© ÊzîdîPress | www.ezidipress.com | All rights reserved.
Ezidi fighters have mounted a cross made of wood on what used to be a church in the ruined city of Shingal. The message is clear: the Christian minority continues to have its place in Shingal - no matter how much effort the terrorist militia Islamic State put into destroying people´s identity.
This video recorded by an aid worker from the United States shows the aftermath of the destruction. Close to tears, the man expresses his appreciation for the Ezidi fighters´ gesture.
The church near downtown was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Around 50 Christian families used to live in Shingal before the Islamic State´s onslaught, according to the UN.
The Ezidi community and Christians of the region share a deep friendship. During the Armenian genocide, Ezidis from Shingal received thousands of Assyrian families in the mountains and protected them by force of arms from the advancing Ottomans. Some of these Assyrian families remained in Shingal. They, too, had to flee when the Islamic State´s henchmen overran the region in August 2014.
Video and pictures: January 8, 2016