Dozens of Christians abducted by Islamic militants in Syria

[webfact]

Dozens of Christians abducted by Islamic militants in Syria
By ZEINA KARAM and RYAN LUCAS

BEIRUT (AP) — The Islamic State militants struck before dawn, staging house-to-house raids in a cluster of villages nestled along the Khabur River in northeastern Syria. They abducted at least 70 Christians — many of them women and children — while thousands of others fled to safer areas.

The captives' fate was unclear Tuesday, a day after they were seized, and relatives said mobile phone service was cut off and land lines also were not going through, adding to the fear and uncertainty about their loved ones. Heavy fighting was reported in the area.

The Islamic State group has a history of killing captives, including foreign journalists, Syrian soldiers and Kurdish militiamen. Most recently, militants in Libya affiliated with the extremist group released a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians.

The group's bloody campaign in Syria and Iraq, where it seeks to form a self-styled caliphate, has repeatedly targeted religious minorities since it took control of a third of both countries. The United States and coalition of regional partners are conducting a campaign of airstrikes against the group.

The militants struck near the town of Tal Tamr in Hassakeh province, an area predominated by Assyrian Christians. Most of the captives came from Tal Shamiram and some from Tal Hurmiz.

Nuri Kino, the head of a group called A Demand For Action, said between 70 and 100 Assyrians were taken captive. About 3,000 people fled and have sought refuge in the cities of Hassakeh and Qamishli, he said, adding that his activist group based its information on conversations with villagers who fled the attack and their relatives. His group focuses on religious minorities in the Middle East.

"Have they been slaughtered? Are they still alive? We're searching for any news," said an Assyrian Christian woman from Tal Shamiram who now lives in Beirut. The woman said she has been trying to find out what has become of her parents, her brother and his wife and their children, but couldn't reach anyone in the village.

"I feel so helpless, I cannot do anything for them but pray," she said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of endangering relatives believed to be held by the militants.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which also reported the abductions, put the number of Christians held by the Islamic State group at 90. The Observatory relies on a network of activists inside Syria.

Both groups said that most of the captives come from Tal Shamiram, located some 85 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of the provincial capital of Qamishli, and nearby Tal Hurmiz. At least four civilians, including a 17-year-old, were killed in clashes later Monday, a relative of one of the victims said on condition of anonymity.

The extremists could use the Assyrian captives to try to arrange a prisoner swap with the Kurdish militias it is battling in northeastern Syria.

Last year, IS militants abducted more than 150 Kurdish boys and held them in a school in Aleppo province where they subjected them to daily instruction on militant ideology for five months before releasing them in batches. The group has also released Turkish truck drivers and diplomats after holding them for months. It was not known whether a prisoner deal was struck in those instances.

Hassakeh province is strategically important because it borders Turkey and areas controlled by IS in Iraq. Kurdish militiamen from the People's Protection Units, or YPG, backed by the coalition airstrikes, have made advances in the province in a new offensive launched this week.

Heavy fighting broke out in the province Monday as Kurdish fighters and IS militants battled for control of villages near the Iraqi and Turkish borders.

The Kurds have been one of the most effective foes of IS, a reputation they burnished in recent months by repelling an assault by the extremists on the town of Kobani on the Turkish border. The coalition carried out hundreds of airstrikes that helped the Kurds break the siege in January.

On Tuesday, heavy clashes between Kurdish fighters and IS militants raged near Tal Tamr.

The Assyrian woman in Beirut said that before Monday, clashes would occasionally break out near Tal Shamiram, but that IS militants were mostly on Mount Abdulaziz, some 25 kilometers to the south.

"My family visited me last month and returned to Syria. There were clashes, but it was normal, nothing exceptional," she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

The Islamic State group's online radio station, al-Bayan, said Tuesday that IS fighters had detained "tens of crusaders" — the term it frequently uses for Christians — and seized 10 villages around Tal Tamr after clashes with Kurdish militiamen.

It reported an intense movement of coalition planes over Hassakeh.

The U.S. Central Command said the coalition carried out 10 airstrikes near Hassakeh on Monday, striking at nine IS tactical units and destroying two of their vehicles.

The Assyrian Network for Human Rights in Syria said on its Facebook page that the militants had moved the captives to the village of Umm al-Masamir on Mount Abdulaziz, some 25 kilometers south of Tal Shamiram. That raised fears, the network said, that IS could use them as human shields against Kurdish militiamen.

