The U.S. Department of State slammed the reported Islamic State siege of several Syrian villages and subsequent abduction of 150 Christian men, women and children, calling it an act of “evil” and insisting such violence needs to stop — but that most terror victims have been Muslims.
The department also fell shy of labeling the terror attack and kidnapping as rooted in anti-Christian sentiment, suggesting it was simply one of several that the Islamic State had conducted against those of all faiths — especially Muslims.
“ISIL’s latest targeting of a religious minority is only further testament to its brutal and inhumane treatment of all those who disagree with its divisive goals and toxic beliefs,” said U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, Agence France-Presse reported. “ISIL continues to exact its evil upon innocents of all faiths and the majority of its victims have been Muslims.”
Ms. Psaki also said that the United States was fully committed “to leading the international coalition to degrade and defeat ISIL and to working towards a negotiated political solution that stops the bloodshed and secures a future of freedom, justice and dignity for all Syrians,” she said, AFP reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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