Violence Against Iraqi Assyrians Since the Liberation of Iraq

(AINA) -- May 11, 2007: The family of Gabriel Khamis, a resident of Baghdad, was kidnapped while fleeing Baghdad to Karkuk. Gabriel, his wife Feryal, brother in-law, daughters Lina, Nour, Sara, and 4 year old grandson, Jason were on their way in two cars when they were stopped in the Habhab region. The second car driven by the brother in law managed to escape with the daughters, but the first carrying the 4 year old Jason and grandparents was taken. After some search, the mother and the grandson were found in the Habhab desert stripped of any jewelry, and valuables. The father remains missing. The family were returned to Baghdad to be cared for by relatives till more information is found about the father, Gabriel.

May 8, 2007: Unidentified gunmen kidnapped two Assyrian from Bakhdeda on the morning of Tuesday May 8th. The two civilians were kidnapped in the City of Mosul while on their way to Al-Salam Hospital. No news of their whereabouts so far.

April 26. 2007: Wesam Khamis was abducted when traveling from Kirkuk, North Iraq to Syria. He is still missing.

April 23, 2007: A car bomb exploded in the village of Telskuf, killing 10 and injuring 140 Assyrians.

March 27, 2007: Two elderly sisters, Fawzeiyah Naoum, 85, and her 79-year-old sister Margaret, both Chaldean Catholic nuns, were stabbed multiple time by two intruders who raided their home Monday night near the Cathedral of the Virgin in Kirkuk. They lived alone and there was no sign of a robbery, Salih said.

January 31, 2007: Isaac Esho Alhelani, a high ranking Assyrian official of the Iraqi Airways, was gunned down near his home by unknown assassins.

January 18, 2007: Mr. Warda Slewo, an Assyrian newspaper distributer, was murdered in North Iraq.

November 23, 2006: Yeshoh Majid Hedaya, leader of the Syriac Independent Unified Movement, assassinated for advocating Assyrian autonomy.

October 21, 2006: Ayad Tariq, a 14 year old Assyrian boy, is decapitated at his place of work

October 12, 2006: Paul Alexander, an Assyrian priest, is decapitated in north Iraq

October 9, 2006: a 14 year Assyrian old boy is crucified in his neighborhood in North Iraq

September 25, 2006: Two Assyrian churches attacked in North Iraq in response to Pope's speech

September 24, 2006: St. Mary's Cathedral in Baghdad, home of the Patriarch, is bombed

January 29, 2006: Four Assyrian churches bombed in Baghdad

November 29, 2005: Joseph Nabil Ishmael and George Brikha Youkhana are shot and killed in North Iraq

September 23, 2005: 4 Assyrians Killed in Assassination Attempt on Former Iraq Assyrian Minister

September 13, 2005: Anita Tyadors is brutally murdered by muslim extremists in North Iraq

August 27, 2005: Nabil Akram Amona murdered By Kurdish militia in North Iraq

March 24, 2005: Zahra Ashour (female student) is beaten to death by Mehdi army personnel in Basra

December 21, 2004: Three Assyrian churches bombed in North Iraq

December 9, 2004 (Baghdad) Few days ago, two Assyrian Christians were kidnapped from their business place and then murdered by unidentified terrorist group. The two Christians owned a hall used for celebrations in Baghdad. The first victim is Fawzi Soorish Luqa of 'Ankawa (b. 1961). However, his partner's name is not been disclosed yet. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2399

December 8, 2004 (Ramadi) Dr. Ra'aad Augustine Qoryaqos, one of the notable Assyrians of Bartella, was murdered in Ramadi. A group of three terrorists stormed his clinic while he was checking on his patients. They shot him and left him bleed. An operation later failed to save his life. Dr. Qoryaqos leaves behind his wife and two children. Dr. Qoryaqos worked as a professor at the College of Medicine in al-Anbar University and was a successful surgeon. http://www.bartella.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1831, http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2397

