Allawi: Targeting and marginalizing Christians in Iraq is unacceptable

as " unacceptable" , while calling for the Iraqi government to provide them with protection .

A car bomb exploded yesterday near a church in Dora district in southern Baghdad , killing 21 people and wounding more than 40 others , most of them Christians celebrating the festivals of New Year's Day .

Allawi said in his congratulations to the Christian on Christmas , in a statement reported for " Shafaq News " , that “Arab Christians in general and Iraqis in particular have performed distinct and constructive roles in the progress of our peoples “.

"What Christians are going through in Iraq and the region from oppression and marginalization and being targeted is unjustified and unacceptable , it is a desperate attempt to empty the region from them and their high value ​​of tolerance , peace and love ."

“But we hope that the Christians and Iraqis will stand against this plot generally ,”Allawi added.

Allawi called on the government and its security to " protect the Iraqi people from Christians of targeting campaigns , their houses of worship , their rites , their culture and stop their displacement ."

Iraq is considered one of the most dangerous countries among the minorities and communities because of being targeted by armed extremist groups , prompting a lot of Christian families to emigrate out of Iraq .