Iraqi Christian social media influencer slain live on a TikTok stream in France
Murder of Iraqi Refugee and TikTok User Ashur Sarnaya in Lyon, France Ashur Sarnaya, a 45-year-old Iraqi refugee and TikTok user, was brutally attacked and murdered in Lyon, France, on September 10, 2022. The perpetrator remains unidentified, and the motive for the attack is still unknown as investigations are ongoing.
According to the AFP news agency, a video posted by Sarnaya showed him with blood on his head. The attack occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m., and Sarnaya suffered a cardiac arrest, which could not be saved by medical teams.
Sarnaya was a regular attendee at the Saint-Ephrem parish in Lyon. Georges Shamoun Ishaq, president of the Assyrian-Chaldean Association of Lyon, described Sarnaya as a kind, discreet, and deeply religious person who liked to discuss Christian faith. Sarnaya's TikTok profile, 'ashur.love', has at least 13 videos where he shares his Christian faith with over 16,000 followers.
Mohamed Chihi, the deputy mayor of Lyon, condemned the murder as a 'despicable crime' on the social network Bluesky. The Organised and Specialised Crime Division of the Lyon public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into Sarnaya's murder.
Sarnaya was born in 1979 in Ankawa, Iraqi Kurdistan, and moved to France in 2014. In recent years, there has been an increase in attacks of religious intolerance in France, including an increase in anti-Semitic acts. The organisation SOS Chrétiens d'Orient is involved in the case of Sarnaya.
In August, the interior minister of France relaunched special protection efforts for Christian places of worship in response to the rise in religious intolerance. The motive for the attack on Sarnaya remains unclear, but it is concerning that he reportedly received threatening comments from Muslims on his TikTok videos recently.
The murder of Ashur Sarnaya is a tragic reminder of the ongoing issue of religious intolerance in France and the need for continued efforts to combat hate crimes against religious minorities. Our thoughts are with Sarnaya's family and friends during this difficult time.
Read also:
- Today's most impactful photographic moments
- Support for Eric Adams in The Post's Letters to the Editor on August 13, 2025
- Roosting Shark and Rambunctious Red Squirrels: Unconventional House Rental in Yorkshire Involving Aquatic Marvel, Squirrely Mayhem, and Mystical Planning Regulations
- Legal Dispute Dismissed with Humor: Supreme Court Laughs off Another Civil Matter Mislabeled as Criminal Prosecution
