I write this to bring to your attention the plight of my fellow Assyrians in Northern Iraq and Syria.
Assyrians, the indigenous people of Mesopotamia, are a Christian minority that have been targeted by IS for their distinct ethnicity and their Christian religion.
As adherents to one of the most ancient churches in the Christian world, the Assyrians have inherited churches, monasteries and libraries that house books, manuscripts and cultural artifacts that are unique in the world. They provide a window to the development of early Christian thought and divergences.
As an American interested in the plight of the Assyrians in the Middle East, I would like to urge the government of the United States to lead an effort to help avert another humanitarian catastrophe in the making.