Christians throughout Iraq have suddenly found their lives in danger as Islamic extremists attempt to overthrow the government.

The Al-Qaeda related group Islamic State of Iraq has launched a military style offensive against the Iraqi government, taking over the cities of Mosul and Maiji.  The cities allow them to control the nation’s largest oil refinery and over $425 million in gold stored in the Mosul central bank.

In addition to the attempt to overthrow the government, they have been killing Christians who refuse to convert to Islam.

“What we are living and what we have seen over the last two days is horrible and catastrophic. The priory of Mar Behnam and other churches fell into the hands of the rebels this morning … and now they have come here and entered Qaraqosh five minutes ago, and we are now surrounded and threatened with death … pray for us,” Fr. Najeeb Michaeel wrote online from Mosul.

“Many thousands of armed men from the Islamic Groups of Da’ash (another name for ISIS or ISIL) have attacked the city of Mosul for the last two days. They have assassinated adults and children. The bodies have been left in the streets and in the houses by the hundreds, without pity. The regular forces and the army have also fled the city, along with the governor.”

After the last decade of attacks from Islamists, the number of Christians in Iraq has fallen from 1.5 million to less than 400,000.