Civilnet
After a three-day Christian conference “In Defense of Christians” in Washington, D.C., spiritual leaders of the Armenian Apostolic, Greek Catholic, Middle Eastern Maronite, Syrian Orthodox and Catholic Churches met with President Barack Obama, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and other White House staff, on September 11 to discuss the current volatile situation in the Middle East.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, addressed Obama by offering his condolences for the victims of 9/11, in honor of the 13th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil. He reminded the American president that terrorism still continues today, noting the current climate in the Middle East, focusing on Iraq, which was the main subject of the Christian conference. He said that the Christian population has deep roots in the Middle East and should not be considered as second class citizens. His Holiness called on Obama to make “collective and concerted efforts to combat extremism,” reports armenianorthodoxchurch.org.
The meeting comes just one day after President Obama addressed the State Floor of the White House vowing to “degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy”. He went on to say, “In a region that has known so much bloodshed, these terrorists are unique in their brutality. They execute captured prisoners. They kill children. They enslave, rape, and force women into marriage. They threatened a religious minority with genocide. And in acts of barbarism, they took the lives of two American journalists -- Jim Foley and Steven Sotloff.”
Aina.org reports that after taking over Mosul on June 10, ISIS has since moved into Assyrian territories forcing 200,000 Assyrians out of their homes seeking refuge in church courtyards, refugee camps, abandoned buildings, fields, and even sidewalks in Ankawa, Arbel, Dohuk, and its surrounding areas.
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