The militants have entered the church on the countryside of Idlib City and looted all of its items inside the holy site.

The shelling and recent militant assaults on predominantly Christian towns in Syria have fueled fears among the country’s religious minorities about the growing role of terrorists and foreign militants fighting against the Syrian army.

Christians believe they are being targeted -- in part because of the anti-Christian sentiment among extremists and in part as punishment for what is seen as their support for President Bashar al-Assad and their country.

Christians make up about 10 percent of Syria's 23 million people.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

BA/BA