December 7, 2004 (Mosul) Two churches, Al-Tahira, Chaldean Catholic Church, and one of the most beautiful churches in Mosul and another Armenian church that was under construction, were bombed in Mosul today. The first blast struck the al-Ttahira (meaning the pure, in reference to the Virgin Mary) Church about 2:30 p.m. in al-Shifa' neighborhood, eastern Mosul. Ten armed men stormed the church, planted explosives throughout it, and set the bombs off wounding three people and destroying most parts of it. An hour later, gunmen bombed in al-Wahda neighborhood, western Mosul, an Armenian church under construction. No casualties were reported there. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,140751,00.html, http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&e=4&u=/nm/20041207/wl_nm/iraq, http://www.peyamner.com

December 2, 2004 (Mosul) few days ago, Imad Jameel Younan (born 1975), married with two children, was confronted with criminals who murdered him and stole his private taxi. Younan was a resident of the Assyrian town of Baghdeda. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2325

December 2, 2004 (Mosul) The body of Laith Antar Khanno (29 years) of Baghdeda was found near Mosul Hospital in the al-Wahda quarters, east of Mosul. Khanno was kidnapped two weeks ago and the kidnappers asked first for a ransom of $1,000,000 then dropped the figure to $100,000; however, his family could not come up with this large amount of money to rescue Khanno. Khanno had worked for a foreign company in Baghdad and had traveled to Mosul to open a branch there. His body was found first and the head was found later at a distance. Khanno was married three years ago and had one daughter. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2329

November 30, 2004 (Salah al-Din) Sabih Mousa Abada (born 1949), married with five boys and three girls, was killed when a car bomb exploded on a side road in Baiji. Abada worked as a driver at Baiji refinery. He had stopped to assist a stalled school bus. Abada was a resident of the of Baghdeda. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2325

November 21, 2004 (Mosul) Sami Esho Khoshaba, aged 19, and a member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), was a cadre in the al-Karkh Branch in Baghdad. He was shot and killed in Mosul, whilst on leave.

November 21, 2004 (Baghdad) Essarhadon Elia al-Qas Oraham (born 1977) was killed near al-Mashriq Club in Camp Sara quarters around 8:00 p.m. Sunday night. The two killers attempted to steal his Ford car, which he used privately and sometimes as a taxi, however, he resisted and they shot him. He leaves behind a wife and a 2-years-young girl. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2256

November 19, 2004 (Mosul) A mortar shell killed two Assyrian brothers of the town ofBartella. Muntadir As'aad Matti and Bashar As'aad Matti were killed while at work when the bomb fell on the shop they worked at in Mosul market. http://www.bartella.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1669&sid=be7b477051b949af465606ea30fda461

November 8, 2004 (Baghdad) Two bombs exploded outside two churches in southern Baghdad quarters of Dora. Three people were dead and around 40 to 50 injured. The news was reported in the afternoon by CBS, ABC, and by FOX NEWS at 3:05 with Brit Hume during his segment Special Report. Read also http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2154 The first bomb went off near the Mar Giwargis (St. George) Church, the U.S. military said. Witnesses reported that 18 people were slightly injured in the explosion. The second car bomb detonated minutes later, less than a mile away, outside the St. Matthew Church, killing three people and wounding 34, said a policeman on the scene who declined to give his name. Also reported by Daily Times, Reuters (NY), Los Angeles Times, and http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11082004_2004110811.html

November 4, 2004 (Falluja) Dr. Nadia Hanna Murqos was killed near Falluja while returning from Syria. Her husband and son were injured in the attack on their car. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2123

November 2, 2004 (Baghdad) An unidentified group surprised and fired upon an Assyrian family in Dora, Meekanik quarters, south of Baghdad. 'Alaa' Andrawis (b. 1965), his wife Evelyn Malkizdaq, and their 10-years old son were shot at while in their car. Andrawis and his son were killed instantly, meanwhile, the mother her head was badly wounded. She was transferred to a hospital where she is undergoing surgery. 'Alaa' Andrawis and Evelyn Malkizdaq had three children; the oldest is 12 years old. Fifteen days earlier, Andrawis's cousin, Yasmin Boodagh, and her daughter were killed in Dora by a bombed car. Additionally, beginning of this month, Sargon, son of the Assyrian poet andwriter Odisho Malko, was kidnapped in Dora. The family had to give the kidnappers their private car and a certain amount of money as ransom to secure Sargon's release. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2102

