Tag: Raqqa

All Knayeh hostages free

October 13, 2014 Syria Al-Nusra Front, Bashar al-Assad, Boulos Yazigi, Homs, Idlib, Islamic State, Kidnapping, Paolo Dall’Oglio, Raqqa, Syria, Yohanna Ibrahim

NOTE: This report, originally posted Oct. 8, is updated to include the release of all hostages The last of a group of 20 Syrian Christians kidnapped Oct. 5 have been released as their pastor awaits trial before an Islamic court. Rev. Hanna Jallouf, a Franciscan priest in the northeastern Syria town of Knayeh, was abducted with about 20 . . . Read More

ISIS makes Christians an offer

February 27, 2014 Syria Islamic State, Jizya, Raqqa, Syria

The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIS, has posted a list of options for Christians in the Syrian city of Raqqa: 1. Convert to Islam 2. Pay a tax equivalent to 1/4 ounce of gold. Remove all symbols of Christianity from public view. Pray only in private. . . . Read More

Radical Islamists ‘control much of northern Syria’

November 7, 2013 Syria Bashar al-Assad, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Maaloula, Raqqa, Sadad

CNN claims ISIS has taken control of key entry points into the city of Aleppo.David Holt / Flickr / Creative Commons A new survey of Syrian towns by CNN suggests that much of northern Syria has come under the control of radical Islamist groups. CNN claims that Islamist militants, . . . Read More

Leaving home

October 7, 2013 Syria Assyrians, Free Syrian Army, Islamic extremism, Lebanon, Middle East, Raqqa, Sharia, Syria, Tabqa, Turkey

A couple of days after she fled Syria for Turkey, a colleague sent me a message. “Dear Nuri, this is a court that the extremists established in my city, Lattakia, in the [Syrian] village of Kansabba. This Islamic court issues the law according to the extremists’ religion. It started today. . . . Read More

Italian priest still unaccounted for in Syria

August 22, 2013 Syria Aleppo, Bashar al-Assad, Boulos Yazigi, Islamic State, Kidnapping, Paolo Dall’Oglio, Raqqa, Syria, Yohanna Ibrahim

Conflicting reports are emerging about the whereabouts and welfare of an Italian Jesuit priest who went missing almost one month ago. Reuters reported on July 29 that Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio had been abducted by Islamists with links to Al-Qaeda in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, but the Vatican would . . . Read More

Italian priest ‘kidnapped’ in Syria

August 1, 2013 Syria Al-Qaeda, Bashar al-Assad, Kidnapping, Paolo Dall’Oglio, Raqqa, Syria

An Italian Jesuit priest has been abducted in Syria by Islamists with links to al-Qaeda, Reuters has reported. Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio was reportedly kidnapped on Monday (July 29) in the rebel-held eastern Syrian city of Raqqa, which, Reuters says, has fallen under the control of militant Islamists. However, the Vatican . . . Read More

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