Horrific suicide attacks claim more lives in Iraq
Four bomb attacks in northern Iraq on 14 August have devastated two villages near the city of Mosul, leaving at least 250 dead and over 350 injured.
The attacks are some of the deadliest since the US-led invasion in 2003 and send a clear message that the north, once considered relatively safe compared to the endemic insecurity of the rest of the country, is also now a target for growing sectarian violence.
‘This tragic attack once again raises serious questions about the future of Iraq, where the poverty levels continue to deepen’, said Sarah Malian, Christian Aid’s communications officer for the Middle East. ‘The combination of violent sectarianism and ongoing conflict is ripping Iraq apart and shows no sign of abating.’
Over four million Iraqis are registered to receive food aid, and the UN estimates that around eight million Iraqis are in need of humanitarian assistance. Internal displacement caused by violence is also exacerbating divisions between Iraq’s people. Four million people have fled their homes since 2003, with half sheltering in Syria and Jordan.
Last year an estimated 35,000 civilians were killed in Iraq; on average 100 civilians a day were killed in early 2007. Minority groups such as Yazidis and Christians are particularly vulnerable.
The target for these latest bombing attacks was the Yazidi population, a religious minority which was persecuted under Saddam Hussein’s rule.
The director of one of the local organisations Christian Aid supports in the region has said the daily violence, chaos and disorder in Iraq is severely impeding their work: ‘Every day when I wake up I ask God to save our field staff from being targeted by [such] attacks.’
Christian Aid continues to support local partner organisations in Iraq, who are aiming to reach the poor and marginalised in their local communities. However, insecurity and violence makes such development work extremely difficult. Attacks like the ones in northern Iraq on14 August highlight the grave challenge of delivering any meaningful change to ordinary Iraqis.