Iraqi Christians flee Mosul after Jihadist ultimatum
 

https://s1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/....e72fbf822e6db4Christians from the ancient community of Mosul in **rthern Iraq have fled the city after being given a deadline of Saturday after**on to convert to Islam. Extremists from al Qaeda offshoot ISIL gave them a choice of de**uncing Christianity, paying a protection tax, or death ?by the sword.? The militants seized Mosul in June, declaring a ?caliphate? and imposing strict Islamic law. Christian homes were spray painted with the letter ?N? for Nasrani, meaning Christian. Iraq has one of the world?s oldest Christian communities, dating back nearly two thousand years. For centuries there have been mixed and diverse communities, but **w Mosul?s ethnic and religious mi**rities have all disappeared. Human Rights Watch said ISIL had been killing, kidnapping and threatening mi**rity groups in a ?vicious campaign? in and around Mosul in recent weeks. Priest Joseph Francis, from Mosul, called for an international military intervention: ?We call upon the United Nations, the international community, America and the European Union to intervene on the ground, **t with moral support of speeches and conferences. We want real support on the ground, a military intervention to settle this problem which the country is suffering from. We want them to support the Iraqi security forces and the army.? Many of the thousands fleeing to take refuge in Kurdistan were robbed by gunmen on the outskirts of the city as they left. Christians in other parts of Iraq **w fear the campaign to force them out will spread.




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