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     Ankawa, North Iraq – AINA — An Assyrian church security guard was severely beaten on Sunday, April 26 by four people claiming to be Kurds. While guarding the St. Joseph Church and the parishioners during Sunday morning mass, the guard observed a Land Cruiser with three occupants circling the …

     Toronto, Canada – ado — After a long battle with illness, on the evening of Monday April 27, 2009, the Assyrian historian Dr. Hirmis Aboona passed away at the age of 69, in the city of Toronto, Canada. Hirmis Aboona is the author of several books on the ancient …

By Rudi Stettner Baghdad – Rantrave. — Among the side effects of the war in Iraq is the deteriorating safety condition of the Christians in that country. The overthrow of Sadaam Husein unfortunately created a power vacuum has been filled by Muslims whose interpretation of Islam is dangerous to both …

By Ayse Gunaysu ISTANBUL, Turkey – Hairenik — On April 24, the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Organization of Turkey organized an event in Istanbul commemorating the Armenian Genocide. The commemoration was held in what was formerly the “tobacco warehouse,” now renovated and being used for exhibitions, events and …

By Mustafa Mahmoud BAGHDAD – Reuters — Christians in Kirkuk were urged to stand firm by the city’s Chaldean archbishop Monday after three members of the religious minority were gunned down in their homes. Louis Sako told mourners at a cathedral in the ethnically mixed city that the attacks Sunday …

By Michelle A. Vu BAGHDAD – Christian Post — Four Iraqi Christians were murdered within two days by unknown assailants, according to a Christian persecution watchdog group. Shabah Aziz Suliman was reportedly killed in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Apr. 1, and Nimrud Khuder Moshi, Glawiz Nissan and …

     Kirkuk, Irak – AFP — Gunmen killed two Christians, including a woman, after breaking into their homes in the northern Iraqi oil city of Kirkuk on Sunday, police said. They shot dead Yussef Shaba, an employee of Iraq’s Northern Oil Company, and wounded his two sons, Bassel and Samer, …

     ANKARA – Hurriyet — Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan has intervened in a land dispute over an ancient Syriac monastery in the southeastern city of Mardin, instructing his ministers to resolve the problem through a peaceful settlement. Erdogan steps into monastery dispute “Our prime minister is closely following the …

     Armenia – PanARMENIAN — Pro-Kurdish Party Leader Ahmet Türk apologized to Armenians and Assyrians for 1915 tragic events, Dogan News Agency reports. “Kurds probably contributed to empire’s cultural wealth annihilation. We feel ashamed when looking at our Armenian and Assyrian brothers,” Mr. Türk stressed, adding that Kurds are always …

Editing by Michael Christie and Matthew Jones MOSUL – Reuters — Tensions between Kurds and Sunni Arabs are rising in Iraq’s volatile northern city of Mosul and the surrounding province following local elections in January which saw Sunni representation jump dramatically. Kurdish-led provincial council members and Kurdish-run towns have vowed …