Islamic State executes 20 Christians as warning to believers

The so-called Islamic State has released a video showing the execution of 20 suspected Christians.

Islamic State executes 20 Christians as warning to believers. The video was published on the news channel of the terrorist group Amaq.

The BBC’s surveillance service said the executioners were from the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) and the detainees were from Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno.

ISIS called the executions a warning to “Christians all over the world” and said “jihadists will fight them… for centuries.”

The video shows the men being divided into three groups and shot dead by four masked extremists.

After the second group was executed, a militant said, “We will not stop until we avenge our brothers and sisters on Christians around the world.”

According to the BBC, ISIS said the killing was “revenge” for the death of an ISIS spokesman and former Syrian leader in February.

Joe Newhouse, spokesman for Open Doors in sub-Saharan Africa, said the video was meant to sow fear among Christians.

He praised the heroism of those who were killed.

“There are no words to describe the horror and heartbreak the families of these men went through,” he said.

“But while ISWAP wants to sow fear with these videos, Christians around the world should admire the testimony of these people who, as far as we know, have defended their faith even in the face of execution.

ISWAP is the same group that arrested Christian teenager Leah Sharibou. He was kidnapped from his school in Dapchi, Yobe five years ago and remains in custody after allegedly refusing to convert to Islam.

Last month, ISWAP carried out a deadly attack on a market town in Iweer, Taraba, in the northeast of the country. In a statement issued by Telegram, the group said the attacks were aimed at “a gathering of disloyal Christians”.

Newhouse said the growing influence of violent jihadist groups in Nigeria was a “serious problem” and that “entire communities” had been “traumatized and destroyed”.

“This video is a call for decisive action by local governments and the international community to address the many factors that create fertile ground for further radicalization that allows these groups to thrive,” he said.

Source: opera news