2005–2006 Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis

The Christian Peacemaker hostage crisis involved four human rights workers of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) who were held hostage in Iraq from November 26, 2005 by the Swords of Righteousness Brigade. One hostage, Tom Fox, was killed, and the remaining three freed in a military operation on March 23, 2006.

Of these, one of the team members, Tom Fox, was found dead on March 9 in Baghdad, while the remaining three were freed on March 23, 2006 by Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF–I) troops led by the British Special Air Service (SAS).

The hostages were members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT's) Iraq project, which began working in 2002, before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Their goal is to document and publicize abuses of human rights occurring in the country, especially in relation to detainees, and to advocate for peaceful solutions to conflict.

During the crisis, CPT's Iraq team issued statements asking that the hostages be freed so they could continue their work.

A distinctive feature of this crisis was the victims' dedication to non-violence. CPT condemned the actions of the kidnappers, but maintained pacifist principles by refusing to call for any violent rescue effort. The kidnappings led to widespread sympathy and support, with calls for their release coming from diverse Muslim, Christian and secular groups in the West and Middle East. However, supporters of the Iraq War have criticized the team's presence in Iraq.

Throughout the crisis, CPT continued to campaign for Iraqi human rights, attempting to link support for their own workers to support for "thousands of Iraqis who are being detained illegally." CPT continues to hold that the "illegal occupation of Iraq...is the root cause of the insecurity that led to this kidnapping".

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