DOHUK, Kurdistan Region - Christian refugees from Nineveh Plains say the establishment of a Christian region or province in Iraq after the anticipated Mosul offensive can further protect their community. They say a Christian-administrated province will support the long-term stability in the volatile plains where mixed ethnic groups share common territorial claims. "Almost all Christian refugees who come to my Church to pray would favor to live in a Christian region or province under international protection," says Father Jamil Gorgis, a local priest in Dohuk, where some 75,000 Christians from Mosul have taken shelter. Mari says a Christian province where the administrative bodies are elected by the Christians will be able to promote and preserve their fragile community from future uncertainties. The Nineveh plains, located mainly in Nineveh province south of Dohuk, has been one of the most volatile regions in Iraq with a rich mixture of ethnic and religious groups. Christian localities in the area have often been vulnerable amid the ongoing sectarian tensions that forced many of the families to leave their homes for the safety of the Kurdish-controlled territories or simply migrating to Europe. The area is part of the disputed territories according to Iraqi constitution which says its fate, along with a number of other places, should be determined by a referendum. Iraq was home to over 1.5 million Christians before the country plunged into bloody sectarian conflict in 2003. But many left the country after systematic attacks on their neighborhoods in Baghdad and elsewhere. Government officials say more than hundred churches and monasteries in Mosul have been demolished by the ISIS militants since 2014. Large parts of the Nineveh Plains have been patrolled by Peshmarga forces since 2014 when Iraqi army withdrew from the area following the ISIS offensive.
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