Kerry Acknowledges ISIS Is Committing ‘Genocide’ Against Yazidis, Christians, Shia Muslims

On Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged that ISIS, which he refers to as Daesh, is indeed committing genocide.

The Obama administration had been reluctant to use such terminology, but Kerry for apparently the first time has used the term when referring to ISIS.

“My purpose in appearing before you today is to assert that, in my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims. Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by actions — in what it says, what it believes, and what it does,” Kerry said. “Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups and in some cases also against Sunni Muslims, Kurds, and other minorities.”

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