ASIA/SYRIA - The jihadists of the Islamic State destroy the memorial church of the Armenian Genocide in Deir el-Zor

Monday, 22 September 2014

Deir el-Zor (Agenzia Fides) - The jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) have destroyed an Armenian church in Deir el Zor, the city with a Kurdish majority, which they conquered in past days. The news, spread by local witnesses, was confirmed by the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who condemned the destruction of the church as "horrific barbarity" where the remains of victims of the Armenian Genocide were safeguarded.
The church was consecrated in 1991 as a memorial of the Genocide and also included a museum with the remains of the victims of the massacres suffered a century ago by the Armenians in Ottoman territory.
In the governorate of Deir el-Zor the jihadists Is killed hundreds of members belonging to the local tribal clan in August and in recent months also fought with the Islamist militiamen of the al-Nusra rival faction to gain control of the area. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 22/09/2014)


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