As the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) terrorist group spread its “Caliphate” throughout Iraq, it destroyed several churches. Kurdish media network Rudaw received a video showing the ruins of churches in Mosul, Iraq.
The jihadists demolished the Church of the Virgin Mary in July. The Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights said the terrorists “loaded the church with improvised explosive devices and successfully detonated the churches.” The jihadists wrote graffiti all over the ruins, as well. An unidentified speaker said the sites are untouched since being destroyed.
“On the 24th of July, the militant group launched a campaign to erase the evidence of the city’s rich religious history starting with bombing the ancient shrine of Jonah,” said the reporter. “Two days later, ISIS destroyed the shrines of two prophets and broke crosses and statues of Christian icons, including the Virgin Mary and her son Jesus.”
Mosul housed millions of Christians for almost 2,000 years. But the Islamic State invaded the city in June. Initially, they offered protection to the Christians, but that promise did not last long. Instead, the jihadists told the Christians to convert to Islam, pay a protection tax, leave the city, or face execution. The terrorists roamed the city to mark all Christian homes with the letter N for Nazarene. The majority of residents left with only the clothes on their backs. However, once they reached city limits, members of the Islamic State even stole their clothes and jewelry.
ISIS moved further into Iraq, raped and sold females as sex slaves, and executed men in front of their families.
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