ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on Thursday condemned the Tuesday attack on an Assyrian Christian celebration in Duhok, praising the Iraqi authorities' "swift" response.

“As we express our solidarity with the Assyrian Christian community during these difficult times. We emphasize that religious and ethnic diversity is a cornerstone of Iraq’s social fabric and must always be safeguarded as an essential element of a stable and inclusive Iraq,” a statement posted on X by UNAMI quoted the mission's chief Dr. Mohamed al-Hassan as saying.

Two people were injured in a cleaver attack in Duhok on Tuesday, targeting Christians during a celebration of Akitu - the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year and a celebration of the revival of nature in the spring.

Hassan praised the "swift and effective" response of Iraqi authorities in the "immediate" apprehension of the perpetrator, the statement added.

The incident sparked condemnations by the Kurdistan Region's Presidency and Duhok Governor Ali Tatar, who reassured residents that the Kurdistan Region will remain a homeland of coexistence and peace for all communities and components residing in it.

The Kurdistan Region’s Security Council said that the suspect is a Syrian national “with terrorist beliefs belonging to ISIS [the Islamic State].”

Hundreds of Chaldeans, Assyrians, and Syriacs attended a celebration in Duhok, marking the Babylonian-Assyrian 6775 New Year.