IS news: Remaining 43 Assyrian hostages released after one year

The Islamic State has released the remaining 43 Assyrian Christian hostages on Monday, Feb. 22, after being held hostage for a year.

The hostages, who were kidnapped in February 2015 when the militant group invaded the villages on the Khabur river in Hasaka province, were released from Raqqa, the de facto capital of Syria.

An anonymous Assyrian source confirmed to Newsweek that the Assyrian community paid ransoms for the hostages' release.

Another report by Newsweek says that the Assyrian community tried to negotiate and offered $1.15 million for the release of the 230 hostages in May 2015. IS, however, did not accept the offer. The offer actually started from $1,000 per hostage, which was then increased to $5,000 per hostage, hence a total of $1.15M. According to the report, the kidnappers demanded an average ransom of $100,000 per hostage. 

Archbishop Mar Afram Athneil, chairman of the Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization, suspected that a possible reason why the IS group was demanding such huge amount is because the hostages were Christians. 

"I think the reason for asking for such a big amount is the misconception that since these hostages are Christians then the West will interfere and pay the amount, which is not the case," he explained. 

It was also reported that there was a trusted person who acted as middleman between ISIS and the Syrian-Christian leaders to facilitate the negotiation, which usually took two to four days before the terror group gives its response. This middleman is immune from being kidnapped even if he steps onto the territory of the militant group.

The final ransom amount paid was not disclosed but was said o be lower than the demanded $100,000 per hostage.

The Assyrian International News Agency reported the Assyrian Church of the East as saying that there are no more Assyrians from Khabur who are being held hostage by IS.