Paul KeenanLast Christians flee city
The last Christians in Mosul, Iraq, have begun to flee following an ultimatum from Muslim extremists holding the city to “convert or die”.
As it tightens its grip on Mosul towards creating a pure Islamic Caliphate, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) issued a demand to remaining Christians to either convert, pay the jizya tax for protection in the Caliphate, leave, or be put to death.
Already under pressure as a result of an earlier order to city authorities not to provide any rations to non-Sunni Muslims, those Christians who had previously remained in Mosul, due to old age or ill-health, have now begun the journey eastwards to the relative safety of the Kurdish-controlled region.
Tragedy
According to the Chaldean leader, Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako, ISIS has established checkpoints on all exits from Mosul to strip fleeing Christians of their remaining property and valuables before allowing them to proceed.
“The situation in Mosul is tragic,” the patriarch stated. “The situation is getting out of hand and the refugee situation is getting worse. There is no water and power. Children cannot go to school and many fathers have not been paid for two months; there is nothing we can do, our hands are tied.”
It was further reported this week that ISIS militants have now entered the archbishopric of the Syro-Catholic Church in Mosul and destroyed all documents and books of its library before torching the building.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis has used his Sunday Angelus to pray for the beleaguered Christian community in Iraq.
The Pontiff stated that he had learned with “concern the news coming from the Christian communities in Mosul and in other parts of the Middle East… They are being forced to leave their homes and leave everything behind. I assure these families and these people that I am close to them. I am with you who are persecuted, I know how you suffer I know you are stripped of everything, I am with you in faith in the one who has conquered evil.”