Release of 52 Assyrian Christian Families, Captured By ISIS, Delayed after Bombing; Yet They Refuse to Abandon Their Faith

AINA Staff : Mar 12, 2015
Assyrian International News Agency

ISIS had ordered the captives to convert to Islam, "but they all refused."

[Reprinted with permission via AINA]-According to the Vatican ambassador in Damascus, Mario Zinari, 52 Assyrian families who were captured by ISIS and who were supposed to be freed yesterday have not been released because Kurdish forces bombed the caravan containing the families. After the bombing ISIS decided to delay their release. There is no information on whether ISIS intends to go through with their release. (photo: Assyrians in Los Angeles, U.S.A. demonstrate in support of Assyrians in Syria/Assyrian Enterprise/via Christian Post)

It is not clear why Kurdish forces bombed the Assyrian hostages' caravan.

[Earlier this week] AsiaNews reported that 52 Assyrian families had been freed.

On February 23 ISIS attacked the Assyrian villages of Tel Goran, Tel Hurmiz, Tel Tamar, Tel Baloaa Tel Shamiran, Tel Riman, Tel Nasra, Tel Khareta, Tel Jazira, Tel Fweidat, Qaber Shamiyeh and Abu Tena.

Nine Assyrian fighters died defending their villages in the initial attacks and there are reports that ISIS has executed at least 12 Assyrian fighters who were captured, two of them women.

The majority of the Assyrians were captured from Tel Shamiran, Tel Hurmiz, Tel Goran and Tel Jazira (AINA 2015-02-26).

Breitbart News reported that one hostage who was released earlier told AINA that ISIS had ordered the captives to convert to Islam, "but they all refused."

Ashur Giwargis contributed reporting from Beirut.