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Daesh frees about 40 kidnapped Assyrian Christians for ransom

Monday, 22 February 2016 5:17 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 22 February 2016 5:16 PM ]

File photo shows members of the Assyrian Gozarto Protection Forces (GPF) and other Assyrian fighters, celebrate upon their return from ongoing battles against Daesh on the outskirts of the Syrian Christian town of Sadad. (AFP photo)

The Daesh Takfiri group has released about 40 Assyrian Christians, including women and children, who were abducted in Syria last year, in exchange for millions of dollars in ransom.

The captives were freed on Monday morning and were the last of 230 kidnapped Assyrians, said Younan Talia from the Assyrian Democratic Organization.

The freed Assyrians are on their way to the Syrian town of Tal Tamr, Talia said, noting that the release came after mediation led by a senior Assyrian priest.

The Assyrians were captured last February after Daesh militants attacked several communities in northeastern Hasakah Province.

A Syrian Christian official said that a campaign was launched following the capture of the Assyrians, asking the worldwide Asyrian community to make donations for their release.

Talia said the Takfiri group initially demanded a ransom of USD 18 million for the release of 230 Assyrians. The figure, however, was later lowered following negotiations, Talia noted, adding that he was not aware of the final amount.

Kidnapping for ransom is a source of income for the Daesh militant group. In November 2015, the Takfiri group said it killed a Chinese and a Norwegian after their countries failed to pay the requested ransom for their release.

The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which flared in March 2011, has claimed the lives of some 470,000 people and left 1.9 million injured, according to the Syrian Center for Policy Research.

Moreover, 6.36 million people have been displaced internally and more than four million others have fled the country since the beginning of the conflict. That accounts for 45 percent of the country’s population, which has shrunk by 21 percent.

Syria accuses Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar of funding and arming terrorist groups operating inside the country, including Daesh.

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