October 30, 2004 (Mosul) Ma'an Yousuf, an Assyrian male, was confronted by three men (two masked and one unmasked). Yousuf was killed in his electrical supplies shop in Dawasa street in Mosul at 7:30 p.m. when the unmasked attacker shot him with three bullets in his head and the three escaped in their car. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2078

October 25, 2004 (Mosul) Four unidentified armed men tried to force themselves inside the home of Nasrin Shaba Murad, an Assyrian Christian woman, in the quarters of 17 July in Mosul. When Nasrin Shaba Murad, a housewife aged 42, tried to escape to her neighbor's home, the gunmen opened fire and killed her. Nasrin is a mother of three children. Her body was transferred to Sinjar where she was buried. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2019

October 21, 2004 (Mosul) Mr. Yonadam Kanna, one of the ChaldoAssyrian representatives in the Iraqi National Assembly, exposed the unfair and chauvinistic acts against the minorities in Mosul, including the Christians, who live under harsh circumstances. In his interview with al-Hayat on October 21, 2004, Mr. Kanna exposed the unfair actions by the Mosul Municipal Office, which is selling lands that belongs to minorities and rent them to others. He asked the Iraqi government to lift infringes and oppression against the Christians, Shabak, and Yezidis due to the ethnic and religious injustice inflicted on these groups by past subsequent Iraqi governments. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1975

October 21, 2004 (Baghdad) Layla Elias Kakka Essa (aged 30s) lived peacefully in Baghdad. Economical hardship forced her to seek employment as an instant translator in the Assyrian quarters of Dora region in Baghdad to support her two very young children, Manar and Mina. She was killed in cold blood on Thursday October 21 while on her way back home after completing her tenth day of employment. The killer mercilessly emptied his bullets in her head. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2029

October 20, 2004 (Mosul) The 18th Session of the Iraqi National Assembly addressed the escalating troubles in Mosul. Mr. Yonadam Kanna stated to the al-Sabah al-Jadeed (The New Morning) that what is happening in Mosul is alien to Iraqis. Many families have been slaughtered and killed. Additionally, Mosul University imposes strange and unreasonable customs on the students. Meanwhile, hundreds of families have abandoned the city of Mosul and moved to Dohuk and other neighboring towns. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1969

October 16, 2004 (Baghdad) In an apparently coordinated strike against Iraq's tiny Christian community, the church of Saint Joseph in the west of the Iraqi capital was hit at about 4:00 am (0100 GMT), the spokesman said. Twenty minutes later, another blast ripped through the streets at another Saint Joseph church, in Dora, southern Baghdad. After another 20 minutes, Saint Paul's church was struck in the same area. At 4:50 am, the Roman Catholic St. George church in the central district of Karrada was rocked by a blast and engulfed in flames, leaving the wood-built sanctuary completely charred. A fifth explosion occurred about an hour later at Saint Thomas church in Mansour, to the west. The violence resumed hours later when an artillery shell was fired into a car park between a hotel and Saint George's Anglican Church, witnesses and US soldiers said. AFP, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3749520.stm

October 16, 2004 (Mosul) 1500 ChaldoAssyrian Syriac students that attend Mosul University have decided not to attend university classes effective today. The students have been harassed repeatedly and have been receiving numerous threats from terrorists and Islamists who are taking advantage from the non-stability and management chaos at the university. http://www.iraq4allnews.dk/viewnews.php?id=67686ure, http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_041022xt.shtml

