Forty Chaldean Christian Graves Desecrated in Shaqlawa, Northern Iraq
Shaqlawa, Northern Iraq
At least 40 Chaldean Christian graves were deliberately vandalized and destroyed in a Christian cemetery in Shaqlawa, marking one of the most serious attacks on Christian religious sites in the region in recent years.
Photographs and videos from the site show crosses smashed, headstones broken, and graves overturned, leaving families devastated and outraged. Many of the graves belong to generations of Chaldean Christians whose presence in Shaqlawa predates modern political borders.
This attack comes just weeks after another Chaldean cemetery was desecrated in Armota, raising alarm within the community that these incidents are not isolated, but part of a growing pattern of attacks on Christian heritage in northern Iraq.
These graves stand as undeniable proof that ancient Aramaic-speaking Chaldean Christian communities lived in Shaqlawa for centuries, long before the arrival of modern Kurdish settlement in the area. Tombstones inscribed with Christian crosses, Syriac and Aramaic names, and traditional Chaldean family lineages testify to a continuous presence rooted in faith, language, and land, not recent migration.
Cemeteries are historical records carved in stone, preserving genealogy, identity, and memory across generations. The destruction of these graves is therefore not only an act of vandalism, but an attempt to erase physical evidence of an indigenous Chaldean people whose existence in Shaqlawa predates borders and demographic changes imposed in the modern era.
Local authorities announced the arrest of a suspect and described the incident as an isolated act of vandalism. However, Chaldean leaders and activists strongly reject this characterization, noting that repeated attacks on cemeteries, churches, and religious sites continue to occur without meaningful deterrence or long-term protection.
Cemeteries hold deep religious and cultural significance for Chaldean Christians. The desecration of graves is viewed not only as vandalism, but as a direct assault on dignity, memory, and identity; especially for a community that has already suffered displacement, land seizures, and demographic pressure.
Community members are calling for:
- Transparent investigations and accountability for all involved
- Permanent protection of Christian cemeteries and religious sites
- Recognition of these acts as hate-driven crimes, not minor offenses
As Chaldean Christians continue to see their sacred spaces violated, many fear that silence and inaction will only invite further attacks. For families who buried their loved ones in Shaqlawa believing they would rest in peace, that trust has now been shattered.
Chaldean Press will continue to document these incidents and amplify the voices of a community demanding dignity, protection, and justice.
