An elderly Christian woman and her daughter were attacked by armed men on Monday in the historical Assyrian city of Bartella.

The woman and her daughter were reportedly attacked with hammers and knives before the assailants fled the scene of the crime.

Related: Timeline of ISIS in Iraq
Related: Attacks on Assyrians in Syria By ISIS and Other Muslim Groups

According to the Iraqi Christian Foundation, the attackers were from an Iranian-backed militia.

Iraq's Christian population, which is primarily made up of Syriac Orthodox and Chaldeans (eastern Catholic), has suffered immensely over the last two decades, with a large portion of the historical community fleeing their ancient lands.