Latest news with #Akitu
Rudaw Net
09-04-2025
- General
- Rudaw Net
Assyrian, Chaldean Christian heritage showcased at Ankawa festival
Also in Kurdistan KDP leader Barzani urges KDP, PUK to accelerate government formation Kin of Anfal victims struggle in 'unlivable' housing amid unmet promises Erbil bazaar shopkeepers dissatisfied with renovation after fire Erbil Asayish warn against trading electronic currencies A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The fifth Syriac Heritage Festival commenced on Monday in Erbil's Christian-majority district of Ankawa, attracting Assyrians and Chaldeans from Iraq and abroad as the community showcased its culture. The festival, which was organized by local authorities and organizations in Ankawa, was also held to commemorate Akitu, the Assyrian-Babylonian New Year and the world's oldest holiday. Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac Christians celebrate Akitu by wearing traditional clothes, marching through the streets, and holding parties with food, music, and dance. Barbara Solaqa, an elderly housewife, said that she has been participating in Akitu celebrations for more than 50 years. 'Everyone is the same. Everyone makes these things. This food is made by Muslims, Christians, and Yazidis. What I am making is tandoor bread,' Solaqa told Rudaw's Ranja Jamal at the festival. Besides local folk groups, several groups from abroad are also present at the festival this year. 'We have groups from outside the Kurdistan Region, and we have groups who came from abroad – from Syria, Russia, and Armenia – who are also participating,' Kaldo Ramzi, general director of Syriac culture and arts, told Rudaw. The festival also promotes reading and writing in Syriac – the historic language of the Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac community. Many Christians in the Middle East speak Syriac as their mother tongue, with speakers mostly concentrated in the community's indigenous homeland spanning across parts of Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. It is also spoken in Jordan, Israel, Armenia, Georgia, and Lebanon by smaller pockets of the community. Large parts of the community in the diaspora also speak Syriac. 'We first started Syriac education [curriculum] in 1993. Now there are 48 schools, 33 teach entirely in the Syriac language, and the others teach Syriac as well as the religion of Christianity,' Sabah Anton, director of Syriac education at the Kurdistan Region's education ministry, told Rudaw.
Shafaq News
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Shafaq News
Erbil unites for Akitu: culture, history, celebration
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Erbil launched the fifth Syriac Culture Festival to mark Akitu – the Assyrian and Chaldean New Year. Akitu, observed annually on April 1, is one of the oldest recorded festivals in Mesopotamia, with origins dating back to the fifth millennium BCE. It was historically celebrated by Sumerians and Babylonians as a symbol of renewal and cosmic order. Organized by the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts, the three-day event is taking place in Ainkawa, a Christian-majority district of Erbil, and features traditional crafts, cuisine, and folkloric dances by participants from the Kurdistan Region and Syria. The term 'Akitu' comes from a Semitic root meaning 'life.' Variants of the word remain in use in regional languages, including 'Rish Shatah' in Sorth, meaning 'head of the year.' Organizers said the event aims to preserve cultural identity and promote heritage through public celebration. Syriacs are an ethnic and religious minority native to parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkiye, and Iran. They speak Syriac, a classical dialect of Aramaic, and maintain a distinct identity rooted in Christianity and ancient Mesopotamian heritage. Despite displacement and population decline, Syriac communities continue to preserve their traditions through church life, language, and cultural festivals (like Akitu).
Asharq Al-Awsat
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Iraqi Kurdistan: Assailant of Assyrian Celebration Attack Affiliated with ISIS
Authorities in Duhok, in Iraq's Kurdistan region, announced on Wednesday that the attack carried out by a Syrian national during a Christian celebration in the city was an 'act of terrorism.' On Tuesday, the attacker infiltrated a gathering of Syriac Christians celebrating the Akitu festival in central Duhok. He then pulled out an axe and attacked a young man, a 70-year-old woman, and a security officer. Videos circulating on local media platforms showed a group of people apprehending the attacker, who was seen making hand gestures and shouting 'Islamic State.' Shamon Shlimon, the deputy governor of Duhok, stated that initial investigations revealed the attacker was a Syrian national and that given the slogans he shouted, 'it is clear that the attack was an act of terrorism.' Later, security sources confirmed that the assailant admitted to police that he belonged to a terrorist organization. The Kurdistan Regional Security Council later announced that the attacker was affiliated with an ISIS-linked group. In a press statement, the council said: 'While the people of Duhok were celebrating Akitu, an individual holding extremist ISIS ideologies attacked citizens in the market with a sharp weapon.' The Kurdistan Regional Presidency condemned the 'criminal attack,' affirming that it would not tolerate any actions that undermine the culture of coexistence, acceptance, and tolerance. In a statement on Wednesday, the presidency said it was 'closely following' the investigation into the 'criminal attack' in Duhok, assuring that the perpetrator will face legal consequences. This is the first attack of its kind in Duhok. Chaldeans and Syriacs celebrate Babylonian-Assyrian New Year (Akitu) every April 1. During the recent attack, more than 8,000 people were present, half of whom were from outside the Kurdistan region, according to local reports. The Akitu festival features celebrations, cultural and artistic events, and recreational activities, including traditional dances.
