With Mosul’s Christians gone, Islamic State troops take over 4th-century monastery
Cathy Otten
ERBIL, Iraq (RNS) A day after most of Mosul’s Christians fled, Islamic State fighters stormed the fourth-century Mar Behnam Monastery near the city.
They forced two priests, a monk and a guard taking refuge there to leave the Syriac Catholic compound, residents said. Like many Christians from Mosul, which lies in the province of Nineveh, home to many historic Christian places of worship, the refugees traveled to the relative safety of Kurdish-controlled areas.
Faced with an ultimatum to convert to Islam, pay a religious tax or be killed, by Saturday (July 19) most of Mosul’s Christians had fled. The following day, militants descended on the monastery.
Iraq’s second-largest city is now controlled by militants led by the Islamic State group, formerly known as ISIS, which has also taken over large swaths of the country, in addition to parts of Syria. Iraq’s army, which Christians say never adequately protected them, fell quickly.
http://www.religionnews.com/2014/07/24/mosuls-christians-gone-islamic-state-troops-take-4th-century-monastery/
