Muslim businessman sets up giant Christmas tree in Baghdad to show unity with Christians

As the battle to defeat the Islamic State (IS) rages in northern Iraq, a Muslim businessman in Baghdad is sending out a message of unity by erecting the tallest Christmas tree in the city.

Yassir Saad said that his goal is to join "our Christian brothers in their holiday celebrations and helping Iraqis forget their anguish, especially the war in Mosul," AP reported.

The tree, which stands at 85 feet, with a diameter of 33 feet, was placed at the center of the Al-Zawra Park in Baghdad. The businessman said that it cost around US$24,000.

The Christian population in Iraq has declined significantly since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. According to Christian Today, it was estimated that there were 1.5 million Christians in the country in 2003. The number of Christians living in Iraq is now believed to be as low as 200,000.

Thousands of Christians fled from Mosul and surrounding regions when ISIS overran northern Iraq in 2014. Christians were forced to convert to Islam or pay a special tax, and they often saw their properties confiscated by the terror group.

Saba Ismael, a teacher who took their students to see the Christmas tree said: "This tree represents love and peace. I wish all Iraqi Christians could return to Iraq and live normal and peaceful lives."

Many Christians have managed to return to the villages recaptured by Iraqi forces only to find their homes and churches in ruins.

The Nineveh Protection Units (NPU) and Iraqi Special Forces have recently liberated the villages of Bashiqa, Bartella, Karamles, Qaraqosh, and Tellisqof, but the villages were devasted by ISIS.

Most of the infrastructure in some of the towns has been reduced to rubble. Other villages became a dumping ground for dangerous chemical compounds.

Robert Nicholson, executive director of the Philos Project, said that rebuilding the towns could take years, and he added that funding is badly needed.

"The road is long, but the journey is made up of single steps. We need to start small, focusing on the most important villages and work outward," he said, according to Fox News.

"We need the international community to step in. All those countries in Europe and around the world that talk about preserving minority peoples, indigenous peoples, need to step up and put their money where their mouth is," he continued.