Hope remains in Karamles, Iraq, where more people are returning every day, according to Father Thabet who was among the first to return less than a month after Karamles was liberated from Islamic State (IS) militants, one year ago.

Speaking from his church, which is being restored after damage from IS occupation, Father Thabet said: “We are here in our house, our home, our town, in our identity. The number of families increases day after day. This creates in us big joy.”

But the return of families to Christianmajority towns like Karamles has been slower than anticipated. Many still fear for their safety, both from IS and the effects of the Kurdish referendum.

The September vote on independence for Kurdistan caused many Christians to put their plans on hold. But not for long according to Pastor Thabet. “The referendum was September 25. The returning families stopped for a few days but they continue now.”

Karamles and other towns in the Nineveh Plains are not technically in Kurdistan but the Kurds want it to come under their governance. Christians in the area are split over the independence issue and there’s a growing fear that they are on the verge of another civil war.

Despite this Father Thabet is very glad to be home and sees a positive future for Karamles. He said: “If the international community and Iraqi government will be with us, to protect our rights, to protect our identity as Christians, the future will be very, very good.”

Open Doors has launched Hope for the Middle East, a seven year campaign uniting the global church to ensure every person in the Middle East, no matter what their faith, has a home, a future and a voice. As part of this, Open Doors is asking people to sign the One Million Voices of Hope petition, which will be presented to the UN on December 11.

(Open Doors)