Armenian children of Baghdad, 1918

The photograph shows Armenian children of Baghdad, Iraq, in 1918.

Six children stand in front of a palm tree: two boys wear fezzes, the girls wear white and floral dresses, and one of them has a veil over her head.

The history of Armenians in Iraq has been documented since late Babylonian times. However, the roots of the modern Armenian community are linked to Shah Abbas's resettlement of Armenians to Iran in 1604, some of whom later settled in Iraq. Another 25,000 Armenians arrived in Iraq at the beginning of the 20th century, fleeing the persecution of the genocide. They founded schools, sports and cultural clubs, as well as political and religious institutions in urban centres throughout Iraq.