Syrian Christian Worries for Friends Kidnapped by ISIS

By George Thomas

CBN News Sr. Reporter

Friday, March 06, 2015

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The fate of more than 300 Assyrian Christians kidnapped by ISIS in Syria is still unknown. Assyrian leaders, working with Sunni tribal leaders, are reportedly in negotiations for the release of all hostages.

On February 23, ISIS attacked 35 Assyrian villages in northeast Syria. The Assyrian International News Agency reports that four Christians taken by the Islamic State during the raids have been released, including a 6-year-old girl.

Hadeel Kouki is a 24-year-old Syrian Christian. She escaped from Syria in 2012 after being repeatedly imprisoned and beaten by Syrian intelligence.

She played an active role during the early days of the political uprising against President Bashar-al-Assad, calling on Syrians to peacefully march for freedom.

She lives in the United States today and continues to speak out on behalf of persecuted Christians in Syria and across the Middle East. She told CBN News that she has friends and neighbors among the hundreds of Christians kidnapped by ISIS.

Despite recent gestures by the Islamic terror group to release some of the kidnapped Assyrians, Kouki is concerned many of the Christians could face the same fate as the 21 Egyptian Christians killed in Libya last month.

She also warns that unless something is done to stop them, ISIS will eradicate Christianity from the Middle East. She's calling on the Christians around the world to pray for fellow brothers and sisters suffering for their faith in Syria and beyond.