A/HRC/16/53/Add.1
organization called “Islamic State of Iraq”, had stormed into the church during evening
mass after detonating bombs in the neighborhood.
199. On 2 November 2010, another 68 civilians were killed and hundreds wounded in a
series of explosions in at least ten mostly Shi’a neighborhoods in Baghdad. On 8 November
2010, two bombings targeting Shi’a pilgrims killed at least 13 people in the cities of
Karbala and Najaf. In the first attack, a bus carrying pilgrims was hit by a bomb explosion
in Karbala. In the second incident, a car bomb exploded near buses transporting Iranian
pilgrims in the city of Najaf.
200. On 8 November 2010, members of the Kurdish Kakayee religious minority received
leaflets threatening their community with murder and kidnapping in Daquq district of
Kirkuk province. Seven villages in Daquq district are mainly inhabited by Kurdish
Kakayees. This incident followed the kidnapping of two daughters of a Kurdish Kakayee
politician in Kirkuk city on 28 October 2010, when five unidentified armed men attacked
the house. The two daughters were later released on 29 October 2010, in exchange for five
female detainees linked to the organization “Ansar Al Suna”, an Islamic group of Al Qaeda
in Iraq.
201. On 9 and 10 November 2010, at least four civilians were killed and 25 others injured
in a coordinated series of attacks in Christian neighbourhoods in Baghdad. Around 14
bombs were detonated and mortar shells targeting a number of houses across Baghdad and
a church. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for these attacks and has threatened more
violence against the Christian community in Iraq.
202. On 10 November 2010, the members of the United Nations Security Council
condemned the recent state of terrorist attacks in Iraq, indicating that these attacks
deliberately targeted locations where civilians congregate, including Christian and Muslim
places of worship. The members of the Security Council expressed their deep condolences
to the families of the victims and reaffirmed their support for the people and Government of
Iraq and their commitment to Iraq’s security.
203. The Special Procedures mandate holders requested the Government of Iraq to
provide the details and where available, the results, of any judicial investigation, or any
criminal charges and other inquiries carried out in relation to the above mentioned cases.
They also asked which concrete measures the Government envisages or has already
implemented to provide better protection for members of vulnerable groups, minorities and
religious communities, including to their places of worship.
(b)
Responses from the Government dated 11 and 19 January 2011
204. On 11 and 19 January 2011, the Government of Iraq replied to the joint
communication of 15 November 2010. Since the Special Rapporteur had not received the
responses’ translation from the relevant services at the time this report was finalized, he is
unfortunately not in a position to summarize in English the content of the Government’s
response in the present report. However, a copy of the original response letter is available
online at the following address: www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/religion/docs/response110111iraq.pdf.
(c)
Observations by the Special Rapporteur
205. The Special Rapporteur is grateful that the Government of Iraq replied to the joint
communication of 15 November 2010 and hopes to be able to make observations on the
response in the next report.
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