Widespread damage reported at historic Assyrian church in Duhok village

WASHINGTON, United States — Duhok, Iraq — A historic Assyrian church in the village of Sharansh, near Zakho in Duhok province, has suffered extensive damage, according to a report by the U.S.-based group International Christian Concern. Footage circulated on social media shows broken pews, shattered objects scattered across the floor and a large flowerpot in pieces, with damage visible in several areas of the building. The images were recorded and shared by a Chaldean priest visiting from Australia during a recent trip to the area, the group said. International Christian Concern noted that the recordings and the circumstances of the damage have not been independently verified by other sources. Mar Kuryakos Church is described as a centuries-old structure in the historic Assyrian village of Sharansh and part of the religious and cultural heritage of Assyrian communities in northern Mesopotamia. The report said no official explanation has been given for the damage, and that neither church officials nor local administrators have commented on the footage. The footage drew emotional responses from Assyrian communities abroad, with one social media account describing the church as a place that held the memories of generations and now stands in a painful silence. The uncertainty has renewed calls among Christian groups for the protection and documentation of heritage sites in northern Iraq. The report recalled that Assyrian villages in the region have seen churches and monasteries damaged over decades of conflict, forced displacement and demographic change.