Source: SIR 11.44
“The bombers wanted to attack a symbol, the symbol of the Christian and Catholic presence in Mosul and in the whole Iraq. Fear is rising again and Christians are fleeing the country”, said Father Emil Shimoun Nona, new-elected archbishop of Mosul, interviewed by the SIR on the attack that has completely destroyed the church of St. Efrem in the centre of the city early this morning. “All was completely destroyed but luckily there were no victims”, explained Mgr. Nona. “The parish priest survived as he was not at home. The police have started investigations to identify the culprits. It is difficult to understand how this could have happened since worship places are constantly patrolled by police. From a first investigation, it seems the explosion was not caused by a car bomb but by a bomb placed inside the church. However, we need to wait for more precise information”. “The bomber’s target was a parish in the centre of the city, a poor area in which many Christian families still live. These are the same families who were not able to flee the country because of the violence”, explained the new-elected archbishop. “Now fear is rising again and there will certainly be another Christian exodus. Both the walls and the stones of the church were completely destroyed. Now we need to rebuild it for the people who are afraid and are losing trust and hope. We need prayers, help, and material and moral support”.