US Strongly Condemns Destruction of Der Zor Church by ISIS

The first photos of the Der Zor Church destruction

YEREVAN—The U.S. Embassy in Armenia issued a statement condemning the destruction of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Der Zor, avoiding the term “genocide” that appears in the name of the church.
The first photos of Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Der Zor blown up by ISIS emerged on Sept. 24.

The statement read:

U.S. Embassy Yerevan joins the government and people of Armenia in strongly condemning the destruction of the Armenian Church in Deir Ez-zor, Syria.

This senseless act of destruction demonstrates yet again the utter disregard the terrorist organization ISIL has for the rich religious and cultural heritage of the Middle East.

As Secretary Kerry has stated, ISIL has systematically committed abuses of human rights and international law and presents a global terrorist threat. Faced with this threat, the United States urges the international community to strengthen our united effort to degrade and destroy ISIL.

Aram Hamparian, the executive director of the ANCA, reacted to the statement’s avoidance of the term “genocide.” He said, “The U.S. Embassy in Armenia strongly condemned the bombing of the Armenian Church and Genocide Memorial at Der Zor, Syria, but—very conspicuously, and clearly under instruction from the White House—failed to either mention the very reason for this holy site’s existence, the #Armenian #Genocide, or to challenge the profoundly deadly threat that those who destroyed it (and their allies in Ankara) are sending to the Armenian nation.”