Iraqi officials say the successful four-day visit is a testament to Iraqi capabilities and the battered country’s integral role in the region.
Tag: Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
Pope Francis Defends Iraq Trip During Coronavirus Pandemic
The pontiff said that he had wrestled with the decision to travel, but put the fate of the Iraqis who flocked to see him in God’s hands.
Amid the Rubble of Mosul, Francis Offers a Salve for Iraq’s Wounds
The first pope ever to visit Iraq, Francis voiced sorrow and hope for a shrunken Christian community that has suffered persecution, and preached fellowship among religions.
Pope Francis Begins Visit to Iraq
The pope’s four-day trip is intended to nurture ties with Shiite Muslims and encourage a Christian population decimated by years of strife.
They Were Journalists, and Women, and Targeted for Both
As Afghanistan enters a desperate chapter, with U.S. troops potentially on the way out, insurgents are pressing a deadly campaign to silence the media and keep women home.
In Iraq’s Christian Heartland, a Feud Over a Town’s Identity
Pope Francis will arrive in a country whose ancient Christian towns are in danger of disappearing. In one, a Christian community’s survival may come at the expense of another minority group.
Biden Secretly Limits Counterterrorism Drone Strikes Away From War Zones
Requiring higher-level approval is a stopgap measure as officials review whether to tighten Trump-era targeting rules and civilian safeguards.
In Afghanistan, Three Women Working in Media Are Gunned Down
The women, the latest victims in a wave of targeted attacks, were killed on their way home from their jobs at Enikass Radio and TV in Jalalabad.
Shamima Begum Loses Effort to Return to U.K. in Fight for Citizenship
The British woman, 21, who joined the Islamic State when she was 15, has sought her release from a detention camp in Syria to challenge a decision to strip her of her citizenship.
Afghan Civilian Casualties Soared After Peace Talks’ Start
Fighting intensified in the last quarter of 2020, after talks between the Afghan government and Taliban began. Before then, it had been a less deadly year than before.