IS frees 43 Syrian Christian hostages

Al-Hasakah (Syria), Feb 23: The Islamic State has released 43 Christians in northeast Syria after holding them for a year in captivity, reports said on Tuesday.

The Christians, freed late on Monday, were abducted in al-Hasakah province on February 23, 2015 when IS attacked 35 Christian villages along the Khabur river, reported the Assyrian Christian news agency AINA.

The IS in late January freed 16 Christians including 12 children abducted from Khabur and according to the Assyrian Church of the East, there are no more Syrian Christians from Khabur being held by IS.

However, IS is still holding 179 Christians abducted last August from al-Qaryatain, near the central Syrian city of Homs, AINA said, adding it executed three of the Khabur hostages on September 23.

IANS