Saturday, 19 July 2014

Thousands of Iraqi Christians pour out of Mosul after being given deadline to convert to islam or face death

ISIS told Christians they must convert, pay special tax or leave Mosul, Iraq
If they did not, there would be 'nothing for them but the sword', it declared
Deadline of noon (9am GMT) today was relayed by mosques in the region
Chaldean patriarch: 'For first time in history, Mosul is empty of Christians'


Exodus: Thousands of Iraqi Christians today poured out of Mosul after ISIS jihadis gave them an ultimatum - convert to Islam, pay a special tax or face death. Above, Christian women pray at a church in Arbil, Kurdistan

Thousands of Iraqi Christians today poured out of Mosul after ISIS jihadis gave them an ultimatum - convert, pay or face death.

The Islamic State terror group declared that Christians must either convert to Islam, pay a special tax or leave the city, around 250 miles north-west of Baghdad.
If they did not do so by noon (9am GMT) today, there would be 'nothing for them but the sword', it said.

Escape: Human Rights Watch said the Islamic State 'seems intent on wiping out all traces of minority groups from areas it now controls in Iraq.' Above, Shia Turkments carry their possessions to Arbil yesterday

Journey: The mass displacement was the latest in six weeks of turmoil which has forced more than 600,000 people from their homes, left thousands dead and brought Iraq to the brink of collapse

Most Christians in the northwestern Nineveh province fled in terror after jihadist-led militants enforcing an extreme version of sharia - or Islamic law - launched an offensive on June 9.

But many of the poorest families returned when the fighting stopped and ISIS started administering the city.

Mr Sako said the number of Christians who were still in Mosul on Thursday was around 25,000.

Today, Human Rights Watch said the Islamic State 'seems intent on wiping out all traces of minority groups from areas it now controls in Iraq.'

Refugees: The Christians joined hundreds of thousands of Shiite and other refugees in the neighbouring autonomous region of Kurdistan. Above, Shia Turkmens flee from Sincar to Arbil yesterday due to attacks



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