IS Captured 900 Kurdish Civilians in North Syria in 3 Weeks
Source: Associated Press
IS Captured 900 Kurdish Civilians in North Syria in 3 Weeks
By BASSEM MROUE, ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIRUT Jun 24, 2016, 9:45 AM ET
The Islamic State militants have abducted some 900 Kurds in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo over the past three weeks amid fierce fighting for control of a nearby IS stronghold, a Kurdish official and Syrian activists said Friday.
The abductions began shortly after the predominantly Kurdish and U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces began an offensive on May 31 to capture the IS stronghold of Manbij from the extremists.
The extremist group has a history of mass kidnappings in areas they control in Syria and Iraq and have mostly targeted Christians and Kurds in the past.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the 900 civilians were detained near the IS-held town of Al-Bab. SDF spokesman Sherfan Darwish told The Associated Press that the seizure of over 900 is in retaliation for the SDF offensive on the town of Manbij.
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