IS seizes Christians in Syria, destroys artifacts in Iraq

BEIRUT - Islamic State militants seized more Christians from their homes in northeastern Syria in the last three days, bringing the total number abducted by the extremist group to over 220, activists said Thursday.

At the same time, the extremists released a video showing the continued destruction of the heritage of the lands under their control. It depicted men using sledgehammers to smash ancient Mesopotamian statues and other artifacts in Iraq's northern city of Mosul.

The video, coinciding with mounting fears over the fate of the captive Christian Assyrians in Syria, sent a fresh wave of dread across the region, particularly among minorities who feel targeted by Islamic State.

The extremist group "is wiping Assyrian heritage in Mosul, and at the same time wiping them geographically from the face of the Earth," said Osama Edward, director of the Assyrian Network for Human Rights in Syria.

About 200 Assyrians and other Christians gathered in a church east of Beirut in solidarity with the victims in Syria and Iraq.

One man held a banner that read: "We will not surrender, we will not be broken." A few young men said they were preparing to go to Syria to fight and help their brethren defend their homes against the Islamic State group.

The destruction of artifacts in the Mosul Museum is part of a campaign by IS extremists who have destroyed a number of shrines - including Muslim holy sites - to eliminate what they view as heresy. They also are believed to have sold ancient artifacts on the black market in order to finance their bloody campaign in the region.

In the video released Thursday, militants used sledgehammers and drills to smash and destroy several large statues, which are then shown chipped and in pieces. The five-minute video also shows a black-clad man at an archaeological site in Mosul, drilling through and destroying a winged-bull - an Assyrian protective deity - that dates to the 7th century B.C.

The video was posted on social media accounts affiliated with IS, also known as ISIS and ISIL. Although it could not be independently verified by the Associated Press, it appeared to be authentic, based on knowledge of the Mosul Museum.

In Syria, fears mounted over the fate of the abducted Christians.

An Assyrian in Beirut whose parents and sister were among a dozen relatives abducted said he called his father's mobile phone Monday and got a man who said: "This is the Islamic State." The man then briefly put the Assyrian's father on the line, and he said in a terrified voice not to worry, that they were being treated well. His relatives' mobiles have since been shut off. The Beirut resident spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his relatives' lives.

The abductions began Monday, when militants attacked villages along the Khabur River, sending thousands of people fleeing. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the militants picked up dozens more Assyrians from 11 communities near Tal Tamr in the next few days.