Continuing their campaign of unspeakable horror against non-Muslims, ISIS has threatened sex slavery for a trio of Assyrian Christian women whom the group kidnapped in February.
These women could be among the large group ISIS kidnapped in February, when 220 Assyrian Christians disappeared from the province of Hassakeh in north-east Syria. A source from the Assyrian Federation of Sweden said, “the names resemble the family names of people in a nearby village…so it is possible that these women could be from Assyrian villages but we cannot confirm that.”
The Federation fears the women could be sold as sex slaves to ISIS fighters if a ransom is not paid, although no amount is specified.
Authorities believe that these three women are part of a group of at least 220 Assyrian Christians whom ISIS abducted last winter.
‘The names resemble the family names of people in a nearby village – Tel Jazire – so it is possible that these women could be from Assyrian villages but we cannot confirm that,’ a source at the Assyrian Federation of Sweden said.
MailOnline’s source, who is herself from the Assyrian village of Tel Shamiram, added: ‘These names are names you find in Assyrian villages.’
ISIS appears to have reversed its policy of protection of “People of the Book” – Christians and Jews – from rape and sex slavery.
Last year ISIS released a 34-page manual making it clear that sex with Christians and Jews “captured in battle” was allowed. These groups have previously received limited protections above other communities such as the Yazidis because they are viewed as ‘People of the Book.’ However even this appears to have been removed as ISIS continues to systematically rape women and girls who do not hold to the group’s radical Islamic theology.
An abducted 12-year-old girl was told by an ISIS fighter that because she wasn’t a Muslim, the Qu’ran not only permitted her rape, it condoned and encouraged it, according to a recent New York Times interview.
ISIS did release 22 of the hostages earlier this month. One British organization claims that someone paid a ransom for the freed Christians, 14 of which were women. However, fears remain that ISIS is tightening its grip on those in the region who don’t subscribe to its radical totalitarian agenda.
Only last week, ISIS kidnapped 230 Christians and Muslims in Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights who feared they were destined for death and slavery.
At least 60 of them are thought to be Christian and although nearly half were later released, the fate of the others is unknown.
The terrorists seized the town of Qaryatain after suicide bombers targeted army checkpoints at the entrance.
At least 45 women and 19 children were among the kidnapped while hundreds of others are thought to be missing.
Christians make up around ten per cent of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million people.
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Featured image courtesy of Shutterstock / Steve Allen
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