Town freed from Islamic State celebrates first Christmas in 2 years

December 25, 2016 12:23

In the ancient Iraqi Christian town of Bartella -- recently liberated from Islamic State -- Christmas was celebrated for the first time in more than two years.

It was an emotional return for members of Bartella's displaced Christian community, who had been forced to flee when their hometown was overrun by the Islamist terror group. It was taken back from IS in late October.

Hundreds of Christians made the pilgrimage in buses on a gray, rainy Christmas Eve. They came mostly from camps for the displaced that have been set up in the city of Irbil.

Bartella is just 20 kilometre east of the IS stronghold of Mosul -- where coalition forces still are battling thousands of militants.

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