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.