Baghdad – On 26 January, the Baptist church in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, nearly avoided major losses through a terrorist attack. At 10:30 in the morning at a busy intersection less than half a kilometre away, Islamist suicide bombers detonated a lorry laden with explosives. A member of the congregation - an affiliated church of the European Baptist Federation (EBF) - reported that many in the vicinity were injured or killed and added: ‘The Lord protected his children in the Baptist church.’ Though the building was seriously damaged by flying debris no workers or visitors involved with the newly-founded kindergarten were injured. In a letter of response, EBF General Secretary Tony Peck (Prague) on behalf of European Baptists expressed concerns regarding the country’s never-ending violence: ‘We are praying for peace and ending of violence in Iraq – but also for the clear and courageous witness of Christian believers in these troubled times.’

Baghdad has been wracked by a series of attacks in recent days, by which over 60 persons were killed and more than 100 injured. Suicide bombers detonated car bombs in front of three hotels and a building belonged to the Interior Ministry. Baghdad’s first Baptist congregation was founded in 2004. Nowadays, over 500 believers meet there weekly for a church service.