The Latin Archbishop of Baghdad expressed concern over killings of Christians in Iraq, forcing hundreds to flee the country, the Italian SIR news agency said on Thursday.
"As fears increase, more Christians are looking for an opportunity to flee the country as soon as possible," Msgr. Jean B. Sleiman was quoted by the news agency as saying.
He said two Christians were killed in Iraq's northern city of Mosul in a week. Another Chrisitian was killed by unknown gunmen on January 13, he said.
"Christians are being killed in Mosul, but the authorities do nothing to assure their security," the archbishop said, adding Iraqi media is quite about the killings.
According to the United Nations, a wave of attacks against Christians in Mosul left 40 dead and displaced more than 12,000 in 2008.
There were some 1,800 Christians in Iraq before the start of the U.S.-led campaign in 2001. According to the Vatican, there are some 290,000 Catholics currently living in the country, with the total number of Christians just under 500,000.
MOSCOW, January 21 (RIA Novosti)
