Putin says IS seized 700 hostages in Syria, executing some

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin says Islamic State militants in Syria have recently seized some 700 people as hostages and are carrying out executions.

At an international policy forum in Sochi on Thursday, Putin said “they have been recently expanding their area and took about 130 families hostage, which accounts for about 700 people.”

Putin said the militants have put forth demands, which he did not specify, and have warned that they would kill 10 people a day if the demands are not met.

“They killed 10 people the day before yesterday,” he said. “They are now carrying out their threats.”

State news agency Tass Wednesday cited an unnamed “diplomatic-military source” as saying the hostages were seized in a raid on a refugee camp and were demanding Syria free IS members.