approaches 700, one of the Islamic rebel groups "currently terrorizing" Falluja has urged United Nations to stop the America siege of the town or the group will attack and kill local Iraqi Christians, a human rights group has learned.
Barnabas Fund said in a statement monitored by BosNewsLife on Tuesday April 20 that the threats came from ‘Saraya wal Mujahideen’ (Brigades and Mujahideen) in the form of a fax to Dubai-based Arab television channel Al Arabiya.
They have "threatened to destroy churches, assassinate or kidnap priests, and target local Christians," it said. The threats to local Christians come amid the seizure of foreign nationals. Seven South Korean Christian missionaries were kidnapped on 8 April, but have since been released.
HOSTAGES
In recent weeks, some 40 hostages from 12 countries have been seized in Iraq, many if them are still being held, while at least one Italian hostage has been killed by those holding him.
The latest threat could not come at a worse time for the U.S. as it and Iraq’s multinational peacekeeping force scramble regroup Monday after Spain’s announcement that it would pull out its 1,300 troops.
Albania, which is seeking NATO membership, has pledged to send more soldiers and increase its symbolic force of 71 in Mosul, the ANS Central Europe Bureau in Budapest monitored. But American officials are bracing for further withdrawals, The Associated Press news agency reported.