Shafaq News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Officials demand public trial for Akitu festival attacker
Shafaq News/ The assailant behind the attack on Akitu celebrations in Duhok has been identified as a member of ISIS, according to Ashur Sliwa Niqo, a senior official in the Assyrian Democratic Movement. Niqo called for a public trial of the perpetrator, who reportedly shouted ISIS slogans during the assault. "The Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people have celebrated Akitu, the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year, for 6,775 years. Thousands from Kurdistan, Iraq, and beyond, including Europe, the US, and Russia, take part in these festivities," Niqo told Shafaq News. The attack occurred during a 30,000-strong procession that began at St. Mary's Church in Duhok. A man armed with a cleaver attacked a 75-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man, inflicting severe head injuries. Niqo stated that when security forces apprehended the suspect, he was chanting ISIS slogans and making gestures associated with the terrorist group. The Kurdistan Region Security Council later confirmed the attacker was a Syrian national and an ISIS member. Calling the incident the first of its kind since Akitu celebrations began in Duhok in 1992, Niqo urged authorities to publicly disclose the investigation's findings and not dismiss the attack as an isolated incident. He also emphasized the need to enforce laws against hate speech and extremism, warning of the threats such crimes pose to social harmony. Niqo commended security forces for swiftly arresting the attacker and reiterated demands for a transparent public trial. He also extended well wishes to the victims, calling for greater protection of cultural and religious gatherings. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) condemned the attack, stating that a thorough investigation is underway and reaffirming the Region's commitment to peaceful coexistence among its diverse communities. Kurdistan's presidency also condemned that attack, stating, "We strongly condemn the criminal assault that took place in Duhok, injuring two Christian participants." The Presidency reaffirmed the Region's commitment to peaceful coexistence, stressing that "the Region will remain a model of harmony among all communities. Any attempt to undermine this culture of tolerance will not be tolerated, and the perpetrators will be held accountable under the law."
Iraqi News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Two Iraqi Assyrians injured in Duhok
Duhok – Two people were injured on Tuesday in a cleaver attack on an Assyrian Christian celebration in northern Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, officials said, pointing to the Islamic State jihadist group. The region's Asayesh police force said it was investigating the attack in the city of Dohuk. The region's autonomous Kurdish authorities said the attacker was Syrian and influenced 'by terrorist ideology affiliated to Daesh', using the Arabic acronym for IS. Kurdish media said the attacker used a cleaver. According to a police source, the attack took place in a market and targeted the Akitu springtime celebrations observed by members of the Assyrian community to mark the first day of their calendar year. 'A 65-year-old woman was hit on the head' and suffered a haemorrhage that did not require surgery, Dohuk medical authorities said, adding that her condition was 'stable'. Another 25-year-old man suffered a minor scalp wound, the authorities added. Dohuk governor Ali Tatar told a press conference that 'our security forces arrested the suspect… the investigation is ongoing'. Iraq's Christian population plunged from some 1.5 million before the fall of Saddam Hussein in the early 2000s to about 400,000, the majority having fled successive bouts of violence in the country. The rise in 2014 of the Islamic State, which had conquered the city of Mosul in northern Iraq and made it their 'capital' notably accelerated their exodus. But even when IS held Mosul and its surrounding areas until its defeat in 2017, neighbouring Kurdistan was relatively spared from jihadist attacks. Jihadist cells are still active in Iraq, sporadically attacking the army and police, particularly in rural and remote areas. A recent UN report said government-led counter-terrorism operations have resulted in the deaths of nearly half of IS's senior leaders in Iraq. However, it warned the group could use the unstable situation in Syria following the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, a member of the Alawite minority, to reinforce its position.
