On Wednesday, two downed drones fell on the Christian subdistrict of Ankawa in Erbil, damaging the Pope Francis Residential Complex but causing no injuries.

The drones were most likely shot down by the Erbil Airport’s defense system. This comes amid the fourth day of fighting between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

“The chapel of McGivney house , affiliated with the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil, sustained damage as a result of a rocket and drone attack. The complex is located in the town of Ankawa and is home to several Christian families,” the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil said in a statement.

“We thank God that no injuries were reported among the residents of the complex, nor among the security forces. Security personnel and civil defense teams promptly arrived at the scene to take the necessary measures and assess the extent of the damage,” the statement added.

In a post on X, Archbishop of Erbil Bashar Matti Warda said that the two drones hit the Chaldean convent and apartment building in the Christian quarter of Ankawa. “The latter was funded by Knights of Columbus to house [those] displaced by ISIS. 12 years later more displacement/collateral damage. The cycle of violence becomes shorter and shorter.”

Secretary-General of the Christian Alliance Ano Jawhar Abdoka said that “amid this bombardment, which struck a chapel building, a house of prayer and supplication to God Almighty, the stones and the sacred altar were damaged. 

“Yet the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ remains standing, bearing witness to a truth deeper than war and stronger than destruction.”

Since the beginning of the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran on Saturday, there has been an increase in drone and missile attacks on the Kurdistan Region.