From The Times

December 19, 2009

Amid the carols and decorations, Iraq Christians fear extinction

Last week 100 Christian leaders and politicians of all religions held an emergency meeting just before fresh violence broke out in the northern city of Mosul, with attacks on churches and Christian schools. On Tuesday a baby was killed and 40 people, including schoolchildren, were injured in three simultaneous bombings. Two days ago a Christian man was shot dead as he travelled to work.

“It is terrible,” said Fadi, 26, an electricity worker from Mosul who asked that his real name not be used. “Most of the Christians are staying at home, or when they go out they watch their backs.” In late 2008, killings of Christians in Mosul by insurgent groups left 40 dead and 12,000 fleeing their homes. Fadi reeled off a string of recent, smaller-scale attacks against Christians, fearful that the same level of violence would return.