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CHRISTIANS FLEE IRAQ'S MOSUL: Hundreds of terrified families escape extremist attacks.
Hundreds of terrified Christian families have fled Mosul to escape extremist attacks that have increased despite months of US and Iraqi military operations to secure the northern Iraqi city, political and religious officials said Saturday according to Baghdad's Associated Press writer Bradley S. Klapper.
The report states that about 3,000 Christians have fled the city over the past week alone in a "major displacement." Duraid Mohammed Kashmoula, the governor of northern Iraq's Ninevah province said most have left for churches, monasteries and the homes of relatives in nearby Christian villages and towns.
"The Christians were subjected to abduction attempts and paid ransom, but now they are subjected to a killing campaign," Kashmoula said, adding he believed "al-Qaida" elements were to blame and called for a renewed drive to root them out.
According to the report, Mosul police have reported finding the bullet-riddled bodies of seven Christians in separate attacks so far this month, the latest a day laborer found on Wednesday. Police said on Saturday, militants blew up three abandoned Christian homes in eastern Mosul.
Father Bolis Jacob of Mosul's Mar Afram Church said," We respect the Islamic religion and the Muslim clerics. We don't know under what religion's pretexts these terrorists work."
The killings came as Christian leaders are lobbying parliament to pass a law setting aside a number of seats for minorities, such as Christians, in upcoming provincial elections, fearing they could be further marginalized in the predominantly Muslim country. (Source: Christianpost.com)
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