IRAQ: Ammar Shamoun Moussa, Head of Nineveh Plains Guard Forces, died in Baghdede fire tragedy

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — It has been over two weeks since the devastating wedding hall fire in the Nineveh Plains town of Baghdede (Qaraqosh / Hamdaniya), Iraq, claimed the lives of 130 members of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, concerns have arisen among local officials and representatives of Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian political parties and organizations over the cause of the fire, with some speculating whether it was set intentionally. potential entities responsible for the incident. This speculation is particularly pronounced in Baghdede itself, where the local community is advocating for the establishment of an autonomous administration, a proposition in conflict with the interests of both the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Despite the magnitude of the tragedy that occurred on 26 September, a thorough investigation into the incident’s causes is yet to be conducted. Notably, media coverage has largely overlooked the loss of Ammar Shamoun Moussa Shino, Head of Nineveh Plain Guard Forces (NPGF), who was among the victims of the devastating fire.

Nineveh Plain Guard Forces (NPGF) is the military wing of the Assyrian Syriac Chaldean Popular Council, which is a member of the Athra Alliance.

Shino, along with his wife Bayda Elias Shabo Jebo, tragically lost their lives in the Baghdede fire, joining the ranks of martyrs alongside the other victims of this sorrowful incident. As questions arise about why official authorities have not acknowledged Shino’s death or addressed the succession plan for the leadership of the NPGF, the community mourns the loss of a dedicated leader.