ERBIL – The leader of the Syriac Orthodox Church Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II has argued that the poor security situation in Iraq has prevented the displaced Christians from returning to their places of origin.
The Patriarch made the comments during a press conference after his arrival in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, where be also urged both the federal and regional governments to provide further peaceful environment for the displaced minorities.
“The most important reason that prevents [displaced Christians] from returning to their areas is that they do not feel safe and secure,” the Patriarch said, as quoted by Kurdistan 24.
The Islamic State (IS) attacked Iraq in mid-2014 and overran a vast area in the country, resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands of Christians, many of whom found refuge in the Kurdistan Region.