IS court set to release 29 kidnapped Christian Assyrians in Syria: Observatory

The court of the Islamic State (IS) militant group on Saturday exonerated 29 Christian Assyrians kidnapped earlier this week in northern Syria, a monitoring group reported.

The IS court decided to release the 29 Assyrians after investigating them who have not yet departed the IS-controlled areas in the northeastern province of Hasaka, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The 29 people are part of those 220 Assyrians the IS kidnapped on Feb. 23 when the group stormed the town of Tal Tamr in Hasaka, the Observatory said, adding that the Assyrian leaders have conducted talks with the IS through mediators to secure the release of the snatched Assyrians.

The Observatory added that the rest of the kidnaped Assyrians will also be subject to trial at the court of the IS there.

On Friday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the IS attack on Assyrian areas in Hasaka, saying the IS unleashed attacks on tens of predominantly Assyrian villages, including Tal Hurmoz, Tal Shamiram, Tal Rumman, Tal Nasra and many more towns in the countryside of the Hasaka province, deprived many lives and kidnapped around 200 civilians.

Meanwhile, over 690 families were displaced by the IS attacks, not to mention the desecration of worship places and churches, the state SANA news agency quoted the ministry as saying. Endit