As crises in Syria and Iraq reach a crescendo, Kevin Hartigan, Catholic Relief Services’ regional director for the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe, speaks from Baghdad about responding to families fleeing conflict in the region.
Middle East
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
How Mosul descended into darkness under ISIS
The woman’s killing in a public square was the cruelest moment in the descent of this once proud city.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
An Aleppo cease-fire collapses and with it, hope of evacuation
Activists and fighters trapped in the opposition’s last sliver of territory in Aleppo said pro-government forces had struck their district with dozens of rockets since mid-morning.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Syria to evacuate Aleppo in surrender deal
U.N. reports the safe withdrawal of people from the besieged area was now “imminent.”
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Pope Francis to Syrian president: End the war and respect humanitarian law
The pope asked Assad “to ensure that international humanitarian law is fully respected with regard to the protection of the civilians and access to humanitarian aid.”
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Egypt mourns for 25 Christians killed in church bombing
Those killed were mostly women and children. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack on Sunday.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Mass killing of civilians by Syrian forces feared in Aleppo
The U.N. human rights office in Geneva said that multiple sources reported that tens of civilians were shot dead on Monday.
Posted inIn All Things, Politics & Society
Genocide, crucifixion and rape: What Christians are facing in the Middle East
“I am very aware that my ethnicity is dying.”
Posted inPolitics & Society, Signs Of the Times
News Briefs
Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., who served from 1983 to 2008 as the 29th Superior General of the Society of Jesus, died in Beirut, Lebanon, on Nov. 26, just four days shy of his 88th birthday. • In a report released on Nov. 30, Caritas Europa charged that austerity policies have left 120 million p
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
This bishop has helped free over 200 Christian hostages from ISIS
Deep inside Syria, a bishop worked around the blurred edges of international law to save the lives of more than 200 people.