2004 church bombings in Baghdad and Mosul

Church bombings
in Baghdad and Mosul
Part of Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006), Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011)
LocationBaghdad and Mosul, Iraq
Date1 August 2004[1]
~18:30 – ~19:00 (UTC+4)
TargetBaghdad:[1]
  • Church Sayidat al-Najat (Our Lady of Salvation) - Karrada, Baghdad
  • Church Sayidat al-Zohour (Our Lady of the Flowers) - Karrada, Baghdad
  • (Armenian Catholic Church) Sts. Peter & Paul, Dora, Baghdad
  • St. Elia, Baghdad
  • St. Mary's Assyrian Church of the East Baghdad

Mosul:[1]

  • St. Paul Church - Center of Mosul
Attack type
Car bombings
Deathsat least 12
Injuredat least 71
PerpetratorsJama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad
MotiveAnti-Christian sentiment

On August 1, 2004, a series of car bomb attacks took place during the Sunday evening Mass in churches of two Iraqi cities, Baghdad and Mosul. The six attacks killed at least 12 people and wounded at least 71. No one claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Iraq's national security adviser, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, blamed the attacks on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.[2] The bombings marked the first major attack against the Christian community since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[3]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Church Bombings was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC News was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference christiansofiraq was invoked but never defined (see the help page).