I was privileged to travel to Erbil, Iraq March 23-30. Two Iraqi
pastors I had met in Seoul, through our common connections with the Onnuri Community
Church, and the International Alliance Church [don't miss this and the many other links to photos or videos] hosted me. Through their gracious
hospitality I met refugees, worshiped and met with various church members,
toured the devastated Christian town of Qaraqosh just south of Mosul, toured
one of the areas’ huge refugee camps, and enjoyed Erbil. Here are just a few of
my observations and reflections:
Encouraging Christian
Witness and Service. It was in the summer of 2014 that ISIS forces swept
into Mosul, then further southward through Qaraqosh and other areas. Christians
could either leave (on very short notice), be killed, or convert to ISIS-styled
Islam. Most fled, and many flooded into Erbil and specifically its Christian sector, Ankawa. The predominantly Catholic and other churches were overwhelmed
with the flood of displaced people in desperate need of help. God’s grace has
enabled churches to give emergency and continuing help. For its part, the
International Alliance Church continues to help refugees with housing and other
needs, including through the work of individual church members in various
organizations, including the U.N., Red Cross/Crescent, and Samaritan’s Purse.
Destruction and
Displacement. The Christian town of Qaraqosh is in ruins. Churches were
desecrated. It is now empty except for the Iraqi military and a very few
residents who have returned. I took some short videos (with embedded links) to
help show some of the destruction, including how ISIS desecrated churches and burned out all the houses. Refugee camps abound all around Mosul. Refugees in
Erbil that I met were from Syria, Baghdad, and mostly Mosul and Qaraqosh. Their
lives are in limbo, unsure of possible relocation internationally or eventual
return to destroyed or severely damaged neighborhoods.
Messy Military
Context. Last fall’s Iraqi military ouster of ISIS from Qaraqosh was tough
enough. But unlike the current situation in western Mosul, there were no
citizens present that ISIS could use as shields, or otherwise had to be protected
as much as possible. Moreover, ISIS militants are from around the world, many
have previous military training and experience, and the weapons at ISIS’s
disposal are sophisticated and lethal. ISIS’s media for ongoing recruiting is
slick and sophisticated. The urban jungle in western Mosul where fighting ragesis nightmarish.
History. Present-day
northern Iraq is where well-known ancient empires – Assyria in particular –
held sway. More recent Western colonial presence has left current national borders,
some of which ISIS seeks to obliterate. Kurdish people have significant
presence in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran, comprising a greater Kurdistan
without “official” national recognition. Erbil is the capital of Iraqi
Kuridistan, an autonomous area in Iraq with Kurdish government and military.
Maps (ISIS 2015-6, March 27 controlled areas) help in sorting out the current complex situation coming out of a long and
complex historical background.
I encourage you to pray and not hastily to form simplistic conclusions about what is transpiring.
