The Iman Foundation
PROMOTING DIALOGUE • CHALLENGING EXTREMISM • BRINGING CHANGE

IMAN Chairman agrees with Pope Francis over violence in Iraq

Sunday, 10 August 2014

Pope Francis Voices Outrage, 'Disbelief' Over Iraq Violence

NBC NEWS

Pope Francis has expressed outrage at the violence aimed at religious minorities in Iraq, where fleeing children have died of thirst, and said his emissary to the region would leave Monday. In a strongly worded message during his traditional Sunday blessing, Francis said the news from Iraq "leaves us in disbelief." He cited "the thousands of people, including Christians, who have been brutally forced from their homes, children who have died from thirst during the escape and women who have been seized."

The pope urged the international community to find a political solution "to stop these crimes." Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the Vatican's ambassador in Baghdad during the Iraqi war, will travel to Iraq to show solidarity with Christians, among those targeted by Islamic State militants for elimination.

Responding to the news, Ribal Al-Assad, Chairman of the IMAN Foundation said:

"I wholeheartedly agree with Pope Francis on this issue, he could not have said it better when he describes his 'disbelief' at what is happening in Iraq.

I echo Pope Francis call for an urgent diplomatic solution to the conflict led by the international community, the moderate parties must come forward and resolve a way to confront the growing threat of extremism.

So much more needs to be done to confront the threat of extremism, every day more and more people are dying. How many more have to die before appropriate action is taken?"

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