Five Family Members Gunned Down; Hundreds Fleeing Violence in City

Contact: Jerry Dykstra, Open Doors USA, 616-915-4117, jerryd@odusa.org  

SANTA ANA, Calif., Feb. 24 /Standard Newswire/ -- "It was a bloody day yesterday in Mosul," an Iraqi worker of Open Doors reported today.

"In one house all the family members were killed -- five people. First the attackers drove by and shot from their car. Then they forced themselves into the house and gunned down the entire family. They even threw two bodies outside the house as a cruel warning for others."

The Open Doors worker, who needs to stay anonymous for security reasons, added: "Two brothers and the father of an Assyrian Catholic priest were murdered in their house yesterday."

The priest, Mazin Ishoo, lived with his parents. The family had chosen to stay in Mosul. "They did this practically because they had nowhere else to go, but they also were determined to stay and serve the community," the worker said.

The Open Doors team also received word that more Christians were murdered.

"For years Christians have been targeted in Mosul and the surrounding area," said Open Doors USA President/CEO Carl Moeller. "It is one of the most violent areas in Iraq. The massacre of an entire family and the other murders is horrible. It is getting more violent there every day. Please pray today for our fellow believers there. Pray for comfort for those who have lost loved ones. And safety for those who can't leave Mosul and for those who are fleeing."

In the past week, 40 to 50 families, consisting of an average of five members per family, have left Mosul. Another team member of Open Doors said: "This morning two taxis arrived with families from Mosul. I think that since this weekend one or two families leave Mosul every day. However, we receive about 10 phone calls every day of people who say that they want to leave the city."

Although the Open Doors team has direct contact with Christians in Mosul, it is difficult to get reliable figures on how many Christians are living in Mosul today. It is estimated that less than 10 years ago well over 100,000 Christians lived in Mosul. Today estimations vary from 150-300 families living in the city.

The authorities do not have the power to put a stop to the deteriorating situation. An Iraqi team member said: "I had contact with a sister in Mosul and she said that last Sunday the governor of Mosul and the top leader of the police came to her family. Both of them told her that she should leave Mosul because they could not guarantee their safety and could not protect them from the killers."

The team member added: "Just 10 minutes ago I had phone contact with a Christian woman who I know from a youth group in Mosul some years ago. She told me that she is trying to find a way to leave Mosul and expects that all Christians will try to leave. And that Mosul will be empty of Christians soon."

Iraqi Christians do not know specific reasons why the violence against believers is so extreme in the last 10 days, except for political and religious motives. Elections are scheduled March 7 and the attackers hope to derive benefit from causing political instability.

An estimated 100 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with millions more facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world's most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. To partner with Open Doors USA, call toll free at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (888-524-2535) or go to our website at www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.

(For more information or to set up an interview, contact Jerry Dykstra at 616-915-4117 or email jerryd@odusa.org).