Islamic State kidnaps over 30 Druze women and children in Suweida

The kidnapping occurred during the series of terrorist attacks last week. Originally the kidnapped were 20 women and 16 children. Four women managed to escape; two are dead. Druze dignitaries are trying to negotiate their release.

Damascus (AsiaNews) - The Islamic State (IS) has abducted about thirty women and children from the Druze minority in southwest Syria, in Suweida. Last week, the radical Islamic group launched a series of coordinated attacks against the city and some neighboring villages, including suicide bombings, which killed more than 250 people.

Local sources withdrawing from the areas under the attack of Syrian government troops told the Syrian Human Rights Observatory the IS had kidnapped 36 women and children, 20 women and 16 children. Later, "four women managed to escape and two died". The local Sweda24 agency revealed that women and children were taken from the village of Chabke, in the eastern part of the province of Suweida, traditionally inhabited by the Druze minority. The Druze religion is considered a derivation from Shiism, but there are also some Gnostic elements.

Also according to Sweda24 some Druze religious dignitaries have already begun attempts to negotiate to free the abductees. The kidnappers would like the release of the Isis prisoners in the hands of the Syrian regime and the end of the army offensive in the Deraa region. So far, the IS has not released any video or information regarding this abduction on its usual sites.

• Syria
• economy
• war
• Islamic state
• Islam
• suweida
• abduction
• children
• Druse