55th anniversary of Soria Massacre marked by Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people in northern Iraq

ZAKHO, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — The history of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people is tragically marked by a series of massacres and genocides. Beyond the infamous 1915 Sayfo Genocide and 1933 Simele Massacre, the oppressed Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community in Iraq also endured the horrific Soria Massacre on 16 September 1969, in a remote village near Zakho, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

This brutal attack, carried out by the Iraqi Army under the command of Abdul Karim al-Juhaishi, resulted in the martyrdom of 38 villagers — men, women, the elderly, and children — including the village priest, Father Hanna Qasha, and its mayor, Khumu Maruki. In addition, 25 villagers were wounded in the assault, and the bodies of the deceased were left scattered in the village streets and squares.

The massacre, perpetrated under the Baath regime, was based on the false accusation that the villagers had planted a landmine on a road used by military vehicles. This unfounded claim led to the decision to exterminate the entire village population, leaving no survivors.

Despite the passage of 55 years, Baghdad and other forces claiming democracy in Iraq remain silent on this humanitarian catastrophe. The Soria Massacre, like many others, continues to go unrecognized, leaving the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian communities still awaiting justice.