IS seize 700 hostages in Syria - Putin

Reuters

October 19, 2018

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Islamic State militants seized nearly 700 hostages in part of Syria controlled by US-backed forces and had executed some of them and promised to kill more.

Speaking in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Thursday, Putin said the hostages included several US and European nationals, adding that Islamic State was expanding its control in territory on the left bank of the River Euphrates controlled by US and US-backed forces.

Putin did not specify what the militants' demands were.

"They have issued ultimatums, specific demands and warned that if these ultimatums are not met they will execute 10 people every day. The day before yesterday they executed 10 people," Putin told the Valdai discussion forum in Sochi.

The TASS news agency reported on Wednesday that IS militants had taken around 700 hostages in Syria's Deir-al Zor province after attacking a refugee camp in an area controlled by US-backed forces on October 13.

TASS said the militants had kidnapped around 130 families and taken them to the city of Hajin.

But in Washington, the US military cast doubt on Putin's claims.

"While we have confirmed that there was an attack on an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp near (Deir-al Zor) last week, we have no information supporting the large number of hostages alleged by President Putin and we are skeptical of its accuracy," Commander Sean Robertson, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement.

"We are also unaware of any US nationals located in that camp," Robertson added.