By Adnkronos
Armed militants abducted a young Christian female student from her home in Iraq's northern city of Mosul. The gunmen burst into her home in Mosul's Karaj neighbourhood overnight and drove her away to an undisclosed location, according to the Ankawa Christian news website.
It is estimated that of the 100,000 Christians who once lived in Mosul, only some 5,000 are still there following the rise of radical Islam and attacks on the religious minority. The girl is a student at a local technical institute.
Christians are reportedly fleeing Iraq in unpredented numbers following a wave of attacks against the community in Baghdad, Mosul and elsewhere in the country.
An attack against a Christian church in Baghdad on 31 October, left 58 worshippers dead including two priests. It was one of the worst in the spate of attacks that have targeted Iraqi Christians and have left scores dead over the past two months.
Pope Benedict XVI has appealed for an end to the violence against Christians in Iraq.
There have been calls for Iraq to create an autonomous Christian region in the north of the country, where around 100,000 Christians have taken refuge since the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003.
Many of Iraq's approximately 500,000 remaining Christians are said to be living in fear of their lives.
Armed militants abducted a young Christian female student from her home in Iraq's northern city of Mosul. The gunmen burst into her home in Mosul's Karaj neighbourhood overnight and drove her away to an undisclosed location, according to the Ankawa Christian news website.
It is estimated that of the 100,000 Christians who once lived in Mosul, only some 5,000 are still there following the rise of radical Islam and attacks on the religious minority. The girl is a student at a local technical institute.
Christians are reportedly fleeing Iraq in unpredented numbers following a wave of attacks against the community in Baghdad, Mosul and elsewhere in the country.
An attack against a Christian church in Baghdad on 31 October, left 58 worshippers dead including two priests. It was one of the worst in the spate of attacks that have targeted Iraqi Christians and have left scores dead over the past two months.
Pope Benedict XVI has appealed for an end to the violence against Christians in Iraq.
There have been calls for Iraq to create an autonomous Christian region in the north of the country, where around 100,000 Christians have taken refuge since the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003.
Many of Iraq's approximately 500,000 remaining Christians are said to be living in fear of their lives.
