ASIA/IRAQ - Christian houses looted also by the Kurdish Peshmerga militias

Tel Isqof (Agenzia Fides) - Christians in Tel Isqof, a village in the Nineveh plains 15 kilometers from Tilkaif denounce the looting in their homes carried out by the Kurdish Peshmerga militia, who have been controlling the area since 17th August. The news about the looting perpetrated by the militias engaged in the fight against jihadists of the Islamic State are reported on the Arabic site www.ankawa.com.
The city of Tel Isqof was occupied on August 7 by jihadist militias who already in June had conquered Mosul. Faced with the advancing of jihadists, the civilian population, mainly Christians, had fled to the autonomous Region of Iraqi Kurdistan, leaving the city deserted. Ten days later, with a counter-offensive the Kurdish Peshmerga had regained control of the city. But it is precisely since then that residents periodically return to the city to check the status of their homes, and acknowledge that the doors of a growing number of homes and businesses have been forced and property looted: money and jewelery, technical equipment and electronic instruments. Access to the city is controlled by teams of intelligence related to the autonomous government of Iraqi Kurdistan, and the residents have to show identity documents if they want to enter their homes and collect their goods.
On Sunday, November 9, as reported by Fides (see Fides 11/11/2014), the Chaldean Church of Tel Isqof dedicated to St. George was re-opened for the celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2014)