monday.

I express my closeness and solidarity with the victims, all civilians, of the missile attack that hit Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan. I urge everyone to avoid any steps that might escalate tension in the Middle East and other war-torn areas.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 17, 2024

In a post on X and during his weekly address to believers, People Francis “express my closeness and solidarity with the victims, all civilians, of the missile attack that hit Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan.”

“I urge everyone to avoid any steps that might escalate tension in the Middle East and other war-torn areas.”

On Monday evening, several ballistic missiles hit the private residence of renowned Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee in northern Erbil city, resulting in four deaths, including his 11-month daughter. Six others have been wounded.

Moreover, Iraqi Christian businessman Karam Mikhail, was also killed while visiting Dizayee’s home.

Mikhail's father, accompanied by several priests, paid a visit to the residence of Dizayee on Wednesday.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for the assault, confirming that it was carried out using ballistic missiles.

"Kurdistan has long been a safe haven for Christians and other minorities, often at great economic cost to the KRG," Ranj Alaaldin, director of Crisis Response Council, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told Kurdistan 24.

"This humanitarian haven makes the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) a crucial partner to the West and is a key pillar of the Western-aligned political order in Kurdistan that Iran wants to destroy."

President of International Religious Freedom Secretariat Nadine Maenza told Kurdistan 24 that it is "encouraging to see His Holiness Pope Francis condemn the attacks in Erbil. All the international community and religious leaders should do the same."

In March 2021, Pope Francis visited Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, where he met with senior members of the Catholic Church and surveyed the ruins of Mosul’s Christian areas, including Hamdaniya.

Moreover, in September, Pope Francis expressed sorrow over the devastating fire at the Hamdaniya wedding hall, which resulted in over 100 deaths and left 150 others injured.