Jihadists Destroy Sisters of the Sacred Heart Convent in Mosul

IS may have abandoned it as possible target of US-led coalition.

Mosul — Since it took over the Christian city of Mosul this summer, the Islamic State has occupied the convent of the Chaldean Sisters of the Sacred Heart and used it as accommodation and logistics base.

Now, according to local sources consulted by Agenzia Fides, the jihadi militants have used explosives to severely damage the facility.

Media linked to the Chaldean community report that the explosion took place on Monday, in two phases. The first attempt was unsuccessful, but then the jihadists used more powerful explosives, causing massive damage to the convent, with the intent of eliminating the cross. The militia warned the inhabitants of the area ahead of time.

Local sources hypothesize that the monastery was abandoned because it was considered an imminent target of air raids by the US-led coalition. At the moment it seems that the adjacent monastery of St. George, belonging to the order of St. Anthony Sant’Ormisda of the Chaldeans has not been damaged.

The convent of the Chaldean sisters of the Sacred Heart, known as the convent of Victory was built thanks to a donation of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi President executed on December 30, 2006.