'ISIS has killed 21 Christians in Syria'
According to FCNN, reports have been published about the killing of a number of Syrian Christians by militants of the Islamic State group in the Syrian city of Al-Qaraitain.
Syrian government forces, supported by Russia and its allies, recaptured the city of Al-Qaraitain from ISIS last week.
The head of the Syrian Orthodox Church said that about 21 Christians were killed after ISIS took over the city last August. He said that a total of 300 Christians remained in the city.
Ignatius Afrem II told the BBC that three women were among the dead.
He said some were killed while trying to escape, while others were killed for breaking the "conditions of dhimmi," which required them to submit to Islamic law.
Five other Christians are still missing, presumed dead. Negotiations and the payment of ransoms led to the release of the remaining hostages.
The head of the Syrian Orthodox Church said there were worrying signs that ISIS was planning to sell Christian girls as slaves.
However, he said that despite these killings, his goal remains to restore interfaith harmony.
Buses provided by the Syrian government have transported thousands of residents to Al-Qaraitayn and the city of Palmyra, which is adjacent to the ancient site of Palmyra.
"We have lived in these conditions for centuries, we have learned how to respect each other, we have learned how to live together. We can live together again, provided that others leave us alone," he said.
All the streets and buildings of the city of Al-Qaraitayn have been completely destroyed, including a 1,500-year-old Christian monastery that has been razed to the ground.
ISIS's Defeats
Buses provided by the Syrian government have transported thousands of residents to Al-Qaraitayn and the city of Palmyra, which is adjacent to the ancient site of Palmyra.
After occupying Al-Qaraitayn, ISIS kidnapped hundreds of residents of the city, including dozens of Christians; many of those Christians were released after paying a blood price.
The Syrian government has achieved significant victories in recent months with the air support of Russian warplanes, while ISIS has suffered a series of defeats in recent weeks, including in the city of Palmyra.
Al-Qaraitain, about 100 kilometers west of Palmyra, was the first town captured by ISIS during its first major offensive after seizing Palmyra in May.
Last month, a partial ceasefire was established in Syria that does not include fighting with extremist Islamist groups, including ISIS and the Nusra Front.
The country has since seen a decline in fighting.
Source: BBC Persian
