US, Iraqi Forces Visit Assyrian Churches

Posted 2008-10-03 21:52 GMT

	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Leaders and Soldiers of Multi-National Division - Baghdad and Iraqi Security Forces toured the Al Dair Al Kamuti Chapel and Seminary, during a visit of four church sites Oct. 2 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. The leader visited the clergy and inspected two abandoned churches to estimate repairs.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Iraqi Gen. Abud Qanbar Hashim (center), the commander of the Baghdad Operations Command, and Capt. Timothy Meier (right), chaplain of the 1st Battalion, 42nd Chaplain Detachment, listen to Awraha Dinkha Gabriel, priest of the Assyrian Mar Zaya Orthodox Christian Church Oct. 2 during a tour by Multi-National Division - Baghdad leaders of Christian churches in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond (right), commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division - Baghdad, and Capt. Timothy Meier (center), chaplain, 1st Battalion, 42nd Chaplain Detachment, meet with Bishop Mar Wardony, an Iraqi priest of the Al Dair al Kamuti Chapel and Seminary Oct. 2, during a tour of Christian churches in southern Baghdad's Rashid district.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Awraha Dinkha Gabriel, a priest of the Assyrian Mar Zaya Orthodox Christian Church in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad, blesses Capt. Timothy Meier, chaplain, 1st Battalion, 42nd Chaplain Detachment, assigned to Multi-National Division - Baghdad. Meier, a National Guardsman from Los Altos Calif., and professor of Biology at Stanford University, asked the Iraqi priest for the blessing Oct. 2 during a tour by MND-B leaders of churches in southern Baghdad.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Soldiers of the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, clear the Al Dair Al Kamuti Chapel and Seminary, a catholic church located in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad, Oct. 2 during a visit by MND-B and Iraqi Security Forces leaders.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Iraqi Gen. Abud Qanbar Hashim, the commander of the Baghdad Operations Command, greets Awraha Dinkha Gabriel, priest of the Mar Zaya Orthodox Christian Church, Oct. 2, during a tour of Christian churches located in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Leaders of Multi-National Division - Baghdad and the Iraqi Army's BOC toured four church sites in Rashid to meet with clergy and assess operating and abandoned churches in the Rashid district.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond (left), commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division - Baghdad, meets with Awraha Dinkha Gabriel, an Iraqi priest of the Mar Zaya Orthodox Xian, Oct. 2, during a tour of Christian churches in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. Hammond and leaders of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., joined Iraqi Gen. Abud Qanbar Hashim, the commander of the Baghdad Operations Command, to visit with Iraqi clergy and inspect four churches. Lt. Col. Troy Smith, a native of Culpepper, Va., and commander of the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, observed the conversation.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Awraha Dinkha Gabriel, priest of the Assyrian Mar Zaya Orthodox Christian Church, located in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad, blesses Multi-National Division - Baghdad and Iraqi Army leaders Oct. 2. Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commanding general of 4th Infantry Division and MND-B, and Col. Ted Martin, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, toured four sites in southern Baghdad to meet with clergy and assess possible renovations to two of the abandoned churches in Rashid.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Local Sons of Iraq leaders tour the Mar Banham Catholic Church in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad Oct. 2 with leaders of Multi-National Division - Baghdad and Iraqi Security Forces during a tour of Christian churches. Two of the four churches visited were abandoned and looted. Leaders visited the sites to assess the damages and estimate repairs to the buildings.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond (left), commanding general of Multi-National Division - Baghdad and Col. Ted Martin, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., tour the Mar Jacob Catholic Church Oct. 2 with local Sons of Iraq leaders in the Hadar community of the Rashid district in southern Baghdad. MND-B leaders visited two active churches in southern Baghdad and toured two abandoned churches to assess damages and estimated cost of repairs.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond (left), commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division - Baghdad, Capt. Timothy Meier, chaplain, 1st Battalion, 42nd Chaplain Detachment, and Iraqi Gen. Abud Qanbar Hashim, the commander of the Baghdad Operations Command, visited Bishop Mar Wardony of the Al Dair al Kamuti Chapel and Seminary, Oct. 2 during a tour of four Christian churches in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Iraqi Catholic Bishop Mar Wardony (left) shows Iraqi Gen. Abud Qanbar Hashim, the commander of the Baghdad Operations Command, the Al Dair al Kamuti Chapel and Seminary, Oct. 2, during a tour by Iraqi Security Force leaders and leaders of Multi-National Division - Baghdad.
	FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Iraqi Bishop Mar Wardony, Catholic priest of Al Dair al Kamuti Chapel and Seminary, shows Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commanding general of 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division - Baghdad, his Chaldean church, Oct. 2, during a tour of Christian church sites in Baghdad's Rashid district.