The Islamic State (IS) militants on Sunday released 19 Christian Assyrians they had kidnapped last month, a monitoring group reported.
The 19 people are the first batch of 29 Assyrians the sharia court of the IS exonerated on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, Xinhua reported.
On February 23, the IS abducted 220 Christian Assyrians during an assault it had waged on predominantly Assyrian areas, mainly in the area of Tal Tamr and its countryside in Syria's northeastern province of al-Hasakah.
The fate of the other abductees is still unknown amid reports that the rest of the Assyrians are awaiting trials in the IS courts.
There is no clear reason why would the IS even put the Assyrians on trial.
Also on Sunday, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said the Syrian troops captured as many as 33 towns in the eastern countryside of Hasaka after clashes with the IS.
In preparation of the 63rd annual Miss Universe Pageant Sunday, Miss Honduras Gabriela Ordonez has lost 40 pounds (approximately 18 kg) after following a diet which minimised her carbohydrate intake.
US President Barack Obama strongly denounced the murder of a Japanese citizen by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group and called for the release of other hostages.
The much-anticipated visit by US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to Agra to view the Taj Majal has been cancelled and the US first couple would instead head to Riyadh to condole the passing away of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the White House said Saturday.
The Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) Thursday said it would continue its "charity work" across Pakistan, in its official response to the ban imposed by the government, media reported.
MONTREAL — Authorities in Saudi Arabia have postponed the flogging of blogger Raif Badawi for medical reasons, a spokeswoman for the family said Thursday.
China's Dowager Empress Cixi has been long reviled as a despotic ruler who rose to power by harem intrigue, but it was she who transformed a medieval country into a modern nation, gave rights to citizens especially women and opened and facilitated China's engagement with the world for its own benefit, says a Chinese author.
