Courtney McGrailMore details of the horrendous suffering of Christians at the hands of so-called Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq have been released.
World Watch Monitor, which examines anti-Christian persecution worldwide, has reported on cases of torture and crucifixion carried out by members of the terror group.
Among testimonies gathered is that of Karlus, a 29-year-old who was trapped in Batnaya village, near Mosul, as ISIS advanced in 2014.
The young man details how ISIS members came to the house where he was caring for his ill father and destroyed not only Christian symbols there, but also “a piece from the Koran that was given to me by a friend”. When he was struck by one ISIS member, Karlus retaliated and was taken away by the group.
From that point, Karlus tells of being strung up by a foot and beaten unconscious by men who afterwards rubbed salt into his wounds. He was later sexually assaulted by women in niqabs and told he was set for execution. However, that punishment was deferred for reasons unknown to Karlus and he was released, affording him the opportunity to flee to Kurdish-controlled territory, and from there to Jordan.
Another man, Esam from Qaraqosh, related how his brother-in-law died at the hands of ISIS. “My wife’s brother was crucified by Daesh,” he explained. “He was crucified and tortured in front of his wife and children, who were forced to watch. They told him that if he loved Jesus that much, he would die like Jesus.” The man was later eviscerated and shot by ISIS.
The testimonies of Esam and Karlus are just two of the numerous accounts now being gained by World Watch Monitor from among Christians who have become refugees to numerous regions surrounding ISIS-controlled territories in Iraq and Syria.