Islamic State (IS) has abducted dozens of Assyrian Christians from villages in north-eastern Syria, activists say. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 90 men, women and children were seized in a series of dawn raids near the town of Tal Tamr.
Some Assyrians managed to escape and made their way east to the largely Kurdish-controlled city of Hassakeh.
It comes as Syrian Kurdish fighters backed by US-led air strikes continue to advance into IS-held territory.
On Monday, a Kurdish official said IS militants had been forced back to within 5km (3 miles) of the town of Tal Hamis by the Popular Protection Units (YPG).
The Syrian Observatory confirmed the advance by the YPG and said at least 12 IS fighters had been killed on Monday.
Hassakeh province is strategically important in the fight against IS because it borders both Turkey and areas controlled by the group in Iraq.
Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces are also attacking IS positions on the Iraqi side of the frontline, to the east. (BBC)
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