Islamic State Issues 11 Mandates for Citizens of Captured Syrian Town

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Sep 04, 2015

Islamic State Issues 11 Mandates for Citizens of Captured Syrian Town

Christians in the Islamic State-controlled town of Qaryatian in Syria have been issued 11 mandates which they must follow if they want to live.

The Islamic State is attempting to suppress Christianity in the Middle East. 

Nahren Anweya, an Assyrian-American activist stated, "We have been purged out of Mosul, Nineveh, Khabour, Hassaka, Qaryatian and many more ancestral Assyrian homelands. They took our native homelands, our girls, our churches and now they want the few lives we have left."

And for those who are left, the Islamic State has set strict rules in place, including requiring all conquered peoples to pay the jizyah tax, which is a tax imposed by Muslims on non-believers.

In addition, the Islamic State prohibits: the establishment of churches, displaying of crosses, making Muslims hear Christians prayers or worship services, hiding of spies, offending Islamic religious beliefs, carrying weapons, selling pork or wine to Muslims, and failing to dress modestly.

The Islamic State has enforced similar rules on other cities it has captured. 

This persecution of Christians has caused many Christians to flee their homelands in the Middle East.

So many Christians have fled that earlier this week a Catholic leader in Syria issued a statement urging remaining Christians to stay, despite the persecution.

“Despite all your suffering, stay!”  Be patient! Don't emigrate! Stay for the Church, your homeland, for Syria and its future! Stay! Do stay," the leader pleaded.

The Christian Post reports that nearly half of all Syrian Christians, about 450,000 people, have been displaced and are living abroad as refugees since 2011.

Photo courtesy: en.wikipedia.org

Publication date: September 4, 2015



Islamic State Issues 11 Mandates for Citizens of Captured Syrian Town