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Iraqi exiles prepare for a sad Christmas
Inside a church in Jordan's capital one Iraqi Christian puts the final touches on a Christmas grotto. But for the 50-year-old man who fled Iraq with his family 10 months ago, getting into the spirit of the festive season will not be easy.
"Christmas is the new birth but we are not happy. We do not feel it is Christmas," said the Iraqi, who did not want to give his name.
Years of persecution at the hands of extremist groups since the US"led war erupted in 2003 have forced hundreds of thousands of Christians to flee their homes. Before the war, Iraqi clergy estimated there were one million Christians in Iraq, but now the number has dropped to 400,000.