٠٠:٠٣:١٠Residents of the Assyrian Christian town of Batnaya in Northern Iraq, attended their first Easter church service at in two years at the Mar Oraha Monastery, Sunday.
The town's Assyrian Christian inhabitants flocked to the church to observe the ceremonies marking Easter and to pray for peace and security.
Batnaya, lies 14 km (8.6 miles) north of the embattled city of Mosul and 365 km (227 miles) away from Baghdad. The town's infrastructure was heavily damaged in the battles against the so-called Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIL/ISIS). Kurdish Peshmega and Assyrian forces eventually liberated Batnaya in October, 2016.
Iraq: Assyrian town Batnaya holds first Easter service in two years after IS occupation
Residents of the Assyrian Christian town of Batnaya in Northern Iraq, attended their first Easter church service at in two years at the Mar Oraha Monastery, Sunday.
The town's Assyrian Christian inhabitants flocked to the church to observe the ceremonies marking Easter and to pray for peace and security.
Batnaya, lies 14 km (8.6 miles) north of the embattled city of Mosul and 365 km (227 miles) away from Baghdad. The town's infrastructure was heavily damaged in the battles against the so-called Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIL/ISIS). Kurdish Peshmega and Assyrian forces eventually liberated Batnaya in October, 2016.
Residents of the Assyrian Christian town of Batnaya in Northern Iraq, attended their first Easter church service at in two years at the Mar Oraha Monastery, Sunday.
The town's Assyrian Christian inhabitants flocked to the church to observe the ceremonies marking Easter and to pray for peace and security.
Batnaya, lies 14 km (8.6 miles) north of the embattled city of Mosul and 365 km (227 miles) away from Baghdad. The town's infrastructure was heavily damaged in the battles against the so-called Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIL/ISIS). Kurdish Peshmega and Assyrian forces eventually liberated Batnaya in October, 2016.