Security Council Press Statement on Abduction of Syrian Christians by ISIL

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Liu Jieyi (China):

The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the abduction of more than 100 Assyrians by ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] (Da’esh) on 23 February 2015 in the north-east of Syria as well as destruction and desecration of Christian and other religious sites.  Such crimes once again demonstrate the brutality of ISIL which is responsible for thousands of crimes and abuses against people from all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities and without regard to any basic value of humanity.

The members of the Security Council strongly condemned all acts of violence against civilians including those committed on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or belief.

The members of the Security Council demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all those abducted by ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, and stressed that those responsible for such heinous acts must be held accountable.