May 12, 2015 - Ottawa, Ontario - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, today issued the following statement:
“Canada condemns the series of suicide attacks in the Iraqi province of Diyala and in Baghdad on Friday and over the weekend. These attacks targeted Shiite Muslim worshippers as they left the al-Zahraa mosque in Balad Ruz and Shiite pilgrims who were marching toward the Shrine of Imam Musa al-Kadhim in Baghdad’s al-Kadhimiya district. The attacks killed more than 20 people and injured many more, all of them innocent people that were simply seeking to practise their faith in peace.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my prayers for and deepest sympathies to the survivors of these attacks and the families and friends of those killed.
“These egregious attacks by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS] show the group’s continued blatant disregard for human life and its continued efforts to divide Iraq and inflame sectarian tension.
“As Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson has affirmed, Canada and our coalition partners will continue to take action to degrade the ISIS threat.
“Canada continues to stand with its allies and the people of Iraq— regardless of their faith—against ISIS’ campaign of violence and remains committed to promoting and defending people’s right to manifest their faith freely and without the threat of violence.”
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