October 14, 2008	Tuesday	Shawwal 14, 1429

MOSUL: Police reinforcements have helped stem the flight of Christians from their homes in Mosul, a local official said on Monday, as the United Nations voiced concern at the community’s plight in the northern Iraqi city.

One Christian was killed and his nephew wounded late on Sunday when gunmen opened fire in the eastern neighbourhood of Hay al-Ekhaa, the latest in a spate of a dozen murders of Christians in the city over the past fortnight.

On Monday there were no reports of violence after nearly 1,000 additional police moved into the city the previous day.

The head of Mosul’s bureau of displaced people, Jaweat Ismael, said there was “no new wave of displacements” on Monday after the exodus of nearly 1,000 families since Friday.

A correspondent said Mosul was full of police manning checkpoints and patrolling churches and residential neighbourhoods in the multi-religious city while volunteer organisations, including the Red Crescent and various church groups, were handing out food and water.

The United Nations special representative to Iraq Staffan de Mistura expressed concern at the violence targeting Christians in Mosul and “strongly condemned” the murder of civilians.

“These acts are aimed to fuel tensions and exacerbate instability at a critical time,” he said in a statement.—AFP