Washington, DC: August 26, 2016. (PCP) Ancient Christian populations across the Middle East, once part of vibrant, multi-ethnic communities, have decreased significantly because of on-going sectarian violence and persecution in Iraq and Syria. Decades of war and the rise of ISIS have made it difficult for Christians and other ethno-religious communities to survive in the region. In March, the United States government, after months of lobbying by In Defense of Christians, declared ISIS guilty of perpetrating genocide against Christians, Yazidis, Shia and Sunni Kurds in territories under ISIS control. Despite this designation, the violence and decimation continues. In addition, the Syrian civil war has unleashed a slew of sectarian violence against the Christian community, which is tragically caught in the crossfire of the conflict. IRAQ: Iraq is home to one of the oldest, continuous Christian communities in the world. Liturgies in Iraq are often conducted in Aramaic, the ancient language spoken by Jesus Christ. Prior to 2003, Christians were one of the largest ethnic minorities in Iraq, estimated to have numbered around 1.5 million. By June 2014, an estimated two-thirds of the pre-2003 Christian community had fled the country. Approximately 400,000 Christians remained in Iraq before ISIS began its genocidal campaign to cleanse them and other religious minorities from the country. At present, only 200,000 Christians remain in country, predominately as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) within the borders of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). The living conditions of these Christians, now classified as IDPs, are unsustainable. Families—sometimes as many as ten people—are crammed into un-ventilated 3x5 meter caravans that serve as kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. People are struggling with a number of medical and mental illnesses that are not being addressed. Experts estimate that if nothing is done to help this community, there will be no indigenous Christians left in Iraq within five years. SYRIA: Christians have lived in Syria since the first century and it is one of the few places where the language of Christ (Aramaic) is still spoken by the local Christian population. Before the Syrian civil war and the rise of ISIS, Christians comprised about 10 percent of the Syrian population. Some estimate that the Christian community now numbers less than 8 percent, but journalists and activists on the ground say it is much, much lower. Most of these remaining Christians live in government-controlled territories around Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and the Hasakeh Governorate in northeastern Syria. Within Syria, ISIS has killed and kidnapped Christians and destroyed or shuttered all churches in its territories. An overwhelming majority of other opposition groups are also Islamist in nature and aim; and in many opposition-controlled areas, societal respect for Christianity has decreased.