Assyrian captives may be freed by Islamic State group

Unconfirmed reports say that a self-proclaimed Islamic State court will release more than 20 Assyrian hostages.

1 min read

01 March, 2015

While IS has killed nearly 2,000, thousands more have been injured in the violence [Anadolu]

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Islamic State group (IS, formerly known as Isis) may release at least 20 Assyrian captives, who were among 220 Assyrians abducted on 23 February from villages around the town of Tal Tamer in the northern Syrian province of al-Hasaka.

"The Sharia Court of Islamic State in the countryside of Tal Tamer issued an order for the release of 29 Assyrian citizens", said an Assyrian commander, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR).

The Assyrians kidnapped from other villages will be brought before the Sharia courts to decide on their verdict, the UK-based opposition organisation added.

The number of hostages to be released was reported as being 23 in ARA News, a Kurdish press agency covering northern Syria and the Kurdish areas.

It also reported that one hostage has been released.

However, the release is understood not to have taken place yet, SOHR told al-Araby al-Jadeed, adding that it is monitoring the situation through its local contacts and waiting to hear whether the group will be released.

The reports follow the release of more than 200 Yazidis, who were mostly elderly or unwell, on 17 January in northern Iraq. The reason for the release is not known but is thought that the hostages were a burden to keep.