Iraq: Welcomes Iranian militia
12 Jan 2012Since the withdrawal of troops from Iraq a series of deadly attacks have threatened the political stability of the nation. The government’s strategy is to make peace with as many insurgent groups as possible – including Asaib Ahl al-Haq an Iranian-backed militia. The government welcomed Asaib Ahl al-Haq into its political system and experts say this could ‘tilt the nation’s centre of gravity closer to Iran.’ Asaib Ahl al-Haq operated in Iraq during the nine-year war bombing military convoys and bases, assassinating dozens of Iraqi officials, and tried to carry out kidnappings even as the last NATO forces were leaving the region. Many believe welcoming Asaib Ahl al-Haq (which has an almost nonexistent track record of peace) could backfire and hand Tehran greater influence. Please pray for the leadership void in Iraq to be filled with men and women who will govern with integrity, in humility and the fear of the Lord.
Pray: for Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki to have wisdom in all his leadership decisions and for Christians to be used by God in stabilising the nation. (Pr.1:7&Jos.1:7)
More: http://win1040.com/blog/2012/01/09/iraq-welcomes-iranian-malitia/
Iraq: Wave of bomb attacks 'kills 84'
18 Jun 2012A wave of bombings across Iraq including 10 locations in Baghdad has killed 83 people and wounded nearly 300, Iraqi police say. Many of the dead in the Iraqi capital were Shia pilgrims gathering for a religious festival. In Hilla, two car bombs exploded near a restaurant, killing at least 21 people. There has been a wave of attacks on the Shia community in recent days, as it marks the anniversary of the death of Shia Imam Moussa al-Kadhim. Three bombs exploded in Kirkuk, with one of them targetting the headquarters of Kurdish President Massoud Barzani. There are also reports of bombs in Mosul, Balad, and Karbala. Violence in Iraq has fallen since the sectarian killings of a few years ago, but militants still frequently attack security forces and civilians. Wednesday has been one of the deadliest days of violence since the foreign troops withdrew from Iraq last December.
Pray: that the violence across Iraq would cease and that Sunni, Shia and Kurdish communities would seek peace. (Gen.6:11-12)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18420488
Iraq: Shia Sunni conflict
29 Aug 2013On Wednesday a series of co-ordinated bombings during the rush hour in mainly Shia neighbourhoods of Baghdad killed more than 50 people and wounded dozens more. Violence has increased in recent months amid heightened tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims. More than 4,000 civilians have been killed and 10,000 more have been wounded so far this year, with Baghdad province worst hit. In July 1,057 civilians were killed - making it the deadliest month in Iraq for years. The authorities have stepped up security operations in Baghdad but they seem unable to stop the growing intensity of violence now back to a level not seen for five years. No group has admitted carrying out the bombings, but many believe they have been carried out by Sunni militants. Correspondents say deep-rooted sectarian tensions have been aggravated by the civil war in neighbouring Syria.
Pray: the international response to Syria’s crisis in the coming days will not fuel further Sunni Shia hostility in Iraq. Pray for their hostilities to tbe harnessed. (Gen.16:12)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23861541
Iraq: Refugees regret returning
23 Oct 2010
‘Most refugees who have returned to Iraq have since regretted their move after finding that they faced persistent threats to their security’ a UN refugee agency said on Tuesday. The survey found 34% said they were uncertain whether they would stay permanently in Iraq and would consider seeking asylum in neighbouring countries once again if conditions do not improve. Returnees highlighted instances of ‘explosions, harassment, military operations and kidnapping’ as evidence of the insecurity. But many also said they had been forced to return to Iraq because they could no longer afford the high cost of living in asylum countries. More than three-quarters of returnees did not go back to their original place of residence but sought shelter with their relatives, friends or rented other accommodation. Pray: that Christians in Iraq have opportunities to come alongside those searching for security and hope. (Jer.31:17)
Iraq: More car bombs
22 Feb 2011Three car bombs exploded in quick succession killing at least six people and wounded 75 in Iraq’s oil-rich northern city of Kirkuk on Wednesday. Explosions were aimed at police and Kurdish security forces in the latest of a series of attacks by insurgents as U.S. troops prepare to withdraw by the end of this year. The area is on high alert. Kirkuk is a disputed city even though Iraq’s violence has declined since 2006-07. Kirkuk sits on rich oil reserves and is one of the disputed territories at the centre of tensions between the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq’s central government; bombings still occur daily by Sunni insurgents and Shiite militia. Iraq has been experiencing an exodus of Christians following attacks. A Kirkuk resident said, ‘How long will this unstable situation last. We call on the state to take tough security measures against such incidents happening again.The victims are poor people.’
Pray: for God’s protection over His people, and for wisdom, and perseverance for the security forces supporting US troop’s withdrawal. (Ps.9:16)
More: http://www.torontosun.com/news/world/2011/02/09/17206356.html
Iraq: Many killed in suicide bombing
26 Jan 2011
A suicide bomber rammed an ambulance packed with explosives into a security headquarters in central Iraq, killing 13 people. Firaz al-Dulaimi, a hospital doctor, said a further 64 people were wounded in the attack, which targeted an office of the Force Protection Service, the agency responsible for securing Iraq’s government buildings. The attack occurred at around 10:00 am on Wednesday in the middle of a restive ethnically-mixed city north of Baghdad called Baquba, and came a day after a suicide bomber killed 50 people at a police recruitment centre in the central city of Tikrit. Baquba is the capital of Diyala province, which was an Al-Qaeda stronghold as recently as 2008. While violence has dropped off dramatically both in Diyala and nationwide since then, the province remains one of Iraq's least secure. Pray: for reconciliation to be achieved in all the various areas of conflict; and for God’s people to be used in the spiritual and physical rebuilding of the country. (Jer.24:6)
Iraq: Government trying to protect churches
12 Jan 2011
Concrete walls up to 10 feet high are being built around churches in Baghdad and Mosul to protect Christmas churchgoers from violence, reports a Catholic News Agency. The barriers are the Iraqi government’s response to reports of increased threats to churches and other Christian communities ahead of Christmas. Normally celebrations would involve parties in church halls and parks. But after requests from church leaders activities in both Baghdad and Mosul are being scaled back to reduce the security threat. ‘The sadness of the people is everywhere. Uncertainty is everywhere. The question on everyone’s lips is What’s next?’ Archbishop Bashar Warda said. Pray: that Jesus Christ would bless, protect and enable the Christians of Iraq to draw into His presence with joy this Christmas. (Jos.1:9)
Iraq: Displaced children
16 Feb 2013Iraq is dangerous and difficult to live in - violence, poverty and insecurity have caused around two million people to flee abroad to other parts of the Middle East, and another 700,000 to move from their homes to other regions of Iraq. It is disorientating to leave your home as a child, not knowing where you are going, ending up in a new place with unfamiliar surroundings. Seeing your parents afraid and running away is a deeply unsettling experience. Displaced parents can’t find regular work - making it hard to provide the right food for their children. 9% of Iraqi children suffer from acute malnutrition. This can have a lifelong effect, as it stunts growth and damages their physical and mental development. Please pray for children to adjust to new homes easily and naturally. Pray for good facilities for refugees, with opportunities for work and the right support.
Pray: for children to have access to nutritious food, especially those who are suffering from malnutrition. (Is.65:22-23)
More: http://www.iraqprayer.org/children.htm