For Immediate Release Assyrian National Council of Australia
- Hermiz Shahen
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Cowardly Terror Attack on Assyrians in Northern Iraq Must Be Condemned: A Call for Protection and Recognition
On April 1st, 2025, while Assyrians in the diaspora gathered in peace and pride to celebrate the Assyrian New Year (Akitu) across the globe, a horrific act of terror unfolded in our ancestral homeland. In the city of Dohuk (Nohadra), in Northern Iraq, a Syrian terrorist launched a brutal, targeted attack on innocent Assyrians during a peaceful New Year parade, injuring two people — a 17-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman.
Armed with an axe, the attacker shouted extremist Islamic slogans, claiming allegiance to the so-called Islamic State as he violently struck his victims. This cowardly act of terrorism was not just an assault on innocent civilians — it was a direct attack on the Assyrian identity, our heritage, and our right to live and celebrate freely in our homeland.
Alarmingly, the attack happened under the watchful eyes of Kurdish security forces, multiple firsthand accounts indicate that the police stood by passively, offering no assistance even as victims lay injured and bleeding. It was only after brave Assyrian youth intervened—risking their own lives to stop the attacker—that the Kurdish authorities finally acted. This failure to protect our people and their delayed response, are both disgraceful and inexcusable.
What is deeply troubling is the ongoing failure of the Kurdish authorities to provide adequate protection for the Assyrian people, despite knowing that this annual event draws thousands of participants. The Kurdish Regional Government’s lack of action raises serious concerns about its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of its indigenous Assyrian population.
This is not an isolated incident. It is yet another chapter in the ongoing marginalization, displacement, and systemic persecution of Assyrians in their own land. As our communities continue to endure hate speech, physical threats, and cultural erasure, the silence of the international community grows ever more deafening.
We call on the Australian Government, and in particular the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), to:
Condemn this terrorist attack and demand accountability from the authorities in Northern Iraq.
Recognize the systemic vulnerabilities of Assyrians in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.
Appoint qualified Assyrians to posts within Australian consulates in Erbil and embassies in Baghdad, ensuring Assyrian representation in foreign diplomatic missions.
Support minority hiring quotas within regional Iraqi security forces to protect Assyrian civilians, especially during large cultural or religious events.
Assyrians are among the most educated minorities in Iraq and in the diaspora. Our youth hold advanced degrees, are multilingual, and are committed to civic peace. It is time that our capabilities are reflected in representation and power.
We also urge Assyrian political organizations in Iraq and abroad to elevate this incident at the highest international levels—including the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, and the European Parliament—and push for protections, representation, and justice.
The Assyrian people will not be intimidated. We will not be erased. We will continue to march, to speak, and to celebrate our existence as we have done for thousands of years—in spite of terror, oppression, and neglect.
Hermiz ShahenPresidentAssyrian National Council – Australia
Email: info@ancau.org
References:
A man wielding an axe wounds 3 people at the Assyrian Christian new year's parade in Iraq. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/kurdish-syria-kurds-islamic-state-islamic-b2725702.html
UNAMI Strongly Condemns Attack on Assyrian Christians in Duhok [EN/AR/KU]
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