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Islamic State said to abduct at least 70 Christians in Syria Islamic State said to abduct at least 70 Christians in Syria
(35 minutes later)
BEIRUT — Islamic State militants in eastern Syria have captured at least 70 Assyrian Christians — including many women and children — in one of the largest abductions against religious minorities by the extremists, watchdog groups said Tuesday.BEIRUT — Islamic State militants in eastern Syria have captured at least 70 Assyrian Christians — including many women and children — in one of the largest abductions against religious minorities by the extremists, watchdog groups said Tuesday.
The Islamic State said it was holding “tens of crusaders” — a phrase it often uses to describe Christians — but other details were not immediately clear.The Islamic State said it was holding “tens of crusaders” — a phrase it often uses to describe Christians — but other details were not immediately clear.
The captives could become bargaining chips as the Islamic State seeks to hold strategic ground linking its territory in Syria and Iraq. Some members of the embattled Assyrian Christian community — a group dating to biblical times — have taken up arms against the Islamic State.
[Read: The Islamic State is failing at being a state]
But the Islamic State also has wreaked quick vengeance on those who fall into its hands, including a video this month showing the beheadings of 20 Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Ghanaian Christian held hostage in Libya.
Syria’s oil-rich eastern region has been a key battleground against the Islamic State, which has faced repeated airstrikes from a U.S.-led international coalition. But the abductions, reportedly coming after raids on villages, suggest some advances or retrenching by the militants.
[View: The atrocities of the Islamic State]
The incident marks another blow to the Middle East’s besieged Christian communities, which have dwindled dramatically in recent years because of attacks by Islamist militants and others.The incident marks another blow to the Middle East’s besieged Christian communities, which have dwindled dramatically in recent years because of attacks by Islamist militants and others.
It also is the latest onslaught against religious minorities by the Islamic State, whose previous targets have included Yazidis in northern Iraq.It also is the latest onslaught against religious minorities by the Islamic State, whose previous targets have included Yazidis in northern Iraq.
As many as 90 people from the ancient Assyrian Christian community were taken from villages in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that monitors Syria’s civil war. The Assyrian captives could become bargaining chips as the Islamic State seeks to hold strategic ground linking its territory in Syria and Iraq. Some members of the embattled Assyrian Christian community — a group dating to biblical times — have taken up arms against the Islamic State.
Another group that chronicles abuses by the Islamic State posted on its Facebook account that 70 people were abducted from villages nears the town of Tal Tamr, citing figures obtained by Assyrian activists. [Read: The Islamic State is failing at being a state]
Most of those reported kidnapped are women and children, according to the group, which is called ISIS “Daash” Violations in Syria. ISIS and ISIL are acronyms for the Islamic State, while in Arabic the group is often referred to as Daesh or Daash. But the Islamic State also has wreaked quick vengeance on those who fall into its hands. A video released this month showed the beheadings of 20 Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Ghanaian Christian held hostage in Libya by a group pledging allegiance to the Islamic State.
Syria’s oil-rich eastern region has been a key battleground against the Islamic State, which has faced repeated airstrikes from a U.S.-led international coalition. But the abductions, reportedly carried out during raids on villages, suggest some advances or retrenching by the militants.
[View: The atrocities of the Islamic State]
As many as 90 people from the Assyrian Christian community were taken from villages in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that monitors the civil war in the country.
Another group that chronicles abuses by the Islamic State posted on its Facebook account that 70 people were abducted from villages near the town of Tal Tamr, citing figures obtained by Assyrian activists.
Many of those reported kidnapped are women and children, according to the group, which is called ISIS “Daash” Violations in Syria. ISIS and ISIL are acronyms for the Islamic State, while the group is often referred to as Daesh or Daash in Arabic.
The reason for the discrepancy in the number of abducted Assyrians is unclear, but the incident coincides with intense clashes about 60 miles to the east of Tal Tamr between the Islamic State and Syrian Kurdish fighters.The reason for the discrepancy in the number of abducted Assyrians is unclear, but the incident coincides with intense clashes about 60 miles to the east of Tal Tamr between the Islamic State and Syrian Kurdish fighters.
The fate of the captives was not known. The Islamic State uses a violent interpretation of Islam to justify beheadings and mass executions of religious minorities and opponents.The fate of the captives was not known. The Islamic State uses a violent interpretation of Islam to justify beheadings and mass executions of religious minorities and opponents.
The Associated Press reported that the Islamic State’s online radio station said Tuesday that the group’s had detained “tens of crusaders” and seized villages near Tal Tamr. The Islamic State refers to Christians as “crusaders.” Captured women from the Yazidi minority community have been used as sex slaves by the militant group, which also has systematically pillaged churches and razed shines revered by both Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
Captured women from the Yazidi minority community have been used as sex slaves by the radical group, which also has systematically pillaged churches and razed shines revered by both Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
In a post Tuesday on his Facebook page, Zana Omer, a journalist from Hasakah province, said Islamic State fighters began attacking Assyrian villages near Tal Tamr on Sunday.In a post Tuesday on his Facebook page, Zana Omer, a journalist from Hasakah province, said Islamic State fighters began attacking Assyrian villages near Tal Tamr on Sunday.
Kurdish fighters loyal to the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, intervened to stop the attacks, he wrote, adding that the Kurds helped evacuate residents of Tal Tamr and created safe corridors for Assyrians in neighboring villages to flee to nearby cities.Kurdish fighters loyal to the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, intervened to stop the attacks, he wrote, adding that the Kurds helped evacuate residents of Tal Tamr and created safe corridors for Assyrians in neighboring villages to flee to nearby cities.
He said more than 1,200 Assyrians have taken refuge in the city of Hasakah and the smaller town of Qamishli.He said more than 1,200 Assyrians have taken refuge in the city of Hasakah and the smaller town of Qamishli.
The Assyrian Church has roots going back to the first century of the Christian era, and many members speak a modern version of Aramaic, thought to be the language of Jesus.The Assyrian Church has roots going back to the first century of the Christian era, and many members speak a modern version of Aramaic, thought to be the language of Jesus.
The collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1923 forced many Assyrians and other ancient Christian sects in the Middle East to emigrate, with most settling in the West. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1923 forced many Assyrians and members of other ancient Christian sects in the Middle East to emigrate, with most settling in the West.
. Murphy reported from Washington. Sam Alrefaie in Beirut contributed to this report.
Murphy reported from Washignton. Sam Alrefaie in Beirut contributed to this report.