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Source: Getty
Abductions and killings by Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq threaten ancient minorities.
Source: Al Jazeera Inside Story
Last July, ISIL issued a decree to the dwindling population of Christians in eastern Syria and northern Iraq, ordering them to convert to Islam or pay a special religious levy.
And if they did not, “there is nothing to give them but the sword,” the group said.
Since then, ISIL has released a trademark video showing the apparent beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya.
At least 70 Christians have also been reported abducted in northeastern Syria. And they are not alone.
The unfolding conflict in the region is forcing thousands of Christians and other minority groups to leave their ancestral homelands, where they had co-existed with other religious communities for nearly 2,000 years.
It has moved one commentator to observe that “we are watching a living history and all that comprises disappear.”
Inside Story asks: Is a rich tapestry of history at risk of being lost in the cradle of civilization?
This interview was originally broadcast on Al Jazeera Inside Story.
Former El-Erian Fellow, Middle East Center
Mansour was an El-Erian fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center, where his research focuses on Iraq, Iran, and Kurdish affairs.
Gerard Russell
Philip Luther
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
Japan’s response to U.S. pressure over Hormuz highlights a broader dilemma: How to preserve the alliance while remaining bound by legal limits, public opinion, and an Asia-centered security agenda. Tokyo gained diplomatic space through an alliance-embracing strategy, but only under conditions that may not endure.
Ryo Sahashi
The simple conclusion is that the scheme will bring neither peace nor prosperity, but will institutionalize devastation.
Nathan J. Brown
A conflict launched in the name of American security is producing the opposite effect.
Sarah Yerkes
From anime heroes to online gaming communities, Morocco’s Gen Z is building a new protest culture. What does this digital imagination reveal about youth politics, and how should institutions respond?
Abdelilah Farah
Donald Trump has demanded that European allies send ships to the Strait of Hormuz while his war of choice in Iran rages on. He has constantly berated NATO while the alliance’s secretary-general has emphatically supported him.
Rym Momtaz, ed.