A Christian activist group called on the Trump administration Friday to grant Yazidis and Christians fleeing Islamic State-held territories special designation as victims of genocide and allow them to enter the United States, Voice of America reports.
“All of these Yazidis, all of these Christians, all of these Armenian people that are fleeing genocide should be given priority entry in the United States,” said Philippe Nassif, executive director of In Defense of Christians (IDC), a Washington-based nonprofit group.
“Not because we favor them more,” he said, “but because they are at risk of being wiped out completely.”
Nassif, his supporters and members of a broader anti-genocide coalition issued their call in person, descending on the U.S. Capitol to mark the first anniversary of the United States’ official recognition of acts of genocide by Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
One year ago, then-Secretary of State John Kerry declared Islamic State ideologically, actively genocidal in its treatment of Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims. The statement came shortly after the House of Representatives voted 393-0, recognizing acts of genocide.
According to genocide survivors, official recognition and military operations against Islamic State are the first steps in a much longer process.
“About 1,000 Yazidi kids are still being held by ISIS,” Yazidi genocide survivor Nadia Murad told VOA’s Armenian service, using an acronym for the Islamic State, which is also known as IS, ISIL and Daesh.
“Most of them are in Syria, and they have been trained and brainwa...
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