Iraqi Govt. Admits Minorities Are Vulnerable; Often the Target of Violence by Islamic Groups

The Iraqi government is aware that religious and ethnic minorities are particularly vulnerable, and extra efforts are required to protect them, the Radio Free Europe website reports today (August 20, 2010).

Ali al-Musawi, a media adviser to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, said yesterday that the safety of Iraq's minority communities was a top priority for the government in its national security strategy.

Musawi's comments come after the U.S. Senate adopted a resolution earlier this month that highlighted "the perilous status of religious minorities in Iraq" and called on the Iraqi government to address abuses against these groups.

About a dozen minorities have lived for centuries in the region that is now Iraq. In recent years, they have been the target of bomb attacks and other violence by militant Islamic groups.