Christians are being wiped off the face of the Earth! Middle East Christian persecution continues to increase (WARNING: Graphic Images)

'Last Christmas was the first time that bells did not ring out in the city of Mosul in 2000 years.'

Aid groups claim the Christian population of the Middle East could be completely eradicated within a decade unless the global community intervenes. 

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Christian persecution in the Middle East remains under reported despite a variety of efforts to raise awareness.

According to aid group, Aid to the Church in Need's website: "In parts of the Middle East-particularly in Syria and Iraq-the crisis is so severe that barring significant interventions on the part of world powers, the Christian presence may disappear completely within a decade or even sooner. For example, there may be as few as 275,000 Christians left in Iraq, down from 1 million 12 years ago."

In a summary of the report titled "Persecuted and Forgotten?", ACN News wrote, "Persecution has emerged as a key factor in a global upsurge of forcibly displaced people. The numbers of internally displaced people and refugees abroad hit an all-time record high of nearly 60 million in 2014, according to the UN. With people fleeing their homes as never before, Christians are fast disappearing from entire regions - most notably a huge chunk of the Middle East but also whole dioceses in Africa.

"In large part, this migration is the product of an ethnic cleansing motivated by religious hatred. This systematic violence and intimidation is to a large degree the work of militant Islamists - terror groups which seem to have appeared out of nowhere and exercise a might and a cruelty far greater than that of the radical organizations from which they have sprung."

The report includes data showing how the Christian population is dwindling and in need of global support or it will face complete annihilation. Edward Clancy, director of outreach for Aid to the Church in Need, told FoxNews.com, "It's an answer that depends on the response of the world. What response is there going to be toward us if we act?" 

Christian persecutions, genocide, refugees fleeing to other countries, internally displaced and others in hiding are the cause for the dwindling numbers of Christians in Iraq. According to 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting religious freedom in the Middle East, twelve Christian families flee Iraq every single day.

Elijah Brown, the executive vice president for 21st Century Wilberforce, said: "Unless the global community gets involved, we will witness the loss of Christian witnesses in a land that is biblically significant. Last Christmas was the first time that bells did not ring out in the city of Mosul in 2,000 years. I think that speaks to the reality that hundreds of thousands of Christian families are living on the edge of extinction."

Aid to the Church in Need has sent $9 million in aid to help Christians. Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh told the charity that Christians are terrified of ISIS and the group's habit of killing and raping all non-Muslims.

In reference to Sadad, where Christians and Muslims have lived peacefully for hundreds of years, Archbishop Selwanos said, "We are afraid that ISIS -- which God will hopefully prevent -- will conquer the town. We would lose the center of Christianity in our diocese."

Though the Christian persecutions and executions in the Middle East are the worst in all the world, Christians in Africa and Asia are also in need. The Aid to the Church in Need study cited persecutions in Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania while in Asia, Christians have been targeted by nationalist religious movements by Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists.

Brown claims Christian persecution has been allowed to spread because of the complacency of the citizens and inaction of the international community. He said, "On average, in many of the Muslim majority countries, an average of 73 percent believe that they already have religious freedom. So we often see a passive public that is resistant to change.

"Unfortunately, there are also many who are hesitating to use the proper label for what is occurring in many of these countries, which is genocide."

Aid to the Church in Need and 21st Century Wilberforce both agree that an international undertaking is required to prevent further genocides. 

Clancy stated, "It's going to have to be a multi-tiered effort. We can definitely start with restrictions on the borders of some of these countries. There are definitely weapons flowing into the region. These channels need to be squeezed.

"We need to start putting on the pressure and if and when there is some sort of peace, we need to ensure that minority religious groups are represented in newly forming governments."

Your Catholic Voice Foundation works hand in hand with Aid to the Church in Need and can use your help today. Please visit their website and help persecuted Christians today. You can also donate a Bible, help stop hunger and poverty, gift a present to a child in need or choose from other similar charitable donations.

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