Nadine Maenza: removal of Cissam Matti as mayor of Baghdeda would mark the end of the last non-Iranian controlled Christian mayor, says US government must pressure Iraqi PM Sudani

BAGHDEDA (QARAQOSH), IRAQ – President of the General Secretariat for International Religious Freedom, Nadine Maenza, has fiercely protested the removal from office of Baghdeda mayor Cissam Matti, a Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian. The reason for Matti being pushed out of office is a power grab by the Babylon Movement, an Iranian proxy militia, part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, run by US-sanctioned Rayan Kildani. 

According to Maenza on media platform X, Rayan Kildani has, since July 2, 2024, taken hold of 11 districts in Iraq’s northern Nineveh Governate. After succeeding in coercing a majority of the Nineveh Provincial Council, he removed 15 mayors, including those of the Christian Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian cities of Baghdeda, Bartella, and Tel Kef. Kildani replaced them with members of his Babylon Movement. He also appointed mayors to 5 vacant posts, including the Mayor of the Yazidi homeland of Shigur (Sinjar).  

In the post on her X account, Maenza urgently calls out to the United States, the international community, and, in particular, to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Sudani: “Unless Iraq intervenes, the iconic city of Qaraqosh [Baghdeda]—once targeted by ISIS—will fall in days to Iran-backed US-sanctioned militia leader Rayan Kildani.

The US and international community must press PM Sudani to stand with Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian Christians in the Nineveh Plains against this takeover. Maenza praises Baghdeda mayor Cissam Matti for his strong resistance against the terrorists of Islamic State and against militia control. 

Cissam Matti’s removal would, in conclusion, mean the removal of “the last Christian mayor not controlled by Iran in the Nineveh Plains,” and the full takeover of power over the Nineveh Plain by Rayan Kildani and his militia. 

The last Christian mayor in the Nineveh Plains not backed by Iran—Isaam Matti—rebuilt Qaraqosh (Bakhdida) after ISIS and resisted militia control.

Now, even he is being pushed out.
The US & intl community must press PM Sudani to stand with this community.https://t.co/ALos9GWmCp

— Nadine Maenza (@nadinemaenza) April 15, 2025