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| Iraqi Christians flee after Isis issue Mosul ultimatum | Iraqi Christians flee after Isis issue Mosul ultimatum |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Iraqi Christians are fleeing Mosul after Islamist militants threatened to kill them unless they converted to Islam or paid a "protection tax". | Iraqi Christians are fleeing Mosul after Islamist militants threatened to kill them unless they converted to Islam or paid a "protection tax". |
| A statement issued by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) was read out at the city's mosques. | |
| It called on Christians to comply by midday on Saturday or face death if they did not leave the northern city. | It called on Christians to comply by midday on Saturday or face death if they did not leave the northern city. |
| Isis has control of large parts of Syria and Iraq and said last month it was creating an Islamic caliphate. | Isis has control of large parts of Syria and Iraq and said last month it was creating an Islamic caliphate. |
| The ultimatum cited a historic contract known as "dhimma," under which non-Muslims in Islamic societies who refuse to convert are offered protection if they pay a fee, called a "jizya". | The ultimatum cited a historic contract known as "dhimma," under which non-Muslims in Islamic societies who refuse to convert are offered protection if they pay a fee, called a "jizya". |
| "We offer them three choices: Islam; the dhimma contract - involving payment of jizya; if they refuse this they will have nothing but the sword," the Isis statement said. | "We offer them three choices: Islam; the dhimma contract - involving payment of jizya; if they refuse this they will have nothing but the sword," the Isis statement said. |
| "Christian families are on their way to Dohuk and Irbil," in the neighbouring autonomous region of Kurdistan, Patriarch Louis Sako told the AFP news agency. | "Christian families are on their way to Dohuk and Irbil," in the neighbouring autonomous region of Kurdistan, Patriarch Louis Sako told the AFP news agency. |
| "For the first time in the history of Iraq, Mosul is now empty of Christians," he said. | "For the first time in the history of Iraq, Mosul is now empty of Christians," he said. |
| The patriarch, one of the most senior Christian clerics in Iraq, said militants had been seen tagging Christian houses with the letter N for "Nassarah", a term used for Christians in the Koran. | The patriarch, one of the most senior Christian clerics in Iraq, said militants had been seen tagging Christian houses with the letter N for "Nassarah", a term used for Christians in the Koran. |
| Community destroyed | Community destroyed |
| Iraq is home to one of the world's most ancient Christian communities but its population has dwindled amid growing sectarian violence since the US-led invasion in 2003. | Iraq is home to one of the world's most ancient Christian communities but its population has dwindled amid growing sectarian violence since the US-led invasion in 2003. |
| Prior to 2003, the number of Christians in the city had been as high as 60,000, but that had dropped to about 35,000 by June this year, Mr Sako said. | Prior to 2003, the number of Christians in the city had been as high as 60,000, but that had dropped to about 35,000 by June this year, Mr Sako said. |
| He said another 10,000 fled Mosul after Isis took control at the beginning of June and numbers dropped have fallen rapidly since. | He said another 10,000 fled Mosul after Isis took control at the beginning of June and numbers dropped have fallen rapidly since. |
| Isis issued a similar ultimatum in the Syrian city of Raqqa in February, calling on Christians to pay about half an ounce (14g) of pure gold in exchange for their safety. | Isis issued a similar ultimatum in the Syrian city of Raqqa in February, calling on Christians to pay about half an ounce (14g) of pure gold in exchange for their safety. |