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Iraqi Television Host Weeps Over Persecution Of Christians: 'They Are Our Countrymen'

Rebecca Bellecci August 20, 2014 03:46 PM EST

Displaced families from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing the violence in the Iraqi town of Sinjarl west of Mosul, arrive at Dohuk province, August 4, 2014. | (Photo: Reuters/Ari Jala)

An Iraqi television host has reportedly cried on-air regarding the persecution of Christians in Iraq, saying the religious minority is "our own flesh and blood" in the Middle Eastern country.

Iraqi television Host Nahi Mahdi discussed the plight of Christians in Iraq on Asia TV in late July, saying Islamic State militants have no right to drive Christians from their homeland. "Yes, the Christians," Mahdi said, adding "Today [â€¦] I cried at home."

"They are our own flesh and blood," Mahdi continued, "Some of them have left for Sweden or Germany [â€¦] Who does [the Islamic State] think it is to drive out our fellow countrymen?"

Another panelist on the show chimed in to support Mahdi's argument, saying "[It is terrible] when people come and force you to leave your home."

"This is what happened to the Christians today."

Since the Isamic State first announced its caliphate against the Iraqi government in June, it has successfully forced out hundreds of thousands of Christians from their villages, including Iraq's second largest city of Mosul, which previously served as a historically-rich hamlet for Christians in a predominately Muslim nation.

Islamic State militants, a jihadist group that is an offshoot of al-Qaeda, are seeking to establish a Medieval interpretation of Shari'ah law in Iraq and beyond. They have demanded that any non-Muslim citizens of Iraq either convert to Islam, pay a tax, or die.

Recently, the U.S. has engaged in airstrikes on Islamic State convoys to kill militants and destroy their weapons. The airstrikes have been effective in aiding Kurdish forces in their fight against the Islamic State, but a video posted to YouTube on Tuesday shows an Islamic State militant beheading kidnapped American journalist James Foley as retribution for the recent airstrikes, saying more will be killed if President Obama does not call off the attacks.

Obama responded by saying the U.S. will not let up in its push against the Islamic State, calling the jihadist group a "cancer" that must be stopped.

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