October 5, 2004 The Christians of Ba'asheeqa and Bahzani, near Mosul in north of Iraq, were shocked this afternoon when they discovered Fadi's body. The 'Aaid Khidir Shamoon family was devastated as they witnessed the body of their 15-years-old son Fadi. Fadi's body was found burned after he was beheaded. Fadi was kidnapped while he was riding his bike, which his father has given to him as a present, in the 'Ain 'alaq orchards in Ba'asheeqa around 12:00 noon. His body was treated in the most barbaric way; he was mutilated, burned, and thrown in the Ba'asheeqa-Teez Kharab road in front of al-'Azzawi ranch. Earlier, Ba'asheeqa mourned another son, Julian Afram Yacoub, 14-years-old, when he was hit in the head with a concrete block and then burned. The murderers have been targeting innocent children, which are forcing many Christians and Yezidis to flee their homes and villages.http://www.bahzani.net, http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1855

September 27, 2004 (Baghdad) A bus carrying employees of the Baghdad Hunting Club (Nadi al-Sayd) after leaving work in the early hours of Monday morning was attacked by unidentified armed men, . Fourteen people were killed and six injured. Among the dead were nine Chaldean Assyrians. Here are the names of the dead.

Aamer Nissan (36)

Aadel Nissan (32)

Amer khoshaba (39)

Emanuel Nissan (59)

Maradona Emanuel (20)

Naeem Gewargis (26)

Bassam Elias (22)

Rasim Elias (20)

Amir Shabo

Sept. 16, Baghdad. Two Assyrians were beheaded by the Iraq's terrorists. Ankawa.com has obtained a movie from its sources in Iraq, which shows an Islamic Terrorist group named 'The Brigades of Salaheddin Al-Eyobe the armed faction'. Committing a hideous and inhumane crime of beheading two Assyrian Christian men from Mosul, and the movie also shows the beheading of a third unidentified man. The criminals' sons of Darkness filmed their unarmed captives as they stated their names and identified themselves in terrified and shaky voices before being decapitated in a horrendous and savage scene.

September 11, Baghadad, On the eve of Saturday September 11, 2004, a car bomb exploded outside the Virgin Mary Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the Al-Sa'doun Park in the center of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

September 10, (Bakhdeda) Northern Iraq. Following the celebration of the Holy Cross, in the Assyrian town of Bakhdeda in the Qaraqosh, Hamdaniya District, late at night while people slept homes were attacked by mortars. The priminary informaiton indicates that three of the mortar fell on top of a home killing Mark Louis Sheeto, a 13 year old boy, and seriously injured his mother, Bushra Toma Sheeto, and his 8 year old brother Bihnam Sheeto. /news/20040911181922.htm

September 9, 2004 (Baghdad) A bomb exploded at the Assyrian Anglican Church at al-Andalus Street in Baghdad. The explosion occurred during the night. No casualties were reported.

September 2, 2004 (Mosul). In the al-Mayasa (al-Sa'aa) Christian district, Khaled Boulos (32) and his brother Hani Boulos (28), known also as the sons of Hasina, were murdered. The deceased Assyrian brothers were known for their patriotic stands in Mosul in defending and assisting other Assyrians. According to eyewitnesses, on September 2, at noon local time, a car carrying a group of armed terrorists pulled by the Boulos brothers, came out of the car, and began firing heavily at the two Assyrians, killing them instantly. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1631, http://f21.parsimony.net/forum37811/messages/31996.htm

September 1, 2004 (Mosul). In a terrorist attack on the Governorate of Nineveh building, Mr. Nisan Sliyo Shmoel was injured. Mr. Shmoel was taken to hospital where he was treated. Mr. Shmoel was released from the hospital after his treatment; however, the terrorists were awaiting his release and targeted him with an unmarked car (not carrying plate numbers), which they used to drive him over in front of the hospital entrance. Mr. Shmoel died immediately. Martyr Nisan Sliyo Shmoel was 43 years old. Mr. Shmoel is survived by his wife and six children, five daughters and one son, with the oldest being 15 years. http://f21.parsimony.net/forum37811/messages/31999.htm

September 1, 2004 (Baghdad). In the district of Karrada (Arkhita), a terrorist bomb exploded killing Mr. Gewargis Youaresh Nisan. A timer in the aforementioned district that is heavily populated by Assyrians set the bomb. http://f21.parsimony.net/forum37811/messages/32000.htm

