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The windows and doors of St George’s Anglican Church in Iraq were blown out following a series of six explosions outside the Foreign and Finance Ministries in central Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone and eastern Baghdad’s Beirut Square. Canon Andrew White, the Anglican Chaplain to Iraq, said: “Despite whatever destruction we face we will not stop worshiping our God and looking after our people.

Religious Intelligence

Baghdad church damaged in series of explosions
Thursday, 20th August 2009. 11:29am

By: Jordana-May Gargas.

The windows and doors of St George’s Anglican Church in Iraq were blown out following a series of six explosions outside the Foreign and Finance Ministries in central Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone and eastern Baghdad’s Beirut Square.

Over 500 people were injured in the attacks and doctors form the clinic at St George’s rushed to treat wounded civilians.

The Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, described the co-ordinated attack as “archetypical of al-Qaeda”.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has since stepped up security measures after a meeting with Iraq’s defence and national security ministers. These measures will include new check-points and spot security checks.

Two people linked to al-Qaeda are said to have been arrested in relation to the attack. The insurgents are said to have taken advantage of the removal of concrete blast walls erected in 2003 to separate Sunni and Shi’ite neighbourhoods.

Canon Andrew White, the Anglican Chaplain to Iraq, said: “Despite whatever destruction we face we will not stop worshiping our God and looking after our people. We have the largest church in the country and a doctors and dentists treating over 100 people a day and most of them are Muslims.”

The attack came on the 6th anniversary of the suicide bombing at the UN Compound in Baghdad which killed 22 people.

Fighting in the area is said to have increased since the withdrawal of US security forces in June this year. Renewed terror strikes are said to be part of a wider strategy to undermine Mr Nouri al-Maliki’s Government ahead of the general elections in January 2010.

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One Response to “The windows and doors of St George’s Anglican Church in Iraq were blown out following a series of six explosions outside the Foreign and Finance Ministries in central Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone and eastern Baghdad’s Beirut Square. Canon Andrew White, the Anglican Chaplain to Iraq, said: “Despite whatever destruction we face we will not stop worshiping our God and looking after our people.”

  1. Rebecca Says:
    September 10th, 2009 at 9:57 am

    To find out more about Canon Andrew White, sign up for his Updates and find out more about the ‘Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East’ (FRRME) go to http://www.frrme.org

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