Iraq insurgents to Christians: Convert, pay tax, or die

[doremon]

Islamic State group tells Christian community in Mosul they face death if they do not embrace Islam or pay tax.

The Islamic State group has threatened Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul with death if they do not convert to Islam or pay a tax, Al Jazeera has learned.

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".

Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, was overrun by the Islamic State group and allied rebel groups last month
The Iraqi army units stationed in the city, most of whom were Shia, fled after the group crossed from Syria and attacked the north of Iraq.

Before the attack, Mosul's Christian community was estimated at 3,000. Many are believed to have already fled the city as part of an exodus of up to one-third of the population. Those who fled reported that churches and Christian-owned shops in the city were smashed.

The Islamic State's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, held a sermon in Mosul's grand mosque two weeks ago, calling on all Muslims to unite behind his group.

The Islamic State, formerly known as ISIL, has issued similar demands in areas it control in Syria, and has posted pictures of Christians being crucified for disobeying orders in Raqqa.

Church leader‎s in Iraq have not responded to the threats officially.

Nickolay Mladenov, the head of the UN assistance mission In Iraq, condemned the order.

"Any persecution of minorities constitutes a crime against humanity and we urge all sides to protect civilians. We have produced a report listing attacks on civilians ‎and have brought this up at the highest levels of the Iraqi government."


Iraq Christians told to convert or face death - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

 

[rockstar08]

Self proclaimed Khalifa at his best

 

[1000]

None would have happened if the army recruits would receive 5-6 months intensive training instead of the 2 day training course most of them get, they're lucky if they get the planned 'intensive' 2 week course.

Considering their training level ( 2 days ) there will be need for foreign forces, Americans most likely to push IS out of the cities as the local tribes and Naqshabandi got their asses handed to them.

 

[TruthSeeker]

So what is new? Typical behavior of Muslim rulers throughout history.

Also in the news:

12:37 p.m. Saturday, July 19, 2014 | Posted: 12:37 p.m. Saturday, July 19, 2014

Extremists kill more than 100 in northeast Nigeria
By HARUNA UMAR

The Associated Press

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria —

Boko Haram extremists have killed more than 100 people and hoisted their black and white flag over a town left undefended by Nigeria's military, just 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the northeastern state capital of Maiduguri, a civil defense spokesman and a human rights advocate said Saturday.

Hundreds of villagers in another northeast area, Askira Uba, are fleeing after receiving letters from the Islamic extremists threatening to attack and take over their areas, spokesman Abbas Gava of the Nigerian Vigilante Group said.

"Nine major villages are on the run," he said.

Survivors said Saturday that insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades and lobbed homemade bombs into homes, and then gunned down people as they tried to escape the fires in the attack on Damboa town launched before dawn Friday. Most of the town has burned down, they said.

A human rights advocate said the extremists struck again as people were trying to bury the dead later Friday, and said the death toll is probably much higher than 100. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to reporters.

The only defense came from vigilantes armed with clubs and homemade rifles, Gava said.

The town had been under siege for two weeks since Boko Haram dislodged soldiers from a new tank battalion camp on its outskirts. It seemed that instead of offering protection, the camp drew the wrath of the extremists.

The Defense Ministry had claimed to have repelled the attack and killed at least 50 insurgents for the loss of six soldiers including the commanding officer. But locals said many soldiers were killed and the military was driven from the base. They said the extremists twice have ambushed military convoys trying to reach the base in the past week.

The militants had cut off access to the town from the south on Monday when they blew up a bridge further south. Damboa is on the main road south from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, and at a strategic crossroads for farmers to bring their produce to market.

Hundreds of thousands of farmers have been driven from their lands in the 5-year-old insurgency, and officials have been warning of imminent food shortages.

Both Nigeria's military and Boko Haram have been claiming victories on the battlefield in the rapidly spreading Islamic insurgency in Africa's most populous nation and biggest oil producer.

