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Qaraqosh after ISIS
Iva Zimova

Qaraqosh after ISIS

Qaraqosh has become a ghost town, houses and shops have been vandalised, looted and some torched. Churches have been desecrated and used by Islamic militants as shooting camps. It’s impossible to live there. There is no electricity or water. Syriac Catholic residents fled for their lives when ISIS took Qaraqosh in 2014. The Islamic group has fled the town, but returning locals still fear for their safety.

Photos
20
Status
Public
Created
Feb 10, 2017
Updated
Feb 09, 2022
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Tags
#Conflict #Middleeast #Christianity #Religion

Photos (20)

Cover
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Iraqi Christian soldier Nassim Zara (22) from The Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU) walks through a firing range set up by ISIS in the courtyard of the Mary al-Tahira Church (The Church of the Immaculate Conception).
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A displaced Christian man visits to his house that was badly vandalised by ISIS during their occupation of the town, that was once the largest Christian town in Nineveh province, between August 2014 and November 2016.
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64 year old Sabah fled his hometown of Qaraqosh the day before it was taken by ISIS in 2014. He now lives in Erbil but has come to Qaraqosh to check his family houses. He will not return home, he is planning to move to Australia where he has a family.
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A picture of woman, defaced by ISIS during their occupation, in a hairdresser's salon.
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Atheer, a Christian, looks out from a bus window at the destroyed houses in Qaraqosh. He came to his home town for the second time and thinks he will not come again. He has some relatives in Austria, he plans to move there.
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IDP Steve stand in the makeshift restaurant he has opened to sell tea, sandwiches and other snacks.
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Image 103 of 2000PhotographerIva ZimovaIraq, QaraqoshA Christian man sits in front of the altar in the church of Saint Mary al-Tahira Church (The Church of the Immaculate Conception) that was badly vandalised by ISIS during their occupation of the town, the largest Christian town in Nineveh province, between August 2014 and November 2016.
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A destroyed car abandoned on wasteground.
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A deserted street leads to the remnants of the tower of Saint George's Church. ISIS militants captured Qaraqosh, the largest Christian town in Nineveh province, in August 2014 and it remianed in there hands until November 2016.
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A nun cleans up the mess left by retreating ISIS militants in priests' accommodations at the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
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A damaged statue of Jesus stands in a small altar in the Saint Mary al-Tahira Church (The Church of the Immaculate Conception). ISIS militants captured Qaraqosh, the largest Christian town in Nineveh province, in August 2014 and it remianed in there hands until November 2016.
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A woman and her daughter in their living room. On the wall behind them there was a picture of Saint Mary which was removed by ISIS during their occupation. The family consider themselves lucky, the house was not burned out and some furniture was left behind.
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