Habib Afram, president of the Syriac League in Lebanon, said he was in contact with Assyrians in Hassakeh and expressed hope that the captives could be freed in some kind of swap, although he added that he didn't know of any formal talks.
___

Associated Press writer Maamoun Youssef in Cairo and Ashraf Khalil in Beirut contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-25

[Mosha]

BBC - Some estimates put the number of victims as high as 150.

[bassman]

ISIS a truly sick bunch of fundamentalist muslims. When will the muslim world take the lead and responsibility to clean up their act? All we see from the muslims in regards to this madness is a few token airstrikes for the cameras and tons of backhand cash to keep this movement alive.

[FangFerang]

I believe that these animals could not possibly have read the Holy Koran. Someone else read it to them and twisted the words from words both civilized and beautiful into ravings that are evil and twisted.

Calling these IS animals pigs is an insult to the entire pork industry.

I have almost no compassion for them whatsoever.

And my compassion grows smaller each time I read another story like this.

!!

[ggt]

Where is the outrage in the world community? Why haven't the Muslim states band together to rid the ME of this menace to humanity? Why hasn't the US taken the lead in putting together a collection of Muslim and Non-Muslim countries to rid the world of these inhumane animals?

The tragedy is that in the 21st Century...world leaders appear impotent in the face of the IS butchery...

It must be the end of the world...

[Jingthing]

This kind of thing gives more credibility to the Atlantic Magazine article explaining the tactics of ISIS inspired by their fundamentalist reading of Islamic dogma. They are trying to bait the west to come and get them. Surely, in the long run, what choice will the west have but to play into that?

What ISIS Really Wants

The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse. Here’s what that means for its strategy—and for how to stop it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

Edited February 25, 2015 by Jingthing

[Robby nz]

Could it be that the term militants needs to be upgraded somewhat, terrorists and murderers would be closer to the mark.

However 2 vehicles destroyed in 10 airstrikes does not seem a lot to boast about.

[Ulysses G.]

This kind of thing gives more credibility to the Atlantic Magazine article explaining the tactics of ISIS inspired by their fundamentalist reading of Islamic dogma. They are trying to bait the west to come and get them. Surely, in the long run, what choice will the west have but to play into that?

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

A serious effort is very unlikely to happen with Obama in charge. I'm guessing that is what ISIS (and Putin) are counting on. Maybe the next president will have some stones.

[JockPieandBeans]

I posted this yesterday on another thread.

Posted Yesterday, 19:47

And in the City of Raaqa

Quote

A jihadist group in Syria has demanded that Christians in the northern city of Raqqa pay a levy in gold and accept curbs on their faith, or face death.

Quote

The directive from ISIS, citing the Islamic concept of "dhimma", requires Christians in the city to pay tax of around half an ounce (14g) of pure gold in exchange for their safety.

Quote

The statement said the group had met Christian representatives and offered them three choices - they could convert to Islam, accept ISIS' conditions, or reject their control and risk being killed

http://www.bbc.com/n...e-east-26366197

Of course. Its nothing to do with Islam !

[Jingthing]

I think it's clear the majority of world Muslims are not on board with ISIS. However, the majority also recognize the fundamentalist Islamic nature of ISIS. A small group of radicals can cause a lot of damage and grow into something extremely toxic that does indeed catch on, like Nazism.

[Grouse]

The problem is that ISIS are literal Islamists. All of it is in the Koran ( so I understand ).

Hard to condemn without condemning all Muslims

I have no hesitation in doing so

We all need them out of our countries unless they integrate properly. No halal meet, no fancy dress, no FGM. Must now stop all returning Muslims.

[Prbkk]

This kind of thing gives more credibility to the Atlantic Magazine article explaining the tactics of ISIS inspired by their fundamentalist reading of Islamic dogma. They are trying to bait the west to come and get them. Surely, in the long run, what choice will the west have but to play into that?

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

A serious effort is very unlikely to happen with Obama in charge. I'm guessing that is what ISIS (and Putin) are counting on. Maybe the next president will have some stones.

Yes, Obama is not the answer because Hilary Clinton is in no small measure responsible ( presumably reflecting Obama's views of the time) given her ludicrous pursuit of Assad. This time the russians were right: "be careful what you wish for" as the US decided to throw in its lot with the rebels. No one likes despots but US policy has only succeeded in creating vacuums and an opening for the likes of ISIS, in a number of countries. Obama can;t fix this but it all started with Bush.

[iancnx]

I posted this yesterday on another thread.

Posted Yesterday, 19:47

And in the City of Raaqa

Quote

A jihadist group in Syria has demanded that Christians in the northern city of Raqqa pay a levy in gold and accept curbs on their faith, or face death.

