Islamist Man Attacks People at Assyrian New Year Celebration in Iraq

An Islamist man attacked people with an axe during the Assyrian New Year celebration in Iraq.

Following an attack by an Islamist individual on the Assyrian New Year (Akitu) celebration in the city of Dohuk in Iraqi Kurdistan, several people were injured and transferred to hospitals. The perpetrator, wielding an axe, attacked the crowd while shouting “Islamic state, Islamic state will remain,” during which a 17-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman suffered severe injuries and skull fractures and were immediately transferred to hospitals.

Additionally, one of the security personnel present at the scene was also wounded. Eventually, the perpetrator was apprehended by celebration participants. Precise information about all the injured is unavailable, but the physical condition of some has been reported as critical.

The Assyrian New Year or “Akitu” was a spring celebration in ancient Mesopotamia that played an important role in the development of religious, mythological, and ritual theories. The Akitu festival was celebrated for thousands of years in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian cultures. The name was derived from a Sumerian word used for the “barley” plant and symbolized the clear and detailed relations between kings and high priests with the gods. Every year, Assyrians participate in the Akitu ceremony wearing colorful clothing and flags, celebrating the day with joy.

The celebration was disrupted by the Islamist man’s cold weapon attack, and evidence following his arrest indicates that the attack was not planned by a terrorist group but was merely an individual act. However, this incident has raised significant concerns within Iraq’s Christian community, prompting them to call on the Iraqi government to counter the spread of extremist ideologies in the country.

Niab Youssef Toma, a member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, while condemning the attack, said: “We ask the government to review religious and educational programs that promote hostile ideologies. This was a terrorist act that has no justification. Despite the ancient celebration like Akitu, which has been held peacefully for decades, this attack demonstrates the dangers facing ethnic and religious minorities.

Even in the past during Ramadan, the Muslim people of the region would respectfully and sympathetically offer us food and water. We are not only a minority in terms of religious beliefs but also ethnically, and often suffer harm. However, we remain hopeful, and our presence in this march is a sign of our thousands of years of persistence and continuity in this region.”