Babylon bloc in Kirkuk warns of legal action over historic Christian cemetery threat

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Christian community in Kirkuk expressed its rejection of the governorate's municipality implementing a service project that would encroach upon the city's oldest Christian cemetery, official said.

The head of the Babylon bloc in the Kirkuk Council, Angel Zia, told Shafaq News Agency, "The cemetery, located in the Al-Amal Al-Shaabi neighborhood, is the oldest Christian cemetery in Kirkuk. The overpass project being implemented by the municipality will destroy parts of the cemetery, which is completely unacceptable. We will not allow even an inch of the Christian cemetery to be encroached upon."

She added, "The project was halted by Kirkuk Governor, Rakan Saeed Al-Jubouri, but a member of the Kirkuk Council approached the municipality and requested the project’s resumption."

"The properties and lands of the Christian community in Kirkuk are a red line. We will not tolerate any violations, and we will take formal legal action against any encroachments,” she stressed.