Quote

The directive from ISIS, citing the Islamic concept of "dhimma", requires Christians in the city to pay tax of around half an ounce (14g) of pure gold in exchange for their safety.

Quote

The statement said the group had met Christian representatives and offered them three choices - they could convert to Islam, accept ISIS' conditions, or reject their control and risk being killed

http://www.bbc.com/n...e-east-26366197

Of course. Its nothing to do with Islam !

This story is utter rubbish.

[JockPieandBeans]

This story is utter rubbish

Says who ?

Perhaps you can link other articles attesting to your assumptions ?

[iancnx]

This kind of thing gives more credibility to the Atlantic Magazine article explaining the tactics of ISIS inspired by their fundamentalist reading of Islamic dogma. They are trying to bait the west to come and get them. Surely, in the long run, what choice will the west have but to play into that?

What ISIS Really Wants

The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse. Heres what that means for its strategyand for how to stop it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

An interesting article which of course is primarily for US consumption and therefore says little about other very pertinent geo-political drivers in the current conflict. Also it is in parts extremely exaggerated which unfortunately suggests credibility generally may well be an issue. For example the population of Ar Raqqa city in 2012 was c220,000, NOT 500,000, also note the 'city of Dabiq' is little more than a large dusty village, and the battle of immense proportions described never actually took place. There are other more credible less sensationalist sources, you just need to spend time sorting through the chaff.

I do agree IS strategy is to try to force the coalitions 'hand' into deploying boots on the ground. For once, Obama, for all his faults, appears to be listening to advice from outside of the all so powerful US 'global ruling council'; to deploy boots on the ground would be their biggest folly since Vietnam. Obama understands this perfectly thank goodness.

The Assad conundrum will determine which way this all maps out - whilst that question is left to linger, IS will continue to build their caliphate, and I can promise you Ankara will become more and more nervous as the days pass without their NATO protected 'safe zone' in place. This is far more complex than the daily sensationalist 'news' reader could ever comprehend.

[iancnx]

This story is utter rubbish

Says who ?

Perhaps you can link other articles attesting to your assumptions ?

I apologise, though your post is a tad misleading, as your source is a year old! 27 February 2014 to be precise. I assumed you were relating to something that is reportedly happening now.

Feb 2014. IS had entered Ar Raqqa city some 6 months earlier and set about forming a civil administration in the city. The IS power base (there) was in its infancy - they were very much feeling their way and extorting gold and anything else of value from ANYONE was a spoil of war. Jabhat Al Nusra (AQ) were still opposing the GoS 17th Division who were under siege on the outskirts of the city. IS finally defeated the 17th Division in July 2014 and took control of virtually all the Governate. JN moved West. I can promise you no such negotiations with any Christians are taking place there now, or have done since the Spring of 2014!

[iancnx]

Back to the OP. The true horror of this report can be imagined by looking at the Yazidi experience below:

Reported recently in the BBC - apologies I have lost the link. This taken from my own notes:

A guide to slavery

It seems that IS has, indeed, given out orders on the proper use of women as slaves.

The group's Department of Research and Fatwas (religious edicts) has issued a pamphlet with the chillingly matter-of-fact title: "Questions and Answers on Taking Captives and Slaves".

An IS pamphlet instructs fighters about sexual activity with female captives

The document appears to be genuine. It was posted on an jihadist web forum and, apparently, given out after Friday prayers in Mosul.

Christians, Jews and Yazidi women can all be taken as slaves, it says. Women can be bought, sold, and given as gifts; they can be disposed of as property if a fighter dies.

The pamphlet's Q&A format includes the following:

Question: Is it allowed to have intercourse with a female captive immediately after taking possession of her? Answer: If she is a virgin, her master can have intercourse with her immediately after taking possession. But if she is not, you must make sure she is not pregnant.

Question: Is it allowed to have intercourse with a female slave who has not reached puberty? Answer: You may have intercourse with a female slave who hasn't reached puberty if she is fit for intercourse. However, if she is not fit for intercourse, it is enough to enjoy her without.

It is a depraved and depressing document, at odds with mainstream Islam, though well-researched with Koranic verses and hadiths, or reports of what the Prophet Muhammad said or approved.

One theory is that the pamphlet was actually issued to try to restrain the more outlandish behaviour of IS fighters. It says, for instance that a man may not sleep with his wife's slave, or with another man's slave; and that a man may own two sisters but not sleep with them at the same time.