August 31, 2004 (Bartella). Three Assyrian girls were slaughtered in the Assyrian village of Bartella near Mosul while returing home from their work at a hospital in Mosul where they worked. Few days earlier, terrorists left CDs in the region filming the slaughter of two other Christians of the same town. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1631

The three women are Tara Majeed Betros Al-Hadaya, Taghrid Abdul-Massih Ishaq Betros and her sister Hala Abdul-Massih Ishaq Betros. The attack took place in the section between the Television area and the Kokajli area on the main road between Mosul and Bartilla. Also injured in the attack was another Assyrian woman, 'Amera Nouh Sha'ana, who was also returning home to Bartilla and the Assyrian driver, Naji Betros Ishaq. The three female victims were in their twenties.

August 1, 2004 (Baghdad and (Mosul). Five Assyrian (also known as Chaldeans and Suryan) and one Armenian Churches were bombed simultaneously in Baghdad and Mosul. Twelve Assyrians were killed and some 60 injured. The churches are:

Church Sayidat al-Najat (Our Lady of Salvation) - Karrada (Baghdad) - Syrian (Assyrian) Catholic Church Church Sayidat al-Zohour (Our Lady of the Flowers) - Karrada (Baghdad) - Armenian Catholic Church Sts. Peter & Paul - Doura, al-Meekanik quarters (Baghdad) ­ Chaldean Catholic Church Seminary St. Paul Church - Center of Mosul St. Elia - Ni'aayriyya oo Gayyara (New Baghdad) - Chaldean Catholic Church St. Mary's Church in east Baghdad (car bomb disarmed by police)

July 22, 2004 (Dohuk) Masuad Barazani and the Kurdish officials of Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) in Dohuk have been marginalizing the presence of Assyrians in the supposedly new democratic Iraq. This, the KDP had practiced since 1992. The KDP has used its influence to install its own people in most of the high and sensitive administrative positions in Dohuk province such as deputy governor, qaimaqams for qadhas, or mayors for villages despite the fact that the Assyrians make the second largest ethnic group in the said province and make a majority in certain of these villages. The KDP's most recently has prevented Assyrian groups and organizations such as the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), ChaldoAssyrian Women Union and ChaldoAssyrian Student Union in Dohuk from being part of the special electoral committee and from nominating their representatives from this province (governorate). This special electoral committee is to participate in the Iraqi national conference planned for end of July 2004. This, the Kurds have done despite the fact the Assyrian Democratic Movement has been part of every opposition group meetings before the fall of Saddam, then was part of the Iraqi Governing Council and today is part of the Iraqi Cabinet and is part of the high commission that is setting the stage for the national conference. Worth mentioning that from this national conference, a temporary Iraqi national Assembly should be selected until the national elections are held in January 2005and a permanent assembly is elected. The KDP is in violation of all previous agreements and understanding reached upon by Iraqi opposition groups before and since the fall of the Ba'ath regime. Every political group, institution, tribes, segment of society and notables were to take part in the democratic political process in the new Iraq. Assyrians in the Diaspora call upon the Iraqi President, Prime Minister, government agencies, the United Nations and world organizations to interfere and undo the Kurdish oppression, marginalization and trespassing against the Assyrians in north of Iraq.

July 19, 2004 (Mosul) Sources stated that unidentified attackers equipped with automatic weapons attempted to kidnap an Assyrian man, Hani Yohanna Naoom (43) around 7:00 a.m. near his convenient shop on Dawasa Street, near the government building. The victim tried to escape from his kidnappers; he was shot and killed. http://www.ado-world.org/en/news.php?id=336<=ar

July 17, 2004 (Mosul) An unidentified group using automatic weapons entered a pizza shop at the al-Zihoor quarters around 3:00 p.m., shot and killed Adeeb Aqrawi, an Assyrian young man, working at the shop. http://www.ado-world.org/en/news.php?id=336<=ar

July 2004 (Dohuk) Latest news from Iraq indicate that the Kurds and Kurds Democratic Party (KDP) officials under Masuad Barazani are preventing Assyrians from moving back to their original homes in Dohuk, north of Iraq, with the situation in Baghdad not improving. Meanwhile, the Kurdish officials have allowed many Kurdish families from Qamishli, Syria to move into Dohuk. These foreign Kurdish families have crossed the Iraqi borders and the KDP has secured for them food, shelter and all means possible to assist them to settle. Furthermore, the Kurds and KDP are forcing Assyrians to raise Kurdish flags in certain Assyrian villages and on top of Assyrian offices and homes in others.

