Islamic State militants have taken as many as 100 Assyrian Christian hostages from northern Syrian villages, the activist groups A Demand for Action and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Tuesday. ISIS fighters overran several villages, including one named Tal Shamiram, on Monday, and escaping villagers told activists about the hostages. ISIS forces in the area are facing increasing pressure, with U.S.-led airstrikes as well as simultaneous offensives by the Syrian government and rival rebel groups.
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