Sunni/Shi'ite battle intensifies, Christians flee to safer ground

Canon Andrew Wright refuses to leave Iraq,
 despite escalating violence
. (Story image courtesy Voice of the Martyrs Canada.
 Cover image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Iraq (MNN) ― Rising sectarian violence is putting Iraq on the path of civil war.

Battle lines have deepened since April, as Sunni Islamist militants kill increasing numbers of civilians to invoke "revenge" on the Shi'ite government. Since 2013 began, nearly 5,000 people have lost their lives in sectarian violence.

"The mujahideen [holy warriors] will not stand with their hands tied while the despicable project of Iran shows its ugly face in Iraq and the Levant," the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) stated on a militant Internet forum.

The al Qaeda branches of Iraq and Syria merged in August to form this new group, which quickly rose up as the main opposition fighting President Basheer al-Assad's reign in Syria. An analyst at the Center for International and Strategic Studies, Jon Alterman, recently told TIME Magazine that Syria's civil war is playing a "huge part" in Iraq's tension.

"You're having jihadis from all over the world traveling to Syria, being considered surplus and being sent to carry out suicide attacks in Iraq," said Alterman.

Statements made by U.S. officials seem to confirm this reality.

"Over the last two years, we've had an average of about 5 to 10 suicide bombers a month in 2011 and 2012," a senior U.S. official said at an August press briefing. "We've seen over the last 90 days the suicide bomber numbers approach around 30 a month, and we still suspect most of those are coming in from Syria.... What that shows is a fairly sophisticated al-Qaeda network."

Voice of the Martyrs Canada works alongside St. George's Church in Baghdad, supporting a variety of their projects: feeding programs, medical and dental clinics, etc. Spokesman Greg Musselman says their ministry partner, Canon Andrew Wright, told him the last few weeks have been especially terrible.

"'There are no longer 'rumors of war:' war is here,'" Musselman says Wright told him.

While the overall violence gripping Iraq is primarily between Shi'ite and Sunni followers of Islam, Musselman says Christians fall victim, too.

"It's definitely having a devastating effect on the Church because of everything that's happening with the rise up of militant Islam," he states. "The Church has been so decimated and it's become so small.

"Before the First World War, about 20% of the population in the Middle East was Christian. Now, it's anywhere between 2 and 4%--and shrinking."

In a recent interview, Musselman says Wright revealed a "shocking" statistic.

"More than 1,200 people in his church have been killed since 2003," says Musselman.

Click here to read a recent letter to Voice of the Martyrs Canada from Reverend Wright.

Born in England, Wright leads the only Anglican Church in Baghdad. Musselman says Wright has dedicated his life to the people of Iraq, and often tells them in times of turmoil, "I'm not going to leave you. Don't leave me!"

"But now he's hearing from many of them, including those very close to him: 'You know what, it's just too dangerous. We need to get out of here,'" explains Musselman.

"I confess that such statements drove me to tears," Wright penned in a letter to Musselman.

"Then I remembered that He who has called me to this place will never fail me. As He remained with Daniel, so He will remain with me."

The rise of radical Islam in Iraq and the perseverance of Christ-followers like Wright reveal a conundrum.

"If all the Christians leave Iraq…where will the Light be?" asks Musselman.

"A million Christians have left the country, and that's decimating what already was a fairly small Church.... But even in the midst of all that, there are still those that are willing to stay and be the Light, and even start house churches…because they really believe that God wants them there."

Want to know the best way to help them? It's easy. Pray.

"There are a number of things I think that we can pray for, but the number one thing is that fear would not overtake our brothers and sisters in Christ," says Musselman.

To provide tangible support, click here to send resources and other forms of encouragement to persecuted believers in Iraq through Voice of the Martyrs Canada.

"Just remember, these are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We're not physically with them, but spiritually we are," says Musselman. "We're in this together. Pray! And as the Lord maybe tells some of us to go or to do something practical, we need to do that."

Christians believe they will die in Syria

Syria (MNN) ― Syrian rebels have taken a military base in central Homs as the group continues to expand its grip on the region. The violence continues to claim lives in Syria, and Syrians are caught. Christians are doing everything they can to help the refugees who have left Syria, as well as those still inside.

E3 Partners is involved in helping in both circumstances. E3 vice president and Middle East expert says the Gospel is having an impact. "The Syrian refugees who are predominately Sunni Muslims have softened toward believers in the region who are reaching out to them."

Muslims have been fighting Muslims, Doyle explains. "There's danger all around them, and the only group that they're trusting are the Christians because they don't want anything from them. They're just serving them and reaching out. We've seen a significant number come to faith in Christ."

This kind of outreach is risky, especially inside Syria. Doyle says one of their partners, Ahman*, could be in trouble. "We have not been able to hear from him or his family for five weeks now--over a month! What we're praying is that he's just gone underground to stay out of the radar of those that might want to kidnap him or even want to kill him."

Doyle says more than nominal Muslims are meeting Jesus. "There are breakthroughs. We know of even religious Sunni Muslims who have embraced Jesus during this difficult time. There are some underground church things going on."

While good things are happening, Christians are prepared for the worst. Doyle tells us what one Christian said to him: "We fully expect to die. We believe that's what is coming: that we'll be martyred. But we're not leaving. God has placed us here, our people need us, the Gospel is moving through during this wicked time, and we're not going."

Bombings kill at least 72; are Christians next?

Iraq (MNN) ― At least 72 people were killed and dozens more injured yesterday when a series of bombs went off in and around Baghdad.

The attacks were reportedly aimed at Shiites, two bombs detonating in Shiite neighborhoods and another among a group of Shiite pilgrims headed to Karbala for a holy festival.

The bombings came exactly two weeks after the December 22 car bombings, which left at least 63 bodies behind.

Carl Moeller with Open Doors USA says the upswing in violence is unfortunately related to the United States' withdrawal of troops in Iraq.

"One of the great realities of our involvement in Iraq is that as we leave, the elements of extremism on both the Sunni and the Shia side are becoming more and more violent."

And it's not just Muslims who are affected. Although the recent violence has been Muslims targeting Muslims, Moeller says Christians are swept up in the crossfire.

"Today, the Iraqi Christian population has been literally devastated by violence such as this," notes Moeller. "Christians are being forced from their homes, they're forced to flee the country, they're killed."

Even in attacks where believers are not targeted directly, the increase in violence is an indication of worse things to come, "as these extremist elements become more and more uncontrolled," says Moeller.

As it is, Iraq placed ninth worldwide on the Open Doors 2012 World Watch List for the persecuted church. The ranking is one place lower than it was in 2011, but only because persecution in other nations has heated up dramatically. Moeller says in fact, persecution in Iraq has gotten worse over the last year.

The result of the American-Iraqi war's end could have fatal effects for Muslims and Christians alike in 2012. "After years and years of fighting in that country...Christians have fewer rights. Christians are more persecuted."

Amazingly, however, among the few Christians left in Iraq, the Gospel is still moving.

"The persecution of Christians is actually providing a validating witness to the truth of the Gospel," says Moeller. "The fact that Christians are holding on to their faith despite all of the violence perpetrated against them is actually a witness to Muslims who are looking at that and wondering, ‘What on earth could possibly be so compelling and true to keep these Christians believing in it?'"

Pray for Iraq as it enters this increasingly hostile period. Pray for believers to reach out to their neighbors with the truth and to be protected in doing so.

To get directly involved, visit opendoorsusa.org, where you can advocate on behalf of Iraqi Christians, or support Christian leaders in the country.