Boko Haram has attracted international condemnation for the abductions of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls who have been held in captivity for 3 months.

The insurgents have increased the number and deadliness of attacks this year, particularly in their stronghold in the northeast, though they also have detonated bombs as far away as Lagos, the commercial capital in the southwest. Human Rights Watch published a report this week which said the insurgency has killed at least 2,053 civilians in an estimated 95 attacks during the first half of 2014. That compares to an estimated 3,600 people killed in the first four years of the insurgency.

Boko Haram wants to enforce an Islamic state in Nigeria though half the country's population of 170 million is Christian.


Extremists kill more than 100 in northeast Nigeria | www.wokv.com

 

[Hussein]

So what is new? Typical behavior of Muslim rulers throughout history.

stupid comment , but coming from you no surprise.

mods?

 

[samy1618]

Islamic State group tells Christian community in Mosul they face death if they do not embrace Islam or pay tax.

The Islamic State group has threatened Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul with death if they do not convert to Islam or pay a tax, Al Jazeera has learned.

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".

Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, was overrun by the Islamic State group and allied rebel groups last month
The Iraqi army units stationed in the city, most of whom were Shia, fled after the group crossed from Syria and attacked the north of Iraq.

Before the attack, Mosul's Christian community was estimated at 3,000. Many are believed to have already fled the city as part of an exodus of up to one-third of the population. Those who fled reported that churches and Christian-owned shops in the city were smashed.

The Islamic State's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, held a sermon in Mosul's grand mosque two weeks ago, calling on all Muslims to unite behind his group.

The Islamic State, formerly known as ISIL, has issued similar demands in areas it control in Syria, and has posted pictures of Christians being crucified for disobeying orders in Raqqa.

Church leader‎s in Iraq have not responded to the threats officially.

Nickolay Mladenov, the head of the UN assistance mission In Iraq, condemned the order.

"Any persecution of minorities constitutes a crime against humanity and we urge all sides to protect civilians. We have produced a report listing attacks on civilians ‎and have brought this up at the highest levels of the Iraqi government."


Iraq Christians told to convert or face death - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

And this is how Islam was spread in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippians, Indonesia n others countries.. Just by pure aggression n bully not by love n peace ....
And now they all think that they all r the descendent of a grt civilizations but had forgotten that how their beloved ancestors were forced n bitten up n threatened to be assassinated , or were raped to death ..with only one choice of being converted to Islam. Here I am not against this beautiful n grt religion but against the ppl who have used n twisted the religion to suit for themselves ...as dictators

 

[the just]

And this is how Islam was spread in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippians, Indonesia n others countries.. Just by pure aggression n bully not by love n peace ....
And now they all think that they all r the descendent of a grt civilizations but had forgotten that how their beloved ancestors were forced n bitten up n threatened to be assassinated , or were raped to death ..with only one choice of being converted to Islam. Here I am not against this beautiful n grt religion but against the ppl who have used n twisted the religion to suit for themselves ...as dictators

Whaaat? Where in history of the south Asia did this happen?in some cases may have been .politically or in time of war,but the way you said it sounded like all these people where in concentration camps and Muslims forced them to revert.
Funny how that can be done?for millions of locals there were like few thousand of Muslims.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Christians join refugee rush into Kurdistan to escape jihadist ultimatum

PUBLISHED : Sunday, 20 July, 2014, 6:35am
UPDATED : Sunday, 20 July, 2014, 6:35am

• 

Kurdish President Jalal Talabani flew home after 18 months abroad for medical treatment.

Hundreds of Christian families fled their homes in Mosul yesterday as a jihadist ultimatum threatening their community's centuries-old presence in the northern Iraqi city expired.

President Jalal Talabani flew home after 18 months abroad for medical treatment but restricted access at the airport in his Kurdish fiefdom of Sulaimaniyah offered no clue as to his health.

There was little hope in any case that the 80-year-old's return could buck Iraq's downward spiral as bickering politicians prepared to pick his successor and the country's worst crisis in years reaped its daily harvest of dead and wounded.