[iancnx]

I found the BBC link pertaining to the above post

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30573385

[Daniel Ingalls]

Simple solution to the whole region. Line up 100 C-130 Tankers loaded with 1,000,000 gallons of pig blood, and dump it over

the whole region where all those isis scumbags are holding up. The land would no longer be a suitable area to form an Islamic Nation, or a base

for their operations. Its called a Jehad reversal.

[notmyself]

I believe that these animals could not possibly have read the Holy Koran. Someone else read it to them and twisted the words from words both civilized and beautiful into ravings that are evil and twisted.

You have quite obviously never read the Qur'an.

[arjunadawn]

I believe that these animals could not possibly have read the Holy Koran. Someone else read it to them and twisted the words from words both civilized and beautiful into ravings that are evil and twisted.

You have quite obviously never read the Qur'an.

I challenge FangFerang to find beautiful words in the Koran that support his position, are not abrogated, nor plagiarized from christian, Zoroaster or jewish texts (there is very little left to work with; your research should take moments). It may remotely be possible to find nectar and wisdom- perhaps, but it will not change the overwhelming tide of hate and venom that is foundationally built into the text of the Koran nor the actual deeds of the prophet and companions. If you assert something, support it or retract it if asked.

One cannot wax romantically on Rumi's divine romance and by that extension assert the koran is lovely; the koran is blueprint for the most beloved and favored of god (muslims) to assign to themselves the spoils or earth, the blessings of paradise, and commend to those they despise (jews, christians, and pagans respectively) fire and brimstone in this world and the next. Rumi would be put to death at most and various other times in islamic history. Rumi and others were beloved of God in spite of the Koran, not because of its vehicle. Also, Rumi was Persian. It was not uncommon at all for the islamic arab expansion to co-opt lands and people and practices and arts and beauty and engineering, etc., they appropriated as islamic, but then quickly digressed into the same stasis currently seen throughout the islamic world. So, where then is either the beauty of the text or the beauty of its fruit?

Beautiful? The text make King, Shelley, and Poe look dysgraphic. Under the cover of "religion" this absurd 3rd rate tribal ideology of hate has insinuated into the modern era's less than permissive environment for hate speech, unchecked. Now, we see that under the cover of darkness ("religion") the mien kampf of the 7th century appeals to the same dark seed in man, yet the stain cannot be wiped in the modern age because "religion" is worn as a protective amulet to ward of reason. "We are not at war with islam" does nothing to appease the reality that islam is at war with the world. Soon, the world will tire of the disonnect between christians being slaughtered all over the planet with the notion that islam is a religion of peace. "Dozens of Christians" were abducted now, but yesterday, tomorrow, everyday, countless christians muslims jews pagans buddhists hindus and others are eviscerated.

We may not be at war with islam but islam is at war with us:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=we+are+not+at+war+with+islam

[arjunadawn]

Back to the OP. The true horror of this report can be imagined by looking at the Yazidi experience below:

Reported recently in the BBC - apologies I have lost the link. This taken from my own notes:

A guide to slavery

It seems that IS has, indeed, given out orders on the proper use of women as slaves.

The group's Department of Research and Fatwas (religious edicts) has issued a pamphlet with the chillingly matter-of-fact title: "Questions and Answers on Taking Captives and Slaves".

An IS pamphlet instructs fighters about sexual activity with female captives

The document appears to be genuine. It was posted on an jihadist web forum and, apparently, given out after Friday prayers in Mosul.

Christians, Jews and Yazidi women can all be taken as slaves, it says. Women can be bought, sold, and given as gifts; they can be disposed of as property if a fighter dies.

The pamphlet's Q&A format includes the following:

Question: Is it allowed to have intercourse with a female captive immediately after taking possession of her? Answer: If she is a virgin, her master can have intercourse with her immediately after taking possession. But if she is not, you must make sure she is not pregnant.

Question: Is it allowed to have intercourse with a female slave who has not reached puberty? Answer: You may have intercourse with a female slave who hasn't reached puberty if she is fit for intercourse. However, if she is not fit for intercourse, it is enough to enjoy her without.

It is a depraved and depressing document, at odds with mainstream Islam, though well-researched with Koranic verses and hadiths, or reports of what the Prophet Muhammad said or approved.

