Seeking Sanctuary: A young Iraqi Christian in Syria after fleeing his home town of Mosul with his family (Photo: (UNHCR)

MOSUL, IRAQ (ANS) -- The United Nations humanitarian arm has reported that 4,320 Iraqi Christians have been displaced following recent unrest in the northern city of Mosul in Iraq.

According to the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA), the latest figure represents an increase of about 200 people, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (http://ochaonline.un.org/), which added that the influx of displaced Christian families from Mosul city to nearby districts in the Ninewa governorate [the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh] has slowed down over the past few days.

Christians fleeing Mosul

“OCHA noted that there are protection concerns for the Christian families remaining in Mosul, including unconfirmed reports that they are confined to their homes out of fear for their safety,” said the AINA story.

“In addition, Christian university students are reportedly not attending classes and workers are not attending their places of work.”

The story added, that in October 2008, more than 12,000 Christians fled Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, following an upsurge in attacks, threats and intimidation, with some returning later after hearing that the security situation had improved

“Deadly attacks against Christians in the city occurred again in December 2009,” the AINA story concluded.

For more information, go to www.aina.org/

Dan Wooding, 69, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 46 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC., and now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California and which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Wooding also a regular contributor to The Weekend Stand on the Crawford Broadcasting Network, and a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries. He is the author of some 43 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, also recently released “God’s Ambassadors in Japan” which is available at amazon.com.