Christian town captured by ISIS and citizens used as human shields

ISIS has recaptured Mosul and a Christian village.

We are subjected to every kind of hardship, but never distressed; we see no way out but we never despair; we are pursued but never cut off; knocked down, but still have some life in us; always we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus, too, may be visible in our body. - 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - ISIS has taken Mosul and several surrounding villages and towns, one of which is a predominantly Christian town.

Militants in the Christian town have been holding down the fort despite heavy gunfire fights with Iraqi-led forces.

With help from Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga fighters, a Christian paramilitary group forced ISIS to the center of Qaraqosh, where airstrikes continue to wipe them out.

Meanwhile, ISIS took up its habit of fighting while using human shields - whether they be children, pregnant women or teenagers.

Iraqi Kurdish President Massoud Barzani explained: "We would have loved to have a political plan along with a military plan, how to manage Mosul, how to administer Mosul, because Mosul has a variety of religions, with ethnicities...[but that] would have taken a longer time. We are looking for a good solution for Mosul."

US, British and Iraqi forces have successfully cornered high-ranking ISIS leaders, including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who is believed to be completely trapped within Mosul.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis explained fanatics have been preventing 1.5 million residents from escaping.

People are being held in Mosul "against their will" and coalition forces are aware they're "being used as human shields."

CNN suggested it would take months of bloody fighting to free the city, but with the ISIS leader holing up within it, who can say?

Please pray for the safety of Christian and other innocents being held against their wills. Pray for an end to ISIS and for a lasting peace in the Middle East.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online