Thousands of Christians are being persecuted by the Islamic State (Isis) who use churches as torture chambers where Christians are forced to convert to Islam or are killed, a faith-based human rights group said.

According to the report released by the Christian Freedom International, Christians are being singled out in Isis-controlled areas in Iraq, where they face the option of either converting to Islam or get slaughtered by Isis.

The report published in Express.co.uk, noted that a Christian is killed every five minutes in Iraq by Isis and other terror groups. "Islamic State Militants in Iraq are using Christian churches as torture chambers where they force Christians to either convert to Islam or die, " Jim Jacobson, the president of the faith-based human rights group said.

Since taking over large swathes of area in Syria and Iraq, Isis, a Sunni group, has repeatedly targeted minorities in the region. Earlier this month, Isis captured Qaryatain and within days after taking over the Syria city, it destroyed an ancient Catholic church and threw away the remains of a revered saint.

The Sunni terror group, then gave an ultimatum to the Christians in Qaryatain to either pay exorbitant taxes, convert to Islam or leave.

In August, reports emerged that Isis killed a Christian priest in Syria and cut off his body into pieces, before sending it back to his family in a box.

According to Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic relief agency, Isis kidnapped the priest in Syria and asked for a ransom of $120,000 from the family. The family managed to raise the ransom money after two months but even after paying it, the terror group brutally killed the Catholic priest.

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