An Iraqi nun displaced by the Islamic extremist group ISIS testified before Congress that Christians in her country are having their identity wiped from the earth.

Sister Diana Momeka told the House Foreign Affairs Committee she is one of 120,000 civilians who had to leave their homes and property behind to flee from the terrorists’ takeover of the Mosul region.  She said that Iraqi Christians are in “dire need” of assistance to liberate their land.

Momeka said that Christians were the first to settle the Nineheh Plains and that the only Christians left in the area are the ones who were unable to escape the terrorists.

“Why should we leave our country? What have we done? The Christians of Iraq are the first people of the land,” Momeka said. “Uprooted and forcefully displaced, we have realized that ISIS’ plan is to evacuate the land of Christians and wipe the earth clean of any evidence that we existed. This is cultural and human genocide. The only Christians that remain in the Plain of Nineveh are those who are held hostage.”

Momeka admitted Christians have faced persecution for centuries, but that it’s currently worse than it’s ever been in the region.

“While our ancestors experienced all kinds of persecution, they stayed in their land, building a culture that has served humanity for the ages,” Momeka stated. “But the current persecution that our community is facing is the most brutal in our history. Not only have we been robbed of our homes, property and land, but our heritage is being destroyed as well. ISIS has and continues to demolish and bomb our churches, cultural artifacts and sacred places like Mar Behnam and his Sister Sara, a fourth century monastery, and St. George’s Monastery in Mosul.”