July 11, 2004 (Baghdad) Terrorists entered an Assyrian Christian home while the parents were out and shot to death at point blank range Raneed Raad 16 and her sister Raphid 6. The Assyrian family has been threatened earlier; still, no measures were taken to protect it. http://www.assyrianchristians.com/commentary_massacre_july_11_04.htm

July 11, 2004 (Baghdad) Two Assyrian children from the Chaldean Catholic Church: Sami (6) and Rami (4) were killed in front of their home when rockets fell in their neighborhood in center of Baghdad. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1205, http://www.ado-world.org/en/iraq.php?id=175<=ar, London - Al - Sharq Al-Awsat Newspaper, July 11 / 2004

June 26, 2004 (10:00 a.m.) (Mosul). Two unidentified persons in a silver Opel throw a hand bomb at the Holy Spirit Church (al-Rooh al-Qudos) in the Akha' quarters in Mosul. The explosion caused injury to a women who is the sister of Fr. Ragheed, the church priest. She was taken to hospital. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1162

June 23, 2004 (Basra) Two Assyrian sisters, Janet and Shatha Sadah Odisho (Audishow), aged 38 and 25, were shot dead in a car while returning home from work in Basra. The two sisters worked for Bechtel, a U.S. company. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5492570 http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040623/ts_nm/iraq_daughters_dc_2, http://www.ado-world.org/en/iraq.php?id=173<=ar

June 20, 2004 (Mosul) Raymond Farouq Shimun (a 22 years old and son of Farouq and Juliet) was slain by the forces of evil in Mosul. His head was partially cut and his hands and legs were smashed. There was signs or effects of knife on his body, which suggest that he was terrified and suffered before he died. His body was thrown in a cemetery (a valley outside the city), after he was kidnapped on June 17 (about 8:30 pm by five armed men not far from his home).

June 16, 2004 (Sulaymaniya) Edmond Anwar (Sulaymaniya) Lost a lot of money and merchandize when his alcohol and cigarette shop was robbed. http://www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1091

June 11, 2004: The Assyrian Democratic Movement reports that on the morning of 6/72004, four masked terrorists entered the Assyrian Christian district of Dora (Baghdad) in a civilian sedan and opened fire on locals on their way to work. Several Iraqi Assyrians were seriously wounded and four were killed. The names of the victims are: Isho' (Jesus) Nissan Markus, Ramziya Enwiya Youkhanna, Duraid Sabri Hanna, Hisham Umar. This terrible crime was repeated at approximately 5 p.m. as more civilians were, at this time, returning from work, mostly with the CPA. Three women, Alice Aramayis, Ayda Petros Bakus, Muna Jalal Karim, were shot and killed along with the driver.

June 7, 2004: Four Assyrians murdered in a drive by shooting in Baghdad

March 22, 2004: Zinda Magazine reoports that Assyrian Elderly couple, Ameejon Barama and his wife Jewded were brutally murdered in their own home by Militants in the town of Dora, near Baghdad, Iraq. The husband's throat was slashed and the wife was struck repeatedly to the head.

February 22, 2004: The Associated Press reports that Gunmen firing from a car attacked an office of the Assyrian Democratic Party in Mosul, injuring one security guard, according to party member Napoleon Fatou.

January 31, 2004: Mosul, north Iraq. At approximately 10 a.m. a car exploded in front of the Assyrian Patriotic Party office in the city of Mosul. The explosion caused substantial damage to the building and nearby cars. Four APP members, Awdesho Gorgis, Adnan Isaac, Georg marzina, and Alexander Mirza were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. The APP is an Assyrian Christian non-militant group established in 1973 to secure a free, safe and prosperous future for the native Assyrian Christians of Iraq.

