ISIS jihadis destroy oldest Christian monastery in Iraq

All that is left of the historic St Elijah’s Monastery of Mosul is a field of rubble, according to Satellite snaps.

Rev Paul Thabit Habib, 39, said: "I can't describe my sadness.

"Our Christian history in Mosul is being barbarically levelled. We see it as an attempt to expel us from Iraq, eliminating and finishing our existence in this land."

The future of the landmark site is still in doubt after the extremist group ripped through the building.

The fanatics also largely cut communications to the area.

ISIS – which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria – has killed thousands of civilians and forced out hundreds of thousands of Christians.

Sick jihadis have destroyed buildings and ruined historical buildings which they consider to be against their theory of Islam.

The monastery has joined a list of more than 100 demolished religious and historic sites, including mosques, tombs, shrines and churches in Syria and Iraq.

Daesh fighters have defaced or ruined ancient monuments in Nineveh, Palmyra and Hatra and even bulldozed a monastery in Homs.

Rev Manuel Yousif Boji, who visited St Elijah almost 60 years ago, said: "A big part of tangible history has been destroyed.

"These persecutions have happened to our church more than once, but we believe in the power of truth, the power of God.”

Stephen Wood, imagery analyst, believes the heartless destruction took place between August 27 and September 28, 2014.

He said: "One month later the stone walls have been literally pulverised.

"Bulldozers, heavy equipment, sledgehammers, possibly explosives turned those stone walls into this field of grey-white dust.

"They destroyed it completely, there's nothing to rebuild."

Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said: "Unfortunately, there is this systemic destruction of precious sites, not only cultural, but also religious and spiritual. It's very sad and dramatic."

Catholic priest and military chaplain Jeffrey Whorton said: "It was a sacred place. We literally bent down physically to enter, an acquiescence to the reality that there was something greater going on inside.”

(dailystar.co.uk)