Global Report Warns Extremism Is Driving Christians Out of the Middle East's Oldest Communities
A new report by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need warns that violence and extremism are fueling a Christian exodus from the Middle East. Syria's Christian population has dropped more than 80 percent since 2011. Iraq's has fallen from 1.5 million to roughly 120,000. The report says the demographic center of Christianity is shifting away from its ancient heartland.
A major global report released in late October 2026 warns that Christian communities across the Middle East face an existential threat from extremist violence, political upheaval, and state-sponsored repression.
The report, titled "Persecuted and Forgotten?", was published by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Catholic charity that monitors religious persecution worldwide. It describes "heightened fears for the survival of Christianity" in the region where the faith was born.
Syria has seen its Christian population fall by more than 80 percent since 2011. Even after the collapse of the Assad government in December 2024, Christians remain in deep uncertainty. A bombing at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus in June 2025 killed multiple worshippers, underscoring how vulnerable the community remains.
Iraq's situation is equally stark. The country had roughly 1.5 million Christians in 2011. By 2025, that number had dropped to between 120,000 and 150,000. The territorial defeat of ISIS allowed some families to return to the Nineveh Plains, but many chose permanent emigration due to lack of security and economic hardship. Fewer than 70 Christian families are estimated to remain in Mosul as of late 2025.
The report identifies several overlapping causes. Extremist violence has targeted churches, clergy, and Christian neighborhoods for decades. State-level repression and the rise of religious nationalism have restricted freedoms in countries like Iran, where conversion is prohibited. Economic collapse in Syria and Iraq has made daily life unsustainable for many families.
ACN researchers conclude that restoring church buildings is not enough to preserve these communities. Long-term survival depends on economic stability, legal equality, and freedom from the cycle of violence.
The report was released on October 27, 2026, and has drawn responses from religious freedom advocates across Europe and North America.
