Christians and Muslims have much in common, not only because of their shared humanity, and not only because both Christianity and Islam originated in the Middle East and trace their ancestry back to Abraham, but also because Jesus Christ is a holy figure in Islam.
Christians and Muslims have lived together for centuries in Iraq, mostly in peaceful cooperation, though sometimes in conflict. Since the US-led invasion in 2003, the country’s Christian population has decreased from 1.4 million to 250,000. Towns with large Christian populations have been deserted, and the inhabitants have fled to refugee camps or abroad. Sectarianism has been rife, and many fear that – even if ISIS can be defeated – Iraqi Christians and Muslims may not be able to live together in peace.
