An Iraqi archbishop has expressed concern that the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan will embolden Islamist extremists in Iraq.

Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Erbil said, “Afghanistan and Iraq are very different places. But the takeover of the country by the Taliban certainly provides encouragement to those who support that type of regime.”

Speaking about ISIS in Iraq, the Chaldean archbishop said: “[T]hey have not fully left. They continue to exist in underground capacities and they still maintain a capability to cause harm in Iraq. More importantly, the mentality that created ISIS certainly still remains in the region. So this is a continuing concern… I think it is definitely true that the mentality of Daesh still exists in Iraq and Syria among certain parts of the population.”

The Catholic bishop was concerned about the announcement by US President Joe Biden this July that he intends to withdraw all US combat troops from Iraq by the end of 2021.

“What our history has taught us, especially our recent history, is that in any time of instability and conflict it is the minorities who suffer first. So, to the extent that any change in US involvement in Iraq leads to an increase in instability, certainly we are concerned that this would lead to further persecution of the religious minorities.,” he said.