Christians in Erbil came together on Tuesday to remember the Surya Massacre victims. The gathering took place in Ankawa, a district known for its strong Christian presence. Outside St. Joseph’s Church, clergy and residents organized a vigil filled with candles, prayers, and solidarity.
The commemoration carried deep meaning for the Christian community. It connected the tragedy in Surya to other painful events in their history. Organizers stressed that the memory of the Surya Massacre victims should remain alive for future generations.
During the vigil, participants also remembered other historic atrocities. On August 7, the community marked two major anniversaries. The first was the 92nd anniversary of the Simele massacre. The second was the 11th anniversary of the ISIS genocide against Christians in the Nineveh Plains and Mosul, and Yazidis in Sinjar. These events remain strong reminders of the struggles minorities have endured in Iraq.
The Surya massacre itself stands as a dark chapter in modern Iraqi history. On September 16, 1969, security forces stormed the village of Surya. They killed 39 innocent people, including women, children, and the elderly. Out of those victims, 25 were Christians and 14 were Muslims. Witnesses recalled the brutality as one of the most shocking episodes after the Dukan Cave killings.
Surya lies in Duhok province, within Simele district, and belongs to the Silvani Plain of Batel subdistrict. The village is only five kilometers from the Iraq–Turkiye–Syria border triangle. It also sits ten kilometers from the Khabur border crossing. Because of this location, the massacre had symbolic weight, striking a community rooted in borderland identity.
Community leaders emphasized that such commemorations are not about reopening wounds but about resilience. They said the goal is to show unity and to honor the Surya Massacre victims with dignity. They also highlighted that remembering past atrocities helps prevent future ones.
Tuesday’s vigil turned into more than just remembrance. It became a message of survival, identity, and unity. The gathering underlined that, despite decades of displacement and violence, Iraq’s Christian community continu
