Region | Iraq
Iraq sends 1,000 policemen in Mosul to protect Christians
Iraq on Sunday deployed nearly 1,000 policemen to Mosul to protect Christians fleeing violence in the country, the government said.
- Agencies
- Published: 15:58 October 12, 2008
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- Security is tightened in Mosul amid a wave of attacks targetting the Christian minority.
Baghdad: Iraq on Sunday deployed nearly 1,000 policemen to Mosul to protect Christians fleeing violence in the country, the government said.
Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Karim Khalaf said two brigades were sent to Christian areas in the northern Iraqi city.
Nearly 1,000 Christian families have fled their homes in the city since Friday, taking shelter on the outskirts of Nineveh province.
Mosul has witnessed a wave of assassinations by Al Qaida targeting the Christian minority in the past week, Brigadier General Khalid Abdul Sattar told Gulf News.
At least three homes of Christians were blown up by unidentified attackers on Saturday and at least 11 Christians have died in attacks since September 28.
"The extremists' goal behind such actions is to disrupt the social fabric of the city of Mosul, where Christians and Muslims have peacefully coexisted for years," Sattar said.
There were around 800,000 Christians in Iraq in 2003, but that number has dwindled down to a third as more Christians fled the country.
News Editor's choice
-
Kuwait condemns Houla massacre
Arab League urged to put end to oppression of Syrian people
-
Road crashes main cause of child death in UAE
Death rate among children in car accidents in the UAE is three times higher than global average
-
Last minute ID rush is on
Expatriates in Dubai have thronged typing centres and Emirates ID registration offices to meet the May 31 registration deadline