In Mosul, the main Iraqi hub of the Islamic State group's proclaimed "caliphate", Christians squeezed into private cars and taxis to beat the noon deadline.

"Some families have had all their money and jewellery taken from them at an insurgent checkpoint as they fled the city," said Abu Rayan, a Mosul Christian who drove out with his family.

The jihadists, who have run the city since a sweeping military offensive that began six weeks ago, had told the thousands of Christians in Mosul they could convert, pay a special tax or leave.

An earlier statement by Mosul's new rulers had said there would be "nothing for them but the sword" if Christians did not abide by those conditions.

While some families initially appeared prepared to pay the "jizya" Islamic tribute to stay in their homes, messages broadcast by mosques on Friday sparked an exodus.

A teacher who gave his name only as Fadi was among a handful who had decided to stay.

"I'm staying. I already feel dead," he said moments before the deadline ran out. "Only my soul remains, and if they want to take that I don't have a problem."

Chaldean patriarch Louis Sako, who heads the largest Christian community in Iraq, estimated there were still 25,000 Christians in Mosul on Thursday.

The Iraqi Red Crescent said at least 200 families had fled yesterday.

"This is ethnic cleansing but nobody is speaking up," Yonadam Kanna, Iraq's most prominent Christian politician, said.

Many of the displaced have sought the safety of the neighbouring Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, where Talabani was welcomed by his entourage off the private aircraft that flew him back from Germany.

Christians join refugee rush into Kurdistan to escape jihadist ultimatum | South China Morning Post

 

[samy1618]

Whaaat? Where in history of the south Asia did this happen?in some cases may have been .politically or in time of war,but the way you said it sounded like all these people where in concentration camps and Muslims forced them to revert.
Funny how that can be done?for millions of locals there were like few thousand of Muslims.

All these thing happen from 700 AD till this date with a lot of emphasis on forcefull conversions rather than peaceful living .. It's all over the history that what I had said earlier is the main force and if u still have problems in facing the truth about ur ancestral history tyen I might dig up more relevant facts concerning u n ur past ...but only when u r interested to listen n not for trolling or abusing each others great religions as religions dont tech us to force others to converge but the ppl who made their own understanding with false assumptions do these atrocities

 

[punit]

well nothing wrong ! in khilafat u have to pay extra for the benefit of the faithfuls. that's it.protest ! what protest?

 

[Burger Boy]

These filthy, ungrateful kafirs should thank the mujahideen for inviting them to the true deen of Allah and his prophets.

God Bless the Mujahideen! Allah Hu Akbar!

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

They are not Iraqi insurgents, they are ISIS whom are our (Muslims) greatest threat at the moment. They cause so much damage to Islam, Muslims and Islamic countries more than anybody else.

 

[Gunsnroses]

And this is how Islam was spread.....

Although I condemn these and all kinds/sorts/forms of such militant organisations but your comment lacks integrity and proof in turn a blatant mendacious fallacy and nothing more than that. Just for a moment, think that why these butchers are active in the areas of interest of US and Co only? Why, for instance, they do not just go help Hamas' movement against Israel provided that they think Hamas is fighting for a genuine cause?

These filthy, ungrateful kafirs should thank the mujahideen for inviting to the true deen of Allah and his prophets.

God Bless the Mujahideen! Allah Hu Akbar!

Sorry mate, they are not calling people to the true religion but the religion built on their OWN whims and wills. They are also not blessed.

 

[Vaqas Iqbal]

Isn't it all too too old to be discussed as whatsoever you may be trying to propose as a reason for an ongoing war around the world. The reality has actually been foretold in all major religions which along time and an age of misinformation has grown into the basic psychological conflict we want to create through our modern opinion sharing platforms?

It is religious no matter what any one says so we all should get back to establishing a connection.


Peace be upon you all

 

[shuntmaster]

I suppose this is completely in accordance with islamic sharia laws..