The Armenian Selîb Church that ISIS turned into a military base has been restored and reopened as a place of worship by the city’s Armenian population 3 years after its liberation.

ISIS gangs had burned images of Jesus Christ and other icons in the church after they invaded the city and removed the cross on the roof of the church. Part of the church was used as a prison by the gangs, and the remaining part was used for weapons training and meetings. During the ISIS invasion, Armenians were not allowed acts of worship in the city, so the Christian population had been forced to conduct their rites and rituals in their homes in secret.

After the city was liberated, the Armenians launched efforts to restore the church, which has now been completed and a new cross has been placed on the roof of the church.

Armenian Girê Spî resident Losyan Matosyan said they repaired the church with support from the Armenians of the city, and added that there are still parts of the church that need further restoration. Matosyan added that they had been deprived of their religious rituals during the ISIS invasion.

Matosyan said they found several needles and pills inside the church during the works, and that ISIS gangs used for weapons training the very place the congregation used for education in their mother tongue.

Matosyan concluded by saying they put up a new cross on the roof of the church and that the community is now free to practice their religion as they please.