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ISIS Burns Hundreds of Christian Books in Mosul

  • Veronica Neffinger

    Veronica Neffinger wrote her first poem at age seven and went on to study English in college, focusing on 18th century literature. When she is not listening to baseball games, enjoying the…

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  • Updated Mar 14, 2016

ISIS militants have burned hundreds of Christian books as part of their campaign to stamp out Christianity and impose Sharia law.

Christian Today reports that video footage emerged last week of ISIS militants piling books, many of which had crosses printed on them, into a blazing fire in Mosul, Iraq.

"ISIS jihadis burned hundreds of Christian textbooks in central Mosul," said local activist Abdullah al-Mulla.

Mosul was overrun by ISIS militants on June 10, 2014. After their takeover of the city, the militants demanded that Christian residents of Mosul convert to Islam, pay a tax, or flee the city. Although Mosul was once considered a center of Christianity in the region, all Christians are believed to be gone from the city, whether they were killed or fled persecution.

The video of ISIS militants burning Christian books was titled “Diwan of education destroys Christian instruction books in Mosul.” According to Christian Today, the Diwan Al-Hisbah is ISIS’ morality police.

There are also reports that the terrorist group has destroyed Christian artifacts and statues and is using the Mar Gorgis Monastery north of Mosul as a female detention center. Other Christian buildings have been used by the Islamic State as slaughterhouses or torture chambers. 

Publication date: March 14, 2016