The few Iraqi Christians that remained in Mosul received a threatening letter, posted online at Assyrian/Chaldean news site ankawa.com. Sunni militants from the Islamic State issued the text, an ultimatum for Christians: either convert to Islam, or pay the equivalent of $750 per adult male, as a sort of 'protection fee.â?
But it's not just Christians, Sunni extremists also targeted Shia Muslims. According to the letter, by Saturday, militants will confiscate the homes of those that haven't made a decision.
Sources close to the Chaldean Church told the Vatican's Fides agency that very few Christians remain in the city. They added that the threat from militants is not the reason people have fled to the safety of neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan.
Government forces have intensified air assaults on the city, cutting off essential services like water, a situation aggravated by the high temperatures associated with this time of the year.
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