An invasion led by Islamic militants set the Christian library on fire but now they are ready to reopen.

In 2014, Qaraqosh, a city in Iraq with the largest Christian population in the Nineveh Plains, was targeted by IS militants. Tens of thousands of Christians were displaced when homes, churches, and libraries were destroyed. By 2016, the city was liberated from IS rule allowing a safer environment for Christians to live out their faith.

The library's books were burned and stolen in the raid but through the help of Christain freedom charity, Open Doors, and the Syriac Catholic Church in Qaraqosh, it has now re-opened.

With about 650 books, from religious to children's literature, the restored library is a part of the city's Christian centre for social and cultural activities. 

Syriac Catholic Church priest, FR Duraid told Premier, "It rose from the black ruins and demolition debris to a cultural centre. We dream that it will be a space where intellectuals, students, authors, poets and other readers from our village can meet or do research." 

Based on reports, around 5,100 Christian families were forced to leave their homes behind and now, five years later they have come to rebuild and reunite their communities.