In the last decade, the Christian population in Iraq has plummeted from 800,000 to
an estimated 150,000. Many have fled their homes and even the country to escape attacks
and religious intolerance. But one area in Northern Iraq is seeing an influx of Christians.
The
town of Ankawa, a suburb of the Kurdish capital Erbil has seen an increase from over
8 thousand in the mid 1990’s to more than 25 thousand today.
“There are two
main reasons (for this influx), one is this is the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq
where the safety and general security is thought to be that much better than elsewhere
in Iraq. That’s the first reason; the second reason is because that particular suburb…
is already quite well populated with Christians, ” says Senior Press Officer for Aid
to the Church in Need, John Pontifex.
He tells Lydia O’Kane that many Christians
are leaving everything behind to make the journey to Ankawa. Listen