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| Isis takes Iraq’s largest Christian town as residents told – 'leave, convert or die' | Isis takes Iraq’s largest Christian town as residents told – 'leave, convert or die' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Christians in Iraq are being forced to flee their homes as Islamic State militants continued their seemingly unstoppable advance across the country. | Christians in Iraq are being forced to flee their homes as Islamic State militants continued their seemingly unstoppable advance across the country. |
| In an offensive that has seen Isis strengthen their foothold near the Kurdish region, residents of Qaraqosh, Iraq's biggest Christian town, are now threatened with the demands the Sunni militants have made in other captured areas - leave, convert to Islam or face death. | In an offensive that has seen Isis strengthen their foothold near the Kurdish region, residents of Qaraqosh, Iraq's biggest Christian town, are now threatened with the demands the Sunni militants have made in other captured areas - leave, convert to Islam or face death. |
| The militant group said in a statement on its Twitter account that its fighters had seized 17 towns and targets, the strategic Mosul dam on the Tigris River and a military base in an offensive that began at the weekend and would continue. | The militant group said in a statement on its Twitter account that its fighters had seized 17 towns and targets, the strategic Mosul dam on the Tigris River and a military base in an offensive that began at the weekend and would continue. |
| However, two witnesses told Reuters news agency that Islamic State fighters had hoisted the group's black flag over the dam, which could allow the militants to flood major cities or cut off significant water supplies and electricity, and local residents told reporters that the Kurdish forces had been forced out of the area. | However, two witnesses told Reuters news agency that Islamic State fighters had hoisted the group's black flag over the dam, which could allow the militants to flood major cities or cut off significant water supplies and electricity, and local residents told reporters that the Kurdish forces had been forced out of the area. |
| In an online statement posted by the The Islamic State on Thursday, the group claimed they had taken control of the dam and vowed to continue "the march in all directions," adding that it will not "give up the great Caliphate project." | In an online statement posted by the The Islamic State on Thursday, the group claimed they had taken control of the dam and vowed to continue "the march in all directions," adding that it will not "give up the great Caliphate project." |
| Halgurd Hekmat, a spokesman for the Peshmerga, said that clashes around the dam are ongoing and he does not know who is in control at this point in time. | |
| Isis captured Qaraqosh overnight after Kurdish Peshmerga troops withdrew from the area. | |
| The BBC has reported that the French organisation Fraternite en Irak said the commander of the Peshmerga in Qaraqosh told the town’s archbishop late on Wednesday that the Kurdish fighters would be leaving their posts, while they also retreated from nearby Christian towns including Tel Eskof and Qaramless. | The BBC has reported that the French organisation Fraternite en Irak said the commander of the Peshmerga in Qaraqosh told the town’s archbishop late on Wednesday that the Kurdish fighters would be leaving their posts, while they also retreated from nearby Christian towns including Tel Eskof and Qaramless. |
| Displaced families from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing the violence, walk on the outskirts of Sinjar, west of Mosul. | Displaced families from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing the violence, walk on the outskirts of Sinjar, west of Mosul. |
| Bishop Joseph Tomas said the Islamic militants took hold of Qaraqosh and four surrounding towns of Tilkaif, Bartella, Karamless and Alqosh. | Bishop Joseph Tomas said the Islamic militants took hold of Qaraqosh and four surrounding towns of Tilkaif, Bartella, Karamless and Alqosh. |
| He is based in the Kurdish-held town of Kirkuk, and added that “all Christian villages are now empty”. | He is based in the Kurdish-held town of Kirkuk, and added that “all Christian villages are now empty”. |
| Alqosh resident Father Gabriel said that when the raids started late on Wednesday night, the Christians and other minority groups ran for their lives, with tens of thousands of people heading for the Kurdish area of northern Iraq. | Alqosh resident Father Gabriel said that when the raids started late on Wednesday night, the Christians and other minority groups ran for their lives, with tens of thousands of people heading for the Kurdish area of northern Iraq. |
| France’s foreign minister Laurent Fabius has called for the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting over Isis’s advances on Thursday. | France’s foreign minister Laurent Fabius has called for the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting over Isis’s advances on Thursday. |
| Mr Fabius said: "Faced with the seriousness of the situation, France requests an emergency meeting over the situation in Iraq after Islamic State militants seized the country’s largest Christian city." | Mr Fabius said: "Faced with the seriousness of the situation, France requests an emergency meeting over the situation in Iraq after Islamic State militants seized the country’s largest Christian city." |
| Some 50,000 Christians lived in the town of Qaraqosh, which lies 19 miles to the south east of the city of Mosul, which Isis captured in June and is now its main base in the country. When the militants took Mosul, they imposed ultimatums on the ethnic and religious minorities there, calling on them to convert to Islam, pay a tax or leave, risking death if they did not obey. | Some 50,000 Christians lived in the town of Qaraqosh, which lies 19 miles to the south east of the city of Mosul, which Isis captured in June and is now its main base in the country. When the militants took Mosul, they imposed ultimatums on the ethnic and religious minorities there, calling on them to convert to Islam, pay a tax or leave, risking death if they did not obey. |
| Pope Francis has called on world governments to take measures to protect the Christians that have been driven from their villages in Northern Iraq, and to provide them with humanitarian aid. | Pope Francis has called on world governments to take measures to protect the Christians that have been driven from their villages in Northern Iraq, and to provide them with humanitarian aid. |
| Appealing to the international community, the Pope called on leaders to “put an end to the humanitarian drama underway, adopt measures to protect those who are threatened by violence and assure them necessary aid, especially urgent for those who are homeless and depend on the solidarity of others.” | Appealing to the international community, the Pope called on leaders to “put an end to the humanitarian drama underway, adopt measures to protect those who are threatened by violence and assure them necessary aid, especially urgent for those who are homeless and depend on the solidarity of others.” |
| Additional reporting from Associated Press; Reuters | Additional reporting from Associated Press; Reuters |