Iraq sets up emergency commission to protect Christians

An emergency commission has been set up by the Iraqi government to protect Christians in Mosul (370km north of Baghdad) and identify their attackers.

After a meeting with representatives of the Iraqi Church, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki yesterday publicly pledged to guarantee the protection of Christians in Mosul, announcing the deployment of over 1,000 police and the creation of a special team under the command of Mosul's police chief.

Around 14 Christians have been killed and a thousand families of the minority community have been forced to flee the city by continuing threats.

Information regarding who is responsible for the apparent campaign remains confused and still largely linked to propaganda, though according to a Christian lawyer cited by the international press, Iraqi armed force members were behind the recent developments.

Source: MISNA