The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) has released another 37 Assyrian Christians kidnapped nine months ago in Syria, Assyrian sources said.
The group, including men and women in their 60s and 70s, were among the 253 Christians snatched in IS attacks on Assyrian villages in north-eastern Syria’s Hassaka province.
Three thousand indigenous Assyrian Christians had been driven from their homes when the jihadists overran 35 villages on the Khabur River in Hassaka on 23 February.
The newly released hostages arrived safely on 9 November at the local town of Tel Tamar, Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) reported.
The freed Christians were taken by coach to a local church in Tel Tamar, the largest of the Assyrian towns in the Khabur River region. They were received by the Bishop of Syria of the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Ephrem Athanael, the Stockholm-based Assyrian Human Rights Network (AHRN) said.
Most of those released two days ago were from the towns of Tel Shamiram and Tel Jazira, AHRN monitors added.
Negotiations to release the captives were reported between the Assyrian Church of the East and IS, which had previously demanded $100,000 for each hostage.
Further negotiations are understood to be ‘under way’, sources said.
