ISIS Captured Iraq's Largest Christian Town, Dam

IS fighters have also taken Iraq's largest dam, the Mosul dam complex, which supplies much of Iraq's water.

Iraq's largest Christian town, Qaraqosh, was seized over night by Islamic State militants, as Kurdish forces were forced to withdraw. IS fighters have also taken Iraq's largest dam, the Mosul dam complex, which supplies much of Iraq's water.

In the face of the IS advance, at least a quarter of Qaraqosh's residents are reported to have left the town, fearing that they would be subjected to the same demands the Sunni jihadists have made in other captured areas, either leave, convert to Islam or face death.

The militants captured Iraq's largest dam in just one hour on Thursday. The Mosul dam complex, north of Iraq's second largest city, sits on the Tigris River and controls much of Iraq's water supplies. The Islamic State had been fighting Kurdish Peshmerga forces for control of the dam for about a week.