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Christians in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, are facing an ultimatum: convert to Islam, pay a tax or abandon everything and leave.
If they don’t, they could be killed.
The ultimatum was issued by the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS), the militant group that overran Mosul last month, Al Jazeera reported Friday.
More from Al Jazeera:
The Sunni rebel group issued the orders in a letter after Friday prayers. The document, obtained by Al Jazeera, states that the order was issued after Christian leaders failed to attend a meeting called by the group.
In response, the group says in the letter that Christians must either convert to Islam, pay a tax on non-Muslims known as jiziya, or give up their posessions and leave the city. Failure to do so would result in a death penalty, “as a last resort”.
TheBlaze has previously reported on ISIS’ plans to impose on Christians a “jizya,” a fine more like protection money than a tax.
Iraq’s Christian population has been shrinking ever since the U.S. invasion in 2003, and many Christians have fled the ISIS rampage across northern Iraq. Al Jazeera reported that Mosul’s Christian population stood at roughly 3,000 before ISIS took over — it’s unclear how many Christians remain in the city now, especially considering as many as one-third of the city’s residents fled as ISIS invaded. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
If they don’t, they could be killed.
The ultimatum was issued by the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS), the militant group that overran Mosul last month, Al Jazeera reported Friday.
More from Al Jazeera:
The Sunni rebel group issued the orders in a letter after Friday prayers. The document, obtained by Al Jazeera, states that the order was issued after Christian leaders failed to attend a meeting called by the group.
In response, the group says in the letter that Christians must either convert to Islam, pay a tax on non-Muslims known as jiziya, or give up their posessions and leave the city. Failure to do so would result in a death penalty, “as a last resort”.
TheBlaze has previously reported on ISIS’ plans to impose on Christians a “jizya,” a fine more like protection money than a tax.
Iraq’s Christian population has been shrinking ever since the U.S. invasion in 2003, and many Christians have fled the ISIS rampage across northern Iraq. Al Jazeera reported that Mosul’s Christian population stood at roughly 3,000 before ISIS took over — it’s unclear how many Christians remain in the city now, especially considering as many as one-third of the city’s residents fled as ISIS invaded. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
