The migration of Christians from Iraq dates back to the events of 2003 following the U.S.-led invasion. The country experienced large waves of emigration abroad and internal displacement between northern cities, affecting all components of Iraqi society.
The chaos caused by the U.S. invasion fueled sectarian conflict, leading to the killing, displacement, and intimidation of Christians between 2006 and 2008. The deteriorating security situation subsequently gave rise to extremist terrorist groups, which threatened the Christian presence. The violations reached their peak with the exodus of the remaining Christian population after the terrorist organization ISIS seized large parts of the country in 2014, particularly in the Nineveh Plains near Mosul. Decision-makers have described this as the greatest tragedy to affect Iraq’s social components over the past 20 years.
Shocking Government Statistics
Following nearly two decades of conflict and instability since 2003, Iraqi Christians were subjected to repeated waves of migration. Their numbers declined dramatically, threatening the country’s social fabric, while successive Iraqi governments failed to persuade Christians to return to their ancestral areas or provide security for their communities. Many churches remained empty of religious services and were forced to close their doors, while international humanitarian organizations also failed to find effective solutions to facilitate their return.
In this context, Ali Al-Bayati, a member of Iraq’s High Commission for Human Rights, told TRT Arabic that Christians “were subjected to multiple waves of displacement. Before 2003, their population was approximately 1.5 million. By 2014, that number had fallen to around 250,000, and later declined further to fewer than 100,000. Most emigrated to Europe and the United States, while others were displaced to cities in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq.”
Al-Bayati added: “After Iraqi cities were liberated from ISIS, only 30% returned to the Nineveh Plains and some of the old neighborhoods of Mosul. Today, only around 400 Christian families remain in the city, living under persistent fear and the possibility of further emigration abroad. This social crisis has significantly affected Iraq’s social cohesion, resulting in the loss of an important component whose civilization and history extend back thousands of years.”
Twenty Years of Violations Against Christians
Many observers describe what has happened in Iraq as a “social catastrophe,” particularly following the events of approximately eight years ago, when Mosul in Nineveh Province was emptied of its Christian population for the first time in the country’s history after ISIS captured the city in June 2014.
In this context, Raad Kajaji, head of Iraq’s Christian Endowment, told TRT Arabic: “The ISIS takeover of Mosul and the arbitrary measures imposed against Christians forced Mosul’s Christians to abandon their churches, homes, and properties, along with their memories and historical roots in the Old City, because state institutions were unable to protect them from the terrorist organization’s brutality.”
Kajaji continued: “Christians in Iraq have suffered grave violations, especially after more than 1,300 Christians were killed between 2003 and 2014. The ISIS offensive then forced nearly 150,000 people to flee and resulted in the kidnapping of 165 individuals between 2014 and 2017. These figures demonstrate the serious threat facing the Christian presence in Iraq.”
He noted that “multiple factors contributed to the worsening migration of Christians in Iraq, most notably the deteriorating security situation, escalating political conflict among the ruling parties, the resurgence of sectarian targeting, and the spread of extremist armed groups. All of these factors contributed to the Christian community’s departure from Iraq.”
Conditions and Suffering of Christians in Nineveh Province
Following intense battles between Iraqi security forces and ISIS militants, Iraq—with support from the international coalition—regained all of its territory in 2017. However, the campaign against ISIS left widespread destruction to places of worship, hospitals, and infrastructure throughout Nineveh Province, including its districts and sub-districts. The 196-day battle, one of the longest in modern history, fundamentally reshaped the reality of Iraq’s liberated cities.
Rami Jorkhi, a Christian from Mosul and a high school teacher, told TRT Arabic about the suffering of Christians: “We live in the Hamdaniya District east of Mosul. We were displaced twice—first during ISIS’s occupation of our areas in 2014, and then during the period following the liberation in 2017 when armed factions took control. Our homes were destroyed, our family orchards were looted, and our churches were leveled.”
Jorkhi added: “We were displaced from our areas and have been unable to return because of the lack of employment opportunities, the burning of our homes, and the destruction of infrastructure after the liberation campaign. We cannot return to our land with hospitals and schools in ruins. We were also repeatedly subjected to extortion by some of the armed groups that took control after liberation.”
Christian human rights activist Nermin Kabo also told TRT Arabic: “We remain displaced and dream of returning, but the security situation remains unstable, the economy is paralyzed, and the government provides no compensation because it is itself facing financial crises. We do not know what future awaits us.”
Kabo warned that “the continued migration of Christians from Iraq will persist amid political deadlock, the failure to enforce strict laws criminalizing sectarian discrimination, the lack of accountability for those who incite hatred against or marginalize Iraq’s social components through armed force, and the theft of compensation funds.”
The Issue of Returning Christians to Their Areas
Nineveh Province is home to seven diverse communities, making it the most ethnically diverse province in Iraq. Christians constitute its third-largest community. They were displaced and endured tremendous suffering due to wars, conflicts, and the collapse of security over the past years, leading many politicians to describe their departure as a major loss and to call for their return.
According to Khalaf Al-Hadidi, a member of the Nineveh Provincial Council, who spoke to TRT Arabic, “The ongoing violations against Christians directly contributed to their migration. The loss of control over the security situation was a major reason why Christians have not returned to the Nineveh Plains. Their return depends on the Iraqi government’s efforts to rebuild their homes and businesses, restore their orchards and properties, and protect their political and economic rights. Achieving this requires sustained legal and political efforts by members of the Nineveh Provincial Council and the province’s representatives in the Iraqi Parliament.”
Al-Hadidi added: “Pope Francis’ historic visit to Mosul in mid-2021 had a significant impact, encouraging a small number of Christian families to return in the hope that their communities would be rebuilt. However, only a few months after the visit, Christians once again left their homes, relocating to cities in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. They sold what remained of their homes and properties, leaving behind all their memories after losing hope that they would receive compensation or employment opportunities for their families while violations against them continued.”
He expressed his concern, stating: “The departure of Christians from their ancestral areas will eventually lead to the displacement of the remaining minority communities in Nineveh Province. This will negatively affect the history and civilization of Mosul, whose people lived together in peace and harmony for centuries. What has occurred due to both international and domestic neglect is a warning of frightening times ahead for Nineveh unless the province’s political representatives pressure the government to compensate those affected, rebuild the cities, and provide essential services.”
After all these difficult years, activists and human rights defenders in Iraq continue to stress the importance of preserving the Christian community, emphasizing that it is an indigenous component of Iraqi society that reflects, above all, the identity of the city of Mosul and the historical memory of Iraq. The history and civilization of the Assyrians, who contributed to building Iraqi society through science, culture, and the arts, cannot be replaced. However, these efforts continue to face the realities of persistent insecurity, political turmoil, the absence of reconstruction and development plans, and the lack of employment opportunities—all of which have contributed to the continued migration of Christians and the abandonment of their homes and lands for an indefinite future.
