This week ISIS militants launched a wave of attacks on a series of Christian villages in Syria, burning churches and taking hundreds of hostages. Faith groups continued raising alarms about ISIS violence plaguing the region. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the US to give religious minorities in the Middle East more protection. The group cited Pope Francis, saying it was permissible to use force to stop these “unjust aggressors.” Meanwhile, a video was released online this week showing ISIS militants in Iraq destroying priceless Assyrian artifacts dating back to the 7th century. In the video, the men called the statues idols.