Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako on Thursday warned Christian voters against the influence of armed militia groups in the Nineveh Plains one month ahead of the Iraqi parliamentary elections, which will take place on November 11.

“The Chaldean Church rejects that Christians be represented by individuals whose corruption is well known, or by armed groups that control their destiny and dominate their towns in the Nineveh Plain. We will not accept that the Christian component becomes fuel for these alien forces,” he said.

This is most likely a reference to Rayan al-Kildani, the leader of a Christian Popular Mobilization Forces faction known as the Babylon Movement who was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2019 and has aimed to undermine Patriarch Sako.

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Al-Kildan has reportedly attempted to seize Christian properties, parliament seats, and endowments of the Church, and to remove Cardinal Sako as the Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church. 

Furthermore, Cardinal Sako called on “all Iraqis in general, and Christians in particular, to participate actively in the upcoming elections and to vote for those most qualified to serve all Iraqis without discrimination – those known for their competence, integrity, and honesty; those who respect the pluralism and diversity of religions and ethnicities that distinguish Iraq; and those who believe in its sovereignty, progress, and stability.

“We have officially requested that certain relevant government bodies, including the Electoral Commission, restrict the voting within the Christian component as a legal solution that ensures proper representation,” he added.

“The Chaldean, Assyrian, and Syriac parties have made the same demand, but no one listened. Unfortunately, for more than 15 years, the Iraqi government has failed to protect the rights of minorities or take binding measures to ensure justice for them and preserve their representation and role.

“Christians, despite their wounds, will not give up. They will strive diligently to achieve this constitutional right that guarantees their future and strengthens their presence. The Chaldean Church does not sell itself, will not surrender to injustice, and its loyalty remains to Iraq, with boundless love for all Iraqis,” he concluded.