Members of the Christian religious minority in Iraq say instability and the north, particularly in Kirkuk, is forcing them to consider fleeing the country.

The Christian population in Iraq is centered largely in the north of the country. Several community members describe their situation as quite dangerous, noting there may be less than 100 families left in the region.

Tensions between Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Christians are complicated by political disputes over the status of Kirkuk. There are several considerations given to the oil-rich city, with lingering administrative rows straining relations with the Kurdish and central government in Iraq.

Christians in Kirkuk say they are the target of armed groups, and several members of the religious community have been killed or kidnapped recently.

The Christian community in northern Iraq was the target of a rash of assassinations in 2008, forcing close to half of the population to flee to neighboring Syria.

Imad Yuhanna Yaqo, a Christian member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, tells the Iraqi analytical Web site Niqash that his group recorded nearly a dozen kidnappings or killings since April.

"The number of Christians in Kirkuk before the fall of the Baath regime was more than 20,000," he said. "This number has dropped to 10,000 and the number continues to decrease."

UPI