Assyrian man slain in Lyon, France in suspected islamic attack
The Assyrian man was stabbed in the throat while live streaming on TikTok in what is believed to be an Islamic attack for his criticism of Islam in his videos.
A 45-year-old disabled Assyrian man, Ashur Sarnaya, was killed in his home in the city of Lyon on Wednesday evening, French media reported. Ashur was live streaming on social media when someone entered his apartment and began stabbing him in the throat. In videos shared online from the stream, blood can be seen pouring from his throat as he struggles to breathe.
A witness filmed a person from behind leaving the scene, a young figure, in dark clothing and a hood on his head, believed to be the perpetrator of the murder.
Originally from the town of Ankawa in Iraqi Assyria, Ashour was confined to a wheelchair and known for his live broadcasts on TikTok about Christianity and religion. Many now believe he was killed for comments he made about Islam. In one of his videos, still visible on TikTok, he said his content was regularly blocked and his accounts suspended – claims he attributed to reports by Muslim users. He received several threatening messages from Muslims online in the comments to his videos.
His family had fled to France after the arrival of ISIS in 2014, seeking safety and a new life.
Mohamed Chihi, Lyon’s deputy for security, denounced what he called “an abject crime” and expressed hope that the case would be “elucidated as soon as possible.”
In a statement, the Œuvre d’Orient, a Catholic association that supports Christians in the East, condemned the murder of an Assyrian Christian in a vulnerable situation.
