YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. The U.S. Representative for California's 16th congressional district Jim Costa strictly condemned the destruction of the Saint Martyrs Armenian Church in Deir el-Zor by the militants representing the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria–ISIS. The incident occurred on September 21 at 11.30 o’clock. As reports “Armenpress”, the U.S. Representative for California's 16th congressional district Jim Costa made a note on this on Twitter: “Strongly condemn the reported desecration of an Armenian Genocide memorial in Syria by ISIL.”

Previously it was reported that Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian issued a statement on the destruction of the Saint Martyrs Armenian Church in Deir el-Zor, Syria.

“We strongly condemn the explosion by terrorists of the Saint Martyrs Armenian Church in Deir el-Zor, dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide, which housed the remains of its many victims.

This horrible barbarity against a holy site yet again demonstrates the savage nature of the so called “Islamic state” terrorist group.

The international community should immediately stop, eradicate this plague, which threatens to civilized world and should uproot the channels of its financing, support and sponsorship,” the Minister said.

The opening of the memorial and consecration of the St. Martyrs Armenian Church took place in 1991 by Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Karekin II, and in 24 April 2002 it was proclaimed as a national place of pilgrimage by Catholics Aram I.