Washington, D.C.- In Defense of Christians applauds the courageous soldiers fighting to liberate Nineveh from ISIS. Our thoughts and prayers are with these soldiers, Muslim and Christian alike, of whom much will be asked in the weeks and months ahead.
IDC President Toufic Baaklini said, “Now that the international community and the United States have acknowledged that ISIS is committing genocide against Christians and other religious minorities, it is time for the international community to also take action to protect and preserve these communities. The Christian, Yazidi, and Muslim communities brutalized and displaced by ISIS must be liberated, resettled, and revitalized.”
In his statement declaring the ISIS genocide on March 17, Secretary of State John Kerry said, “And we are preparing for future efforts to liberate occupied territory – with an eye to the protection of minority communities. In particular, the liberation of Mosul, of Nineveh province in Iraq, and parts of Syria that are currently occupied by Daesh, and that will decide whether there is still a future for minority communities in this part of the Middle East.” IDC echoes the administration’s recognition that the genocide demands a swift and decisive response to protect these communities who are at risk of being wiped out from the region.
IDC is committed in a special way to the restoration of the Christian communities of the Nineveh Plain. Whether the liberation of Mosul occurs in whole or in part, the restoration and resettlement of these communities must begin immediately. IDC calls upon the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi government, the U.S. government, and the international community to help with this effort of liberation, resettlement, and revitalization.