UP TO a quarter of Iraq's Christians have fled after Islamic militants seized the biggest Christian city in the country.
The Islamic State (IS) group, formerly known as ISIS, captured Qaraqosh in Nineveh province after Kurdish forces, who were protecting the area, were ordered by their commanders to withdraw to the autonomous Kurdish territory in north Iraq.
The city was home to around 50,000 Christians. Other Christian towns near Mosul, including Tel Askof, Tel Keif and Qaramless have also largely been emptied.
Those who remained behind have reportedly been told to leave, convert to Islam, or be killed.
The majority of Christians in Iraq are Chaldeans, part of the Catholic Church
UN officials said around 200,000 new refugees were seeking sanctuary in the Kurdish territory.
The extremists are now at the very edge of the territory and its regional capital, Irbil.
Pope Francis has appealed to the international community to do much more to address the crisis.
A Vatican statement said the Pope appealed for "all necessary help" to be given to those forced to flee their homes, "whose fate depends entirely on the solidarity of others".
Religious minorities including Christians, Yazidis and Turkmen have been at the frontline of Iraq's war with IS ever since the al Qaida breakaway group stormed into Mosul and Tikrit and mid-June.
IS has already reportedly seized Iraq's largest dam, placing them in control of enormous power and water resources.
The group posted a statement online confirming it had taken control of the dam and vowed to continue "the march in all directions".
Meanwhile, the UN said yesterday some of the 50,000 members of the Yazidi religious minority trapped by IS on Mount Sinjar have been rescued.
The Yazidis became trapped in the mountains, many with no food or water, after fleeing the town of Sinjar.