From places of worships and religious gatherings, Christian churches in Syria and Iraq have reportedly been transformed by the Islamic State into dungeons and torture chambers.

Fox News reported that the Christian churches have been transformed into jails and chambers of pain and torture after ISIS militants stripped the houses of worship of religious artifacts and valuable antiques.

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The priceless artifacts are then sold on the black market through the same route used by smuggles to move oil and weapons, the report said.

A report by the Sunday Times quoted a Christian priest named Abu Aasi as saying that the Islamic militants have converted churches in Qaraqosh and other Iraqi cities into torture chambers.

Aasi said prisoners were being held in churches located in Bahnam Wa Sara and Al Kiama.

In the interview, Aasi said most of the prisoners inside the two churches are Christians who are tortured and forced to convert to Islam.

The priest added that the militants have been destroying all statues of Mary, crosses, and statues of saints.

ISIS are destroying Christian churches, crucifying Christians, and selling religious artifacts as part of its goal to wipe out Christianity, said Jay Sekulow, of the American Center for Law and Justice and the author of "Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can't Ignore" in an interview with Fox News.

There have been no inventories of the items stolen and the number of churches destroyed but ISIS has been declaring to destroy religious groups, revered Christian sites and monuments.

But more than just a war against Christianity, the move of ISIS to traffic religious artifacts is part of its money-making campaign to fund its organization, the report said.

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