Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged Thursday morning that ISIS has committed genocide against minority populations, including Christians, though his remarks have no legal consequence and did not indicate a shift in U.S. policy toward the terror group.

“My purpose in appearing before you today is to assert that in my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims,” Kerry said. “Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by actions, in what it says, in what it believes, and what it does.”