Persecution of Christians by the Islamic State
The persecution of Christians by the Islamic State involves the systematic mass murder of Christian minorities, within the regions of Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Libya controlled by the Islamic terrorist group Islamic State. Persecution of Christian minorities climaxed following the Syrian civil war and later by its spillover.
| Persecution of Christians by ISIL | |
|---|---|
| Part of Syrian civil war War in Iraq (2013–2017) Sinai insurgency Terrorism in Egypt | |
| Location | Iraq Egypt Syria Libya |
| Date | Ongoing |
| Target | mostly Assyrians, Arab Christians, Armenians, Copts, and other non-Muslims. |
Attack type | Genocidal massacre, religious persecution, ethnic cleansing, human trafficking and forced conversions to Sunni Islam. |
| Perpetrators | Islamic State |
| Defenders | Christian militias in Iraq and Syria Iraqi Armed Forces CJTF–OIR Syrian Armed Forces Egyptian Armed Forces |
According to US diplomat Alberto M. Fernandez, "While the majority of the victims of the conflict which is raging in Syria and Iraq have been Muslims, Christians have borne a heavy burden given their small numbers."
On February 3, 2016, the European Union recognized the persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, by the Islamic State as genocide. The vote was unanimous. The United States House of Representatives followed suit on March 15, 2016, declaring that these atrocities against minorities were genocide. On April 20, 2016, the British Parliament unanimously voted to denounce the actions against minorities as genocide.