Islamic State Kidnaps At Least 70 Christians in Syria, Watchdog Groups Report

Syrian watchdog groups have reported that at 70 to 90 Assyrian Christians were kidnapped by the Islamic State near the small Syrian village of Tal Tamr recently. 

Two Middle East-focused watchdog groups, A Demand for Action and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported to the Associated Press that Christians living in a string of villages in northeastern Syria were kidnapped by the Islamic State recently. Many of those kidnapped include women and children, the Associated Press reports.

The watchdog groups have learned their information from family members of those kidnapped. While an estimated 3,000 villages in the Hassakeh province managed to escape the terrorist group, witnesses estimate that between 70 and 90 Christians were kidnapped.

"Land lines have been cut, their mobiles are closed," a Christian woman from Tal Shamiram told the Associated Press regarding her missing relatives. "Have they been slaughtered? Are they still alive? We're searching for any news."

"My family visited me last month and returned to Syria. There were clashes but it was normal, nothing exceptional. I feel so helpless, I cannot do anything for them but pray," she added.

Military experts have told Reuters that the terrorist group likely carried out this recent kidnapping to assert its power and control in a new area after losing the recent battle with Kurdish forces over the important border town of Kobani.

"Islamic State are losing in several areas so they want to wage an attack on a new area," retired Jordanian general Fayez Dwiri told the media outlet.