The Islamic State jihadist group has released in 16 Christians including 12 children in northeast Syria, who were abducted almost a year ago, a monitoring group reported Friday.
The prisoners were freed following negotiations spearheaded by bishop Efrem Athnil from the Eastern Assyrian Church, the Lebanon-based Assyrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
IS is still holding 48 out of 200 Christians it kidnapped in February last year from villages along the Khabour river including women and children, according to the monitoring group.
IS militants are still holding more than 156 Christians abducted last August from al-Qaryatain, near the central Syrian city of Homs, the watchdog said.
