Baghdad - After a series of atrocities against Iraqi
Christians in Mosul, around 400 Christians arrived in Syria to escape
the harsh conditions of home, according to a statement by a Syrian
refugee assistance organization Friday.
In the last few days, some 20 Christian families arrived in the
city of Qamhley, which is close to the Syrian-Iraqi border, said
Lauren Gul, a representative of the refugee assistance group.
Since the end of September, Iraqi Christians in Mosul, which lies
405 kilometres north of Baghdad, have been targeted by extremists.
Hundreds have been killed, while the rest have received death
threats. Most have sought protection in surrounding villages.
The UNHCR is currently assisting hundreds of Iraqi Christians who
fled from Mosul to Syria. Most of them asserted that they would
return home soon.
Meanwhile, Christian lawmakers condemned the Iraq security forces
for failing to protect the Mosul's Christians.
'I call for the replacement of forces that failed to protect
Christians in their areas, new forces capable of providing security
should be deployed in these places,' Yonadam Youssef told the Voices
of Iraq (VOI).
Youssef accused some of the government forces of cooperating with
terrorist groups.
He demanded that the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister
Nuri-al Maliki release the results of investigations on the
displacement of the Christians of Mosul.
The Vatican's envoy to Iraq, Francis Assisi Chullikat, called for
all Iraqi Christians to go back home.
After a meeting with al-Maliki, Chullikat said the Iraqi
government is now prepared to quickly and decisively protect
Christians in Mosul.
Iraqi Christians are one of the oldest Christian communities in
the world. There are about 636,000 in Iraq. Most of them speak an
ancient Aramaic dialect.
They live in the northern provinces of Arbil, Nineveh and Dahuk.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story