Christians in Iraqi territory once held by the Islamic State still face the possibility of extinction as the Christian population there continues to diminish following the military defeat of the jihadi death cult and the rise of Iran-backed militias in the area.
The charity Aid to the Church in Need, who spent over $53 million to help Christians in Iraq in the last five years, published a report this week based on a series of surveys of Christians still living in the Nineveh Plains of Iraq.
Through the surveys, the organisation identified the major challenges facing Iraqi Christians who returned to their hometowns in northern Iraq following the Islamic State’s invasion of the Nineveh Plains and the city of Mosul in 2014.
Sectarian and political tensions continue to be major factors driving the emigration of Christians from the region. The report estimates that unless “urgent steps” are taken by the international community, the Christian community in the region could drop to just 23,000, which would suggest that about 20% of the Christian population that lived in the area before the Islamic State invaded in 2014 would remain.
According to Aid to Church in Need, the Christian community in the region would fall to the definition of “endangered with extinction.”
“The findings make clear that restoring the stability of the Christian community in this post-conflict region is only possible with a concerted effort focusing on security, education, long-term economic opportunities, and reconstruction,” the report states.
Edward Clancy, the director of outreach for Aid to the Church in Need USA, said the international community must “take immediate and decisive action” to solve the issues “threatening the continuing Christian presence in Iraq.”
Although the Islamic State was driven from its territory three years ago, the survey shows that concerns about the terrorist group or similar-minded groups are still prevalent for Iraqi Christians.
Source and image: christianpost.com
