Express | Oct. 19, 2018
ISIS has taken 700 people hostage in an area in Syria controlled by US-backed forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed.
The Russian leader said the depraved terrorists had expanded its control in territory controlled by US and US-backed forces.
ISIS issued Russia with an ultimatum and vowed to execute ten people every day.
Speaking in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Putin said the hostages included several US and European nationals.
Putin told the Valdai discussion forum in Sochi: “They have issued ultimatums, specific demands and warned that if these ultimatums are not met they will execute 10 people every day.
“The day before yesterday they executed 10 people.”
Putin did not specify what the militants’ demands were.
He said ISIS detained several nationals south of the Euphrates river in war-torn Syria.
Russia has been engaged militarily in Syria since September 2015, but has aligned itself with Bashar al-Assad’s regime in opposition to Western nations.
[READ FULL ARTICLE]