Future ISIS Defeat Unlikely to Bring Christians Home to Mosul

Caitlin Burke
12-13-2016

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Kurdish and Iraqi forces are still working to drive ISIS out of Mosul but according to a new report, it's unlikely Christians will return.

Arne Saeveraas, an adviser for Norwegian Church Aid, says a survey of Christians who fled Mosul found that nearly 75 percent reported facing threats and violence even before ISIS took over the city in 2014.

Overall, Iraq's population of Christians has fallen from 700,000 to 250,000 since 2003 and most are now internally displaced. 

CBN recently spoke to a pastor in the Middle East who works with refugees fleeing violence. He asked to remain anonymous for his own safety, but spoke about the devastating effects of Christians fleeing the region.

"How could the church have a great future if the Christians are leaving? Of course living in the West or anywhere else would be better than living in Lebanon and the Middle East, but if we leave who's going to be the salt and light," asked the pastor.

"The best thing for the church in the West would be to pray for the Christians to feel the calling to stay and make a difference," he continued. 
 

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About The Author

Caitlin Burke Headshot
Caitlin
Burke

Caitlin Burke serves as National Security Correspondent and a general assignment reporter for CBN News. She has also hosted the CBN News original podcast, The Daily Rundown. Some of Caitlin’s recent stories have focused on the national security threat posed by China, America’s military strength, and vulnerabilities in the U.S. power grid. She joined CBN News in July 2010, and over the course of her career, she has had the opportunity to cover stories both domestically and abroad. Caitlin began her news career working as a production assistant in Richmond, Virginia, for the NBC affiliate WWBT
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