Islamist attacker injures two at Christian parade in Iraq Kurdistan

Islamist attacker injures two at Assyrian Christian parade in Iraq Kurdistan — Assyrians wearing traditional attire take part in the “Akitu” celebrations, marking the Assyrian New Year, in Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, on April 1, 2025. Photo: AFP

DUHOK,— Two people were wounded Tuesday when an assailant attacked an Assyrian Christian gathering in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, authorities said.

Security officials linked the suspect to the Islamic State extremist group.

The attack occurred in the city of Duhok, where a man wielding a cleaver rushed toward a crowd celebrating Akitu, the Assyrian New Year, according to security sources.

The Kurdistan regional government identified the suspect as a Syrian national influenced by extremist ideology tied to IS.

Witnesses reported that the attacker shouted Islamic slogans and the name of the militant group “Islamic State” before being subdued by bystanders. Kurdish security forces, known as Asayish, have launched an investigation into the incident.

An Islamist assailant is restrained by Assyrians after attacking two people with an axe during the Akitu celebrations, the Assyrian-Babylonian New Year, Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, April 1, 2025. Photo: Video/sm

Duhok’s medical authorities confirmed that a 65-year-old woman suffered a head injury but was in stable condition and did not require surgery. A 25-year-old man sustained a minor wound to his scalp.

“Our security forces quickly apprehended the suspect, and the investigation is ongoing,” Duhok Governor Ali Tatar said in a press conference.

The attack sparked condemnation from the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), a political organization representing the region’s Christian minority.

Ninab Yousif Toma, a senior ADM member, criticized authorities for failing to curb extremist ideology and urged both the Kurdistan and Iraqi federal governments to reassess educational programs that foster intolerance.

“This was a blatant act of terror,” Toma said. “Religious and ethnic extremism must be addressed at its roots.”

Despite the violence, Akitu celebrations continued. Participants carried an Assyrian flag stained with blood from the injured man, a symbol of resilience for Iraq’s dwindling Christian community.

The attacker was identified as Lu’ayy Abdul Rahim Ramadan, a Syrian national born in 2003, also known by the alias Abu Juhayman Baghdadi. Ramadan confessed to being a member of ISIS. He admitted that the attack during the Akitu festival in Duhok was carried out under orders from ISIS leadership, Iraqi Kurdistan, Paril 10, 2025. Photo: Iraqi Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC)

On Thursday, April 10, the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) released details about the terrorist attack that took place during the Akitu festival in Duhok on April 1, 2025.

According to the statement, security forces from the Duhok Security Directorate quickly responded and arrested the suspect at the scene. The attacker was identified as Lu’ayy Abdul Rahim Ramadan, a Syrian national born in 2003, also known by the alias Abu Juhayman Baghdadi.

After questioning, the KRSC stated that Ramadan confessed to being a member of ISIS. He admitted that the attack was carried out under orders from ISIS leadership.

Iraq’s Christian population has dropped from approximately 1.5 million before 2003 to around 400,000 today, largely due to waves of violence. The rise of IS in 2014 forced many to flee, particularly after the group seized Mosul and surrounding areas.

While Kurdistan remained relatively untouched by IS attacks, sleeper cells continue to operate across Iraq, particularly in remote regions.

A recent United Nations report indicated that counter-terrorism efforts have eliminated nearly half of IS’s senior leadership in Iraq, though the group remains a threat, particularly amid ongoing instability in Syria.

The Assyrians are an ancient indigenous people of Mesopotamia, with a history dating back more than 6,000 years. They built one of the world’s earliest civilizations, centered around cities such as Nineveh and Ashur.

Long before the Arab Muslim conquests of the 7th century reshaped Iraq, the Assyrians thrived in the region.

Iraq was not originally an Arab land; it was home to great Mesopotamian civilizations long before Arabization took hold.

Despite centuries of persecution, the Assyrians have preserved their unique language, culture, and Christian traditions, continuing to exist as a distinct people both in Iraq and in the global diaspora.

(With files from AFP | AP)