Iraqi Christians killed in attacks
At least two Iraqi Christians have been killed in new attacks targeting the beleaguered community.
Christmas celebrations have been muted in the face of violent threats.
Father Mukhlis - a priest at Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation church where 68 people died during an October siege by Islamic extremists - said as many as 12 violent incidents occurred against Christian homes across the capital on Thursday night.
Police said militants targeted at least four Christian homes, killing two people in a combination of grenades and bomb attacks.
The attacks were the first since al Qaida-linked militants last week threatened a wave of violence against Christians in Iraq.