News
On Sunday 19 June a suicide bomber attacked an Assyrian genocide commemoration event in the al-Wusta district of Qamishli, Syria, in which Patriarch Aphrem II Karim of the Syriac Orthodox Church was presiding. The attacker was prevented from entering the venue of the event, but detonated his bomb, killing himself and three members of the security forces and wounding five
Speaking from Trondheim, Norway, where the World Council of Churches' Executive Committee is currently meeting, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit underlined the concern of the churches worldwide in reaction to this event. “We are shocked by the news of this attack, apparently targeting the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the church’s own homeland. It was an action of terror and violence to Christian communities.I condemn the ideology and intentions behind this attack, and call for prayer and support for the members and leaders of all religious minority communities in the region who are increasingly threatened and attacked.”
Tveit added “While we thank God that Patriarch Aphrem was not harmed in this attack, our thoughts and prayers are especially for the families of those who lost their lives while protecting others from harm, and for the healing and recovery and healing of those who were wounded.”
Reflecting on the context in which this attack took place, Tveit called again for “international solidarity and coherent collective action to bring an end to the conflict in Syria, and protection for the religious minorities throughout the region who are particularly targeted for violence and oppression.”
The WCC joins the Christian Council of Asia (CCA) in appealing to its member churches and councils to pray especially for peace in Syria and in other countries in the Middle East.
