ISIS Shoots and Beheads 30 Ethiopian Christians on Video; Promises Further 'Revenge' for 'Shed Muslim Blood'
Terror group ISIS has released a new video showing the slaughter of two groups of Ethiopian Christians in Libya, numbering 30 people in total. ISIS warned "the nation of the cross" that more killings are to come, vowing further "revenge" for what it called "shed Muslim blood" in the region.
CNN noted that the 30-minute video, titled "Until There Came to Them Clear Evidence," shows two groups of captives being executed in two different locations in Libya. The men in one of the groups were apparently shot to death, the others were beheaded.
A narrator says: "All praise be to Allah, the lord and cherisher of the world, and may peace and blessings be upon the prophet Muhammed. To the nation of the cross, we are back again on the sands, where the companions of the prophet, peace be upon him, have stepped on before, telling you: Muslim blood that was shed under the hands of your religion is not cheap."
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The voice continues: "In fact, their blood is the purest blood because there is a nation behind them (which) inherits revenge. And we swear to Allah: the one who disgraced you by our hands, you will not have safety, even in your dreams, until you embrace Islam."
The latest ISIS production makes reference to the slaughter of 21 Coptic Christians in February, which was titled "A Message Signed with Blood to the Nation of the Cross."
ISIS has captured a number of cities across Iraq and Syria in its mission to establish and Islamic Caliphate, but has also moved into other countries, such as Libya.
The Islamic militants have targeted Christians and other minorities in their attacks, and have blamed western powers for destabilizing the region and causing civilian deaths by way of airstrikes.
The U.S. and a broad coalition of allies have hit back against terror targets across Iraq and Syria, but have not sent any ground troops to fight the jihadists.
The White House condemned the latest mass slaughter, which comes a day after Afghanistan's government blamed ISIS for a separate suicide attack in the country that killed at least 35 people.
"We express our condolences to the families of the victims and our support to the Ethiopian government and people as they grieve for their fellow citizens," National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said in a statement.
"That these terrorists killed these men solely because of their faith lays bare the terrorists' vicious, senseless brutality."
As for the murdered Ethiopians, an official with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church's Patriarchate Office told The Associated Press that the men were likely migrants traveling northward to Libya.
"I believe this is just another case of the IS group killing Christians in the name of Islam. Our fellow citizens have just been killed on a faith-based violence that is totally unacceptable. This is outrageous," Abba Kaletsidk Mulugeta said. "No religion orders the killing of other people, even people from another religion."
Earlier in April, ISIS asked for $30 million to free up to 300 Assyrian Christians it has been holding captive since February. The Assyrians were captured after several village raids, and though a handful of them were later released, ISIS has warned the remaining captives will be killed unless they receive $100,000 per individual.
An officer within the Assyrian leadership said that it is up to the international community to help, as the Assyrians do not have such money.
"They know we cannot come up with this kind of money, so they are hoping other groups and countries will come up with the money," the official said.
