News update about the situation in and around Mosul

Our partner organisation in Nohadra (Dohuk) tells us that the Syriac Catholic Diocese was burned with all its contents. Before that, many statues of Christ and Virgin Mary were destroyed. ISIS has now ordered the destruction of all the Churches and other non-Sunnimuslim sites. The last remaining Christian families fled Mosul last week end according to the deadline of July 19th at midnight given to them by ISIS who issued an ultimatum: convert to Islam, leave or die!

Many families who have sought refuge at our partners’ office in Nohadra (Dohuk) testified that Da’esh (ISIS) seized their houses, furniture, cash money, gold, mobiles phones, cars, etc. thus forcing them to walk from Mosul to Nohadra by foot (a distance of approximately 60 to 70 kilometres).

Our partners estimate that 180 families left Mosul this week end, a vast majority of whom are Assyrians, all denominations and Churches included. We list the number of refugee families that have fled Mosul and Baghdeda (Qaraqosh) since June 11th at the bottom of this article. The total number of refugee families sums to more than 2600 families.

Most of these families are in distress and severe need of basic life necessities such as food, clothes, and water but, our partners tell us that their most acute need concerns housing, especially for those who are living in schools, civil society buildings, with relatives or at our partners’ dorms as these solutions are only temporary. Assyrians Without Borders is currently working on different ways of helping the Assyrian refugees with all their needs.

Furthermore, our partners inform us that the two nuns that were reported kidnapped earlier have been released and that they are currently in the Chaldean Church in Nohadra (Duhok). They also confirm that Christians’ houses are marked with the letter “N” (for Nazareth) which indicates that Christians live there.

To this day, our partners cannot confirm that Assyrians or Christians have been killed. They on the other hand report cases of looting and forcing Christians to pay a tax as well as the repression mentioned above. The repression that the Assyrians have suffered during these past 6 weeks is a crime against humanity. Assyrians are the indigenous people of Iraq and should be protected as such by the Iraqi government, the Kurdish regional government and the international community, not least the USA and UN who bear a responsibility in the area.

Our partners, Assyrian Aid Society Iraq continue their important work and have supported the refugees with life necessities and housing since the first day of the crisis. Assyrians Without Borders works constantly with their partners to insure the best possible help to Assyrians in distress! The need is still great and urgent, Assyrians need you!

To donate from Sweden make a deposit to Plusgiro 90 01 21-5 or Bankgiro 900-1215. You can also send a text message to 72970 and write:

– aug akut50 ( to donate 50kr)

– aug akut100 ( to donate 100kr)

– aug akut200 ( to donate 200kr)

To donate from countries other than Sweden, make a deposit to:

Nordea Bank AB, SE -105 71 Stockholm, BIC address NDEASESS, IBAN SE65 9500 0099 6018 0900 1215 and write ”Mosul” in the message field.

For more updates keep on checking our website: awbswe.se and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/awbswe

Number of refugee families that have fled Mosul and Baghdeda (Qaraqosh) since June 11th, most of whom are Assyrians, all denominations and church belongings included:

to Erbil/Ankawa: 150

to Telkief: 900

to Aqra: 177

to Ba’ashiqa: 250

to Batneye: 120

to Tellisqof: 220

to Ein Sifni: 70

to Alqosh: 100

to Zakho: 180

to Bartella: 170

to Duhok city: 350

to Sapna : 300

Skribent: Assyrians Without Borders