One theory is that the pamphlet was actually issued to try to restrain the more outlandish behaviour of IS fighters. It says, for instance that a man may not sleep with his wife's slave, or with another man's slave; and that a man may own two sisters but not sleep with them at the same time.

image.jpg

The most recent fatwa states a child can have sex when she can bear the weight of the man. This even seems more barabaric than the previous PR used to cite the prophet married at 6 but did not have sex with Aisa until 9. Now it seems the bar has been lowered. Of course, what this document references to when it describes if unfit for sex is the act of basically masturbating with the child, though not penetrating. We are all adults. As sick as this is, you must be aware these are the edicts that guide IS and the rulings on such things. If any denies this, prove me wrong! You cannot.

It is a sick sick anesthesia- the appeasement of the west injects in us all by inaction. We become increasingly numb to the point where such discourse seems academic, even routine. The source documents are a pathological ideology at every juncture that appeals to the irrational and inferior portions of the human psyche. The motivation to slave and war and booty and rape is the same today as it was then; it is motivation and taking from another that which could not by other means. Spoils of war. What is most sick is that unlike nearly every other culture in history (who has done this also) this tribal backwater developed a rationale for such actions so out of kilter with accepted norms of civilized behavior throughout history that they developed both divine mandates and evolved theological exegesis and law to rationalize their predation upon women and children (and jews christians and the least lucky, pagans). Marry these exegesis for misogyny and pedophilia with every other manner and rationale for degrading behavior, war, theft, and deceit and you have an entire blueprint to conquer others and consume their fruit and industry. This ideology is a blueprint that then as now clearly authorized every thing that IS is doing; indeed, it could be somewhat extended to boko haram as well.

[Steely Dan]

The forthcoming mass beheading video will have nothing to do with Islam, though considerable efforts will be made to suppress its distribution for fears of a backlash against Muslims.

[Steely Dan]

And where is big mouth Israel in all of this? Can they only harass and kill Palestinians? Not a word in the news about them harassing and killing IS monsters.

Anybody can explain to me or other posters?

Sorry, as you well know they are too busy answering amnesty international allegations that someone in Haifa forgot to flush the bog yesterday.

[Jingthing]

I have a side issue related to this.

ISIS is now doing this kind of thing and then posting videos about it.

Like the burning the man alive and the mass beheadings of Christians on a beach.

I have intentionally avoided watching these videos.

ISIS wants the world to watch them, so isn't watching them a small way of giving them some power?
I know they use them for recruitment ... they are showing they are the most pure / most radical Islamic fundamentalists and that does attract many people to their cause.

But for those not open to being recruited by them (gay Jews need not apply!), I am curious to those who have watched the videos. Do you think we should watch them? What did you get from watching them? Do you regret it? Will you keep watching them as of course more are coming?

Edited February 25, 2015 by Jingthing

[cookee68]

ISIS a truly sick bunch of fundamentalist muslims. When will the muslim world take the lead and responsibility to clean up their act? All we see from the muslims in regards to this madness is a few token airstrikes for the cameras and tons of backhand cash to keep this movement alive.

So very true and not a lot of people know this, even Turkey are paying and supplying weapons, to keep peace with ISIS scumbags

[petercool]

Off topic troll post removed

[BKKBobby]

This kind of thing gives more credibility to the Atlantic Magazine article explaining the tactics of ISIS inspired by their fundamentalist reading of Islamic dogma. They are trying to bait the west to come and get them. Surely, in the long run, what choice will the west have but to play into that?

What ISIS Really Wants

The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse. Here’s what that means for its strategy—and for how to stop it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

I dont believe that most of the cannon fodder ISIS recruits have carefully considered beliefs. Maybe the local Mosque put something in their head, but they aint theologists.

[JockPieandBeans]

This kind of thing gives more credibility to the Atlantic Magazine article explaining the tactics of ISIS inspired by their fundamentalist reading of Islamic dogma. They are trying to bait the west to come and get them. Surely, in the long run, what choice will the west have but to play into that?

What ISIS Really Wants

The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse. Here’s what that means for its strategy—and for how to stop it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

I dont believe that most of the cannon fodder ISIS recruits have carefully considered beliefs. Maybe the local Mosque put something in their head, but they aint theologists.

Could not be the Mosques.

They only teach about Peace, Love and Tolerance apparently

[arjunadawn]

I think it's clear the majority of world Muslims are not on board with ISIS. However, the majority also recognize the fundamentalist Islamic nature of ISIS. A small group of radicals can cause a lot of damage and grow into something extremely toxic that does indeed catch on, like Nazism.

You and I tend to agree on lots so I will presume I just dont understand this one: "I think its clear the majority of world muslims are not on board with ISIS..." For me, I desire this more than I find it evident. Do you really find it evident or do you too just desire this more than it appears? Just curious.