Turkey Bombs the Assyrian Village in
Northern Iraq

AAS-Iraq Relief Project Helps 400 Families in al-Zenjili

Michael E Bradley, Administrator, AAS-A
T: 510-527-9997
F: 510-527-6633
administrator@assyrianaid.org

February 8, 2008

The Assyrian Aid Society-Iraq, sister organization of the Assyrian Aid Society of America, has completed a relief project supporting 400 families in Al-Zenjili, Mosul, site of a recent devastating terrorist bombing that claimed many innocent lives.

Accompanying this cover page is a first person account from the AAS-Iraq Relief Delegation to Al-Zenjili.

This project was funded entirely by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany.

The Assyrian Aid Society of America is a charitable organization recognized by the State of California and the government of the United States of America, dedicated to assisting needy Christian Assyrians in Northern Iraq and around the world. Over the past 15 years AAS-A has raised over $4 million to, with its sister organization, the Assyrian Aid Society – Iraq, to build schools, staff and supply medical clinics, facilitate life-saving surgeries, rebuild homes, irrigate farmlands, bring electricity to villages, and implement a host of other vital programs and services.

The following is a first person account by the AAS-IRAQ relief delegation to al-Zenjile, Mosul:

On Saturday February 2, 2008, a delegation from the Assyrian Aid Society-Iraq distributed humanitarian aid to the people in the destroyed area of Al-Zingili, Mosul, site of a recent terrorist bombing that claimed many innocent lives Much more was distributed than what was originally planned because of the great need.

Words are incapable of expressing the magnitude of the tragedy that happened in that region. This was the first opportunity for humanitarian aids to be distributed following the attack. With the assistance of the mayor and the people of the area, the delegation distributed by hand from street to street the essential materials to more than 400 stricken families. Our vehicles drove through the entire area and saw all of the families to give the assistance they so desperately needed.

The delegation was shocked to see the true extent of the devastation from the bombing. People of the area pointed out where two-story houses had been but there was nothing left to even suggest it had been a house or a building at all.

The local population had not expected this level of bombardment. Official authorities had instructed them to stay in their homes, advising them to leave their windows open so as to minimize the breaking of glass from blasts. But instead of suffering simple broken windows, these houses were completely destroyed and became tombs with human remains mixed with debris. The most dramatic story was the discovery of the body of a deceased mother with her dead baby in her arms.

We entered the houses with great difficulty because of the large amount of debris. We listened to many tragic stories, with each house having a more painful story than the one before it. Some had a dead father or mother or brother or sister, and some had lost more than one person.

But the most affecting scene was when we saw a child among the ruins, as his parents cleared the way for us to enter their home. They asked us to deliver their tragic story to the Government so that the authorities consider their unbearable situation and lend help, especially in this cold winter and their home without walls or windows for protection. The blast destroyed in seconds what had taken them years to build.

A father was beseeching us to come and photograph his infant son with a broken arm, thrown by the blast along with three other wounded brothers. A little girl wept after she saw us and then ran away because she was still in shock since the day of the explosion.

There were many such painful stories but our words will not be as expressive as the silence in the faces of children and the old people of Al-Zingili. Our words also will not reflect the cries of women and children showing their thanks and gratitude on that February afternoon.

One of the Sheiks said to us, “This aid will not bring back what we lost, a son or relative or house, but it is a good gesture from you and a token of love which introduced joy in our heart. Perhaps by you, others will pay attention to us. God bless you and keep you.”

The humanitarian distribution continued late into the afternoon. At each house we entered, we were greeted with expressions of gratitude, blessings, and thanks to everyone who contributed to this work.

The AAS-Iraq delegation to Al-Zenjili, Mosul
Report prepared by Christina Batto, AAS-Iraq, Dohuk, Iraq