Members of the Islamic State group launched a broad raid on several villages in Syria starting early Monday, and by Tuesday the militant group had kidnapped more than 70 Christians.
The Associated Press brought details of the abductions Tuesday (via the San Francisco Chronicle):
The latest assault began before dawn on Monday, when the militants swept through the villages nestled along the banks of Khabur River near the town of Tal Tamr in Hassakeh province. The area is predominantly inhabited by Assyrians, an indigenous Christian people who trace their roots back to the ancient Mesopotamians.
During the raids, the militants took between 70 and 100 Assyrians captive, said Nuri Kino, the head of the activist group A Demand For Action, which focuses on religious minorities in the Middle East. He said some 3,000 people managed to flee the onslaught and have sought refuge in the cities of Hassakeh and Qamishli.
Kino said his organization based its information on conversations with villagers who fled the attack and their relatives.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the abductions, but put the number of Christians held by the Islamic State group at 90. The Observatory relies on a network of activists inside Syria.
–Posted by Kasia Anderson
Kasia Anderson
