Iraqi Christians say they despair about ever returning to the homes they fled after the rise of ISIS, despite government assurances about their safety.
Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi praised the minority community's contribution to Iraq during a meeting with Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako on Sunday and promised his government's support to help Christians return home.
“The presence of Christians in Iraq is one of the most important pillars of the deep diversity in Iraqi society which today contributes to protecting the democratic system and provides solutions to political differences,” Mr Al Kadhimi said.
“Full support will be provided to facilitate the safe return and stability of Christians.”
The struggles of Iraq’s Christians came into focus as ISIS swept through the country's north in June 2014 after seizing Mosul, the region's main city.
The extremists committed atrocities against Christians and other religious and ethnic groups in the area, forcing thousands to seek refuge in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region as well as neighbouring countries.
We appreciate the call made by Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi, but we are scared
Eva Putros,
Iraqi Christian living in Erbil
“I wish I could return home to Mosul and we appreciate the call made by Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi, but we are scared,” said Eva Putros, an Iraqi Christian living in the Kurdish city of Erbil.
“We left Mosul a few weeks after ISIS took over and we were allowed entry into the Kurdish region because of my car’s license plate. I bought it in Erbil a few years before the takeover,” she told The National.
Ms Putros and her family left their home and belongings in the care of neighbours until they could return. However, she learnt that other people moved in soon after they left, claiming to be the new owners.
Several years later, armed groups turned her home into a command centre.
“My family and I have set up our lives in Erbil. I’ve put the past behind me and what happened to us. We lost everything – it’s all gone – but at least we have each other,” Ms Putros said.
She has not returned to Mosul since July 2014.
The Iraqi government has repeatedly called for Christians to return to their homes following the defeat of ISIS in 2017. However, many say they have lost hope in the state's ability to protect them.
Charles Hanna, an internally displaced Iraqi Christian, said the government was unable to provide the public with security or even basic services such as electricity or water.
“We are searching for a better future than the one the Iraqi government can provide us. This will unfortunately mean that we need to leave the land of our ancestors,” Mr Hanna, 65, told The National.
Since 2003, when a US-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraq's Christian population has dropped from about 1.5 million to an estimated 250,000.
Mr Hanna, a retired schoolteacher, fled Mosul two years after ISIS took over. He lived in the Virgin Mary Refugee Camp in Baghdad with his family until it closed earlier this year.
The camp has now been turned into an unofficial residential area for those displaced Christians who preferred to stay put rather than return to their region of origin.
Many displaced Iraqis prefer to live in modest camps rather than go back to the places they fled.
“We have no one and fear for Iraqi Christians who are still inside the country,” Mr Hanna said.
Cardinal Sako and his delegation also met President Barham Salih, who said the Christian community of Iraq was a vital component of the region.
“Christians stood by their brothers from all sects in Iraq’s society to face challenges, and their contributions had a profound impact. The East cannot be imagined without Christians,” Mr Salih said.
In March, Pope Francis made a historic four-day trip to Iraq, where he preached inter-faith coexistence.
The pontiff's visit was intended to boost the morale of Iraq's Christians and encourage those who fled abroad to return home.
Euro 2020
Group A: Italy, Switzerland, Wales, Turkey
Group B: Belgium, Russia, Denmark, Finland
Group C: Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria,
Georgia/Kosovo/Belarus/North Macedonia
Group D: England, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Scotland/Israel/Norway/Serbia
Group E: Spain, Poland, Sweden,
N.Ireland/Bosnia/Slovakia/Ireland
Group F: Germany, France, Portugal,
Iceland/Romania/Bulgaria/Hungary
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Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
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Uefa Champions League final:
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Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
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TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
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