News / Thoughts

More Christians taken by IS

230 people, including dozens of Christians, have been captured by the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) from the city of al-Qaryatayn, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

SOHR say that ‘reliable sources’ have informed them that some were taken from the Dar Alyan monastery. The head of the monastery, Jacques Mourad, was captured in May.

The city of al-Qaryatayn is some 100km southwest of Palmyra, the ancient city that was captured by IS earlier this year, and had a pre-war population of 18,000, including Sunni Muslims and around 2,000 Syriac Catholics and Orthodox Christians, according to the Guardian. It is believed the town’s Christian population recently dropped to only 300.

Around 200 Christians were abducted by IS from the Hassaka province in February, and while a few were released, most remain missing.

Source: SOHR, Guardian

Please pray…

• For the safe release of all those taken by IS
• For those who are being held captive to know God’s presence with them, and for their protection
• For God to change the hearts of members of IS and give them compassion for those they have captured
• For God to work through his church, Open Doors partners and others to bring comfort to the Syrian people.