ISIS kills 11 Christians, releases video to coincide with Christmas

Violent Muslims in Africa killed 11 Christians in retaliation for the suicide death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi during a U.S. raid in Syria in October, according to a video that analysts confirm was made and released to coincide with Christmas.

A BBC report said the video claims to show the deaths – one by shooting and 10 by beheading – of 11 Christians in Nigeria.

"No details were given about the victims, who were all male," the report said.

The Christians reportedly were "captured" in recent weeks in Nigeria's northeastern Borno State.

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The video, only 56 seconds long, was released Thursday by an ISIS' "news" branch.

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari issued a statement condemning the atrocity and "urged Nigerians not to let themselves be divided along religious lines," the report said.

"We should, under no circumstance, let the terrorists divide us by turning Christians against Muslims because these barbaric killers don't represent Islam and millions of other law-abiding Muslims around the world," his statement said.

BBC said the video was made in an outdoor area, but it was not known where.

"One captive in the middle is shot dead while the other 10 are pushed to the ground and beheaded," BBC said.

"We killed them as revenge for the killing of our leaders, including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and [IS spokesman] Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir," said an ISIS member.

The New York Post said the victims were blindfolded in what analysts are describing as a "barbaric" act.

"This is a message to Christians all over the world," a masked man states.

"He claimed the killings at the hands of jihadists from the Islamic State West African Province were in retaliation for the death of ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his spokesman," the Post said.

Actually Baghdadi killed himself during a U.S. operation in Syria months ago.

Agence France-Presse has reported ISWAP has been raising the level of violence against Christians in recent months.

Nigeria's Borno State has been infested with Islamist terror for decades, and the most common offender is Boko Haram.