Syria: at least 19 people kidnapped by IS group in Hama province
Russian Sukhoi Su-25s take off from the Hmeimim base in Syria's Latakia province (illustration).
AFP PHOTO / RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY
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2 min
At least 19 people, 11 civilians and eight police officers, were kidnapped on Tuesday (April 6) by the Islamic State group in the central province of Hama, Syria, according to the Syrian authorities and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
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With our correspondent in Beirut
,
Paul Khalifeh
The attack in the central province of Hama proves that the Islamic State group has a capacity for movement and significant military assets in areas far from its desert strongholds in eastern Syria.
This operation carried out by dozens of fighters traveling in pick-ups and all-terrain vehicles also shows that the extremist organization is not affected by the offensives of the Syrian army in the Badia desert with the support from its Russian ally.
In the past 72 hours, the Russian air force has carried out more than 200 raids on alleged ISIS bases and caches in the central desert, killing at least ten among the jihadists.
At the same time, Syrian troops were maneuvering in several areas.
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Despite this military pressure, the extremist group has managed to muster units and launch an assault on an area where government troops are heavily present.
Clashes east of Hama left both sides dead and injured.
In addition to the 19 people kidnapped, 40 others are missing.
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To read also: Syria: "Almost 60% of the population wonders how they will eat tomorrow"
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