In 2004, five churches were destroyed by bombing, and Christians were targeted by kidnappers and Islamic extremists, leading to tens of thousands of Christians fleeing to Assyrian regions in the north or leaving the country altogether.
En 2004, cinco igrexas foron destruídas polos bombardeos, e os cristiáns foron obxecto de secuestradores e extremistas islámicos, levando a decenas de miles de cristiáns a fuxir para rexións asirias no norte ou deixar o país.