ISIS Releases 4 More Assyrians, Including 6 Year-old Mariana

Mariana Mirza, 6, was released today, two days after her parents were released. (AINA photo).

4/3/15

Hasaka, Syria (AINA) — Today ISIS released four more Assyrian captives who were captured in the initial attacks on the 35 Assyrian villages on the Khabur river, in the Hasaka province of Syria.

Two Assyrians from Tel Shamiram were released, Yatroun Marko and his wife Wardiyya Yonan. Two Assyrians from Tel Goran were released, 6 year-old Mariana Mirza and her father’s aunt, Bobo Mirza. Mariana’s parents had also been captured and were released on Sunday (AINA 2015-03-01), but ISIS did not release Mariana at that time. Mariana’s father’s aunt, Bobo, who also had been released, stayed behind with Mariana.

The released Assyrians are now in Hasaka.

See attacks on Assyrians in Syria for more information.

The number of Assyrians captured by ISIS is between 262 and 373. With the release of this group of 19, the number still being held by ISIS remains in the hundreds. According to Assyrian leaders, negotiations for the release of the remainder of the hostages are ongoing.

On February 24 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).

An earlier version of this story stated that Mariana’s mother was captured, but she never was. She is pregnant and had left Tel Goran before the attacks by ISIS in expectation of delivering her child.

© Assyrian International News Agency.

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