January 25, 2004: Bahra Newspaper reports that Dr. Sarmad Samee was shot in Basra.

January 24, 2004: The attempted assassination of the mayor of the Telkeppeh district (north Iraq), which includes several chaldoassyrian villages. Mayor Wathah Gorgis was in his car returning from Mosul after meeting with the governor of Nineveh when his car was meet with sprays of bullets near the dentistry college of Mosul. The district Mayor lives in the village of Telkeppeh which has had its christian population drop from 98% to 50% with 4 mosques built in and a fifth underway.

January 24, 2004: Pamel Constable, Washington Post: Gunmen chased a van full of Christian women going to work in Baghdad. Four women were killed; Serkis and four other women were wounded. In recent weeks, Iraqi insurgents have increasingly shifted the focus of their attacks from American troops to Iraqis cooperating with the occupying force. While seeking medical attention,the medical staff, after learning who they are, rejected them "they refused to continue treating us and told us to go to the Jordanian hospital," located in the capital. A crowd of people in the streets were "very happy about what had happened. They said it was jihad, and they knew that only Christian people worked in the American bases."

January 22, 2004: Sarmad Bazou defended an Iraqi mulsem translator in an argument between the translator and local Basra shiites. The local group responded that this is argument is not for him, a Christian, to be involved and shot him on site.

January 19, 2004: Abid Slewa was shot in the head as he unlocked the front door of his liquor store. Bashir Elias, caught selling alcohol from the back of his car, was shot to death Christmas Eve on a street crowded with cheering onlookers.

December 24, 2003: (Reuters) - Bashir Toma Elias was killed by a single shot to the head in the middle of Basra's bazaar on Christmas Eve as he prepared to head home to celebrate with his wife and five children.

November 20, 2003: Bombs have been discovered and leaflets found demanding that Christian students become Muslims or face death at schools in Baghdad and Mosul (northern Iraq) (ASSIST News Service)

November 18, 2003: Sargon Nano, the Assyrian Democratic Movement representative in Basra, was killed in Basra on Tuesday 18 November.

November 04, 2003: An Assyrian Judge, Ismail Yussef Saddek was gunned down at about 7:30 p.m. in front of his house. The judge was a member of the commission probing allegations against former Saddam regime officials.

October 07, 2003: Chrsitian owners and operators of a liquor store in Mosul were shot at, kiiling Mr. Safa Sabah Khoshi and critically injuring Meyaser Karim Khoshi.

10-20-2003: Zinda Magazine reports that a rocket-propelled grenade hit the office of the Assyrian Democratic Movement in Kirkuk on Sunday. Jevan Jerges, 29 was injured in the attack.

April 10, 2003: Human Rights Without Frontiers International reports that on the first day after the liberation, Hazim Petrus Damman, an Assyrian Christian chemical engineer for the Kirkuk oil company was shot while returning to his home by what was reported to be Peshmarga militias. After being shot, he was dragged and left on the street to die.

07-19-2003: A 16 year old girl, Hilda Zuhair Istifan, was kidnapped in front of her home in the Muthana district of Mosul. The kidnapping was conducted by Muhamad Thiya Al-din Jasim, a cousin of Saddam Hussain, and the son of high ranking army official in Saddam's army. Muhamad's unlce was the director of Saddam terrorist army group, Fida'yeen Saddam.

Additional crimes against Assyrians:

The Vatican reported that the Syriac Antiochan bishopric building in Mosul was fired upon by machine gun fire by Islamic fundamentalists.

Azzaman Newspaper: Grenades were booby trapped/planted in several Christian schools run by the Chaldean Church. The Syriac Antiochan monk, Nazar Sam'an stated that 'native' groups were responsible for the spraying of machine gun fire on the Antiochan center in Mosul. The Iraqi police was able to disengage the bombs in the Mosul Catholic school which was made up of several grenades clusters capable of murdering many of the elementary school children.

Azzaman Newspaper: The Catholic school in Mosul was closed for 10 days for security purposes after the attempted bombing disrupting the education of several hundred students.