ISIS knocks down the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq

The ISIS jihadist group has completely destroyed a 1,400 year old Christian monastery in Iraq, the oldest of its kind in the country.

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The monastery had survived as a place of Christian worship for almost one and a half millenia, predating Islam itself and had only suffered superficial damage throughout the country's most recent conflicts.

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The historically significant site had 26 distinct rooms including a sanctuary and chapel. It still had niches where monks used to tuck candles, and the fourth century Greek 'Chi-Rho' symbol with sign of Christ was still visible, reports The Independent.

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The site was recently used as a place of worship for US troops in Iraq, but fell into ISIS hands in June 2014.