With wooden crosses around their necks and others tattooed on their arms, several dozen Iraqi Christians are training to recapture their homes overrun by the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group.
A year ago, ISIS launched a fierce offensive in northern Iraq, quickly capturing second city Mosul, with its large Christian minority, and Christian-populated areas in the surrounding Nineveh province.
Residents were given the choice of converting to Islam, paying a tax to continue practicing their faith, or death.
Thousands fled, but some want to fight back, and are now training at a military base near the Baghdad airport.
They have Shi’ite Muslim fighters instructing them on how to use their Kalashnikov assault rifles and on the basics of combat maneuvers, but they are vocal in their Christianity on parade, chanting “Ya Mariam (O Mary)” in cadence as they march in a salute to the mother of Jesus.
“We heard that the Christians had an opportunity for jihad (holy war), and we all came and volunteered,” said 17-year-old Chaldean Christian Frank Samir.
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