Iraqi Christians driven from their homes by ISIS have formed their own militia and are fighting alongside their "Muslim brothers" to retake their homeland from the extremists.
The 1,000-strong Babylonian Brigades is the only Christian militia under the Shiite-dominated umbrella group of volunteer fighters known as the Popular Mobilization Forces — and they're out for revenge.
ISIS "displaced us from our houses, they took our money, killed our young men and women and they took our properties," the group's commander, Rayan Al-Kildani, told NBC News. "Therefore, Christians decided to fight the terrorists of ISIS."
"By the will of God we will avenge what happened to our community," he added.
Al-Kildani said there was no room for religious differences on the battlefield.
"ISIS terrorists do not differentiate among Christians, Muslims, Sunnis and Shiites — they kill everyone," he said. "We have to help our Muslim brothers liberate Iraq."
Abu Yasser, a 53-year-old former Iraqi Army officer now fighting in the brigades, explained that the battlefield unity was just the latest chapter in a historically harmonious relationship. Christians served alongside Muslims — both Sunni and Shiite — in the country's army under former leader Saddam Hussein.
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