Malta should offer to host some of the Iraqi families fleeing their country because of persecution by Islamic State, the shadow minister for home affairs, Jason Azzopardi, said this morning.

Writing on Facebook, Dr Azzopardi referred to reports on the beheading of children, people being buried alive and families being butchered.

"Will the Malta Church, the government and all civil society do the right thing and welcome here some of the persecuted Iraqi families?" Dr Azzopardi asked.

"Are we able to offer even a symbolic form of international solidarity? If even a fraction of the boundless efforts to celebrate patron saint feasts and fireworks is mobilised, Malta would be the best in Europe indeed," he said.

Dr Azzopardi later pointed out that he had made his comments in his private capacity.