Fighters from the Islamic State reportedly desecrated an Armenian Genocide memorial complex in the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, near the site where vast numbers of Armenian refugees were forced to march to their deaths in the early 20th century, Lebanese media outlet Al Mayadeen TV reported.
The Der Zor Memorial Church contains the remains of victims of the Armenian Genocide and is often compared to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland.
Hundreds of thousands of Armenians were said to have died during the march to Deir ez-Zor, which was ordered by Ottoman Turk soldiers.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian condemned the destruction of the church and called on the international community to combat the Islamic State, which, he said, “threatened civilized mankind,” Armenian news outlets reported.
The Armenian Genocide Memorial Church served as a pilgrimage site for Armenians in Syria, and every year, on April 24, special commemoration ceremonies attended by thousands of people would be held at the site.
The complex housed, in addition to the church, a museum, monument and archive.
"Wapiganaji wa Islamic State waliripotiwa kuharibu jengo la ukumbusho wa mauaji ya kimbari ya Waarmenia katika mji wa Deir ez-Zor mashariki mwa Syria, karibu na eneo ambapo idadi kubwa ya wakimbizi wa Kiarmenia walilazimishwa ""kuandamana"" hadi kifo chao mwanzoni mwa karne ya 20, ""Al-Mayadeen TV"" iliripoti." Kanisa la Ukumbusho la Der Zor lina mabaki ya waathirika wa mauaji ya kimbari ya Waarmenia na mara nyingi linalinganishwa na kambi ya mauaji ya Auschwitz nchini Poland. Maelfu ya watu wa Armenia waliuawa katika maandamano ya Deir ez-Zor, ambayo yaliamriwa na askari wa Uturuki wa Ottoman. Waziri wa mambo ya nje wa Armenia Edward Nalbandian amehukumu uharibifu wa kanisa hilo na kuitisha jamii ya kimataifa kupambana na kundi la Islamic State, ambalo, alisema, "linatishia ubinadamu wenye ustaarabu", vyombo vya habari vya Armenia viliripoti. Kanisa la Ukumbusho wa Mauaji ya Kimbari ya Waarmenia lilikuwa mahali pa kuabudu kwa Waarmenia nchini Syria, na kila mwaka, Aprili 24, sherehe maalum za ukumbusho zilikuwa zikifanyika katika eneo hilo. Jengo hilo lilikuwa na jumba la makumbusho, jumba la kumbukumbu, na hifadhi ya kumbukumbu.