Iraq’s armed forces are fighting to dislodge ISIS from Mosul. But this terrorist group is desperate to maintain its power over the city. Thousands of citizens are fleeing from Mosul to seek shelter in refugee camps in Northern Iraq, where they wait for a Christian organization to help.
Already thousands of Iraqis tried to flee from the brutality of ISIS militants across the country. This stream, which can turn into a flood. Across the Northern part of Iraq has turned the refugee camps. But experts warn that with the fall of Mosul could begin the largest refugee crisis of recent decades.
“The probability is that it will grow into the largest humanitarian catastrophe,” — says Matthew Naware, head of “Sumy Samaritan” in Northern Iraq. He said that internally displaced persons (IDPs) coming out of Mosul today are different from refugees, who had left him in the summer of 2014.
“IDPs who are now coming from Mosul, lived under the control of ISIS more than two years. I think they saw the worst acts of terrorism in the world. And they were under the influence of ISIS,” he explains.
That’s why, according to Matthew, this humanitarian operation is very dangerous: “When people talk about odd million displaced persons scattered across the desert in Iraq, it is natural to assume that among them there are cells of ISIS. There are many such groups, and this creates a whole new set of problems,” says Matthew Nawari.
Despite this danger, he sees this crisis as an opportunity for the Church, especially in the case of young people.
“These young people for the last two years observed for LIH. They are well familiar with the customs of the militants. And now they will be in other places, but in the same region, and will see who and how they accept and who they will serve. Therefore, we as an organization have taken on such commitments. We believe that Jesus commands us to give a glass of water to our enemy and to serve him. So we want to be there. We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to these children and adults, whether they are members of ISIS cells or not,” he says.
Nawari also said that it is very important prayers.
“The situation is incredibly complex. I would ask the Church in America and the West first of all to pray. We do not have answers to all the questions. We don’t know how to ensure her safety. It’s a risky vocation. But I ask you to pray for those who will become displaced, that God will soften their hearts so that they become receptive to the gospel, and that many of the followers of Jesus was in the desert of Iraq, and have served them,” urges the head of “Sumy Samaritan” in Northern Iraq Matthew Nawari.