Secretary of State John Kerry has determined that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is committing genocide, The Associated Press reported Thursday morning.
A State Department official confirmed to The Hill that Kerry would make an announcement about his assessment Thursday.
{mosads}The announcement falls within a deadline set by Congress to decide whether ISIS’s killing of Christians, Yazidis and other minorities constitutes genocide.
The State Department had said Wednesday that they would not be able to meet the deadline.
Republicans have sharply criticized the administration for the delay. After the State Department announced it would miss the deadline, the Republican National Committee (RNC) scolded the agency Wednesday.
“The slaughter of Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities by ISIS is a crime against humanity and must be recognized for what it is: genocide,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement.
“The fact President Obama continues to drag his feet in officially making this declaration is a disturbing abdication of American leadership and moral authority.”