12th August, 2015
The so-called Islamic State has released 22 Assyrians captured during a series of raids on 35 villages in February although more than 200 remain captives.
The Assyrian International New Agency reports that the latest releases on 11th August mean that of the 253 people captured during the raids, some 205 still remain captive.
They add that most of the 3,000 people driven from their homes during the raids on the villages located along the Khabur River in Hasaka province, which have since been liberated from IS control, have not returned home.
AINA reports that negotiations to release captives are ongoing between representatives of IS (also known as ISIS) and the Assyrian Church of the East. IS have reportedly demand $US10,000 in exchange for each hostage.
Meanwhile, in an opinion piece published by AINA on 7th August, Peter BetBasoo argued that following the series of targeted attacks on Assyrians in Syria and Iraq over the past year, it was time for Assyrians to leave the Middle East and go into the West "to ensure their survival".
"The safety of the Assyrian people requires a paradigm shift," he said.
– DAVID ADAMS
