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 the October siege by Islamic extremists - says 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.

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