Daesh holding 50 civilians after raid on Syria village

Militants of the Daesh terrorist group are holding hostage at least 50 civilians captured in a raid on a village in central Syria, the Daily Star reported, quoting an activist group.

They were kidnapped from the village of Mabujeh in Hama province on March 31, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

News of the kidnap had been kept quiet because of ongoing negotiations for their release, but the talks have since faltered, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

Ten of those taken, including six women, are Ismailis, a minority sect that is an offshoot of Shiite Islam. The remaining 40 are Sunni Muslims, including at least 15 women.

On March 31, Daesh executed at least 37 civilians in Mabujeh, including two children, by "burning, beheading, and firing on them," the Observatory said.