Russia: Al-Qaeda-linked extremists hold 200 Kurdish civilians hostage as ‘live shield’ in Syria

RT

Al-Qaeda-linked extremists have taken and continue to hold hostage about 200 Kurdish civilians, including women and children, using them as live shields in north-eastern Syria, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has stated.

The Kurdish gunmen have been fighting to expel Al-Qaeda militants from the northeastern province of Hassakeh over the past week, with the battle significantly intensifying over the weekend.

So this is breaking news right after the US says they have a green light to aid the rebels.

So any predictions as to how long before the US steps in to quell the terrorists and remove Assad.....a two for the price of one.

I'm really starting to dislike the constant need for violence.
I hope they end all this soon, i have a real distaste for violence....pointless violence.

Well they made the right move.

Not a good move, but they know how to handle themselves.

The us made the right choice? You have to be a little more specific whit your reply.

Isn't the taking and holding of Human Shields equal to a war crime? I know I heard that about a thousand times in 1990 and 1991 and heard it started back up again in 2002 and 2003. Now the side we're supporting is doing it? Well... Lets not get all double standard here. A crime is a crime and the group committing it doesn't make it "legal".

Taking women and children as human shields is as low life and scumbag as it gets for a soldier under any flag for any cause. Nice folks, these friends of ours. (throws hands up with papers flying everywhere)

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Let's remember that Russia is in favor of Assad remaining in power. So the Russian Foreign Ministry states that the anti-Assad forces are engaging in acts that could be considered a war crime.

Seems like lip service to me. 500 hostages originally taken, no way of determining an exact number. 300 released so basic math says that 200 are still 'hostages'.

I question the validity of what's actually going on with these hostages, and am seriously in doubt of the 'human shield' aspect of the story here.

It has three faces Assad and his faction, the syrian rebels, and the "terrorists" we have been chasing for years on end. I wonder how many could be left? could this be their last stand?.....i wish.
Then maybe we can get back some semblance of normalcy here and fix our economy....pipe dream

Originally posted by youdidntseeme

I question the validity of what's actually going on with these hostages, and am seriously in doubt of the 'human shield' aspect of the story here.

As am i, i think it may be an overly sensational title....not mine.
More likely the terrorists are just intermingled with the hostages, to make rescue too dangerous.

Originally posted by youdidntseeme
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

Let's remember that Russia is in favor of Assad remaining in power. So the Russian Foreign Ministry states that the anti-Assad forces are engaging in acts that could be considered a war crime.

Seems like lip service to me. 500 hostages originally taken, no way of determining an exact number. 300 released so basic math says that 200 are still 'hostages'.

I question the validity of what's actually going on with these hostages, and am seriously in doubt of the 'human shield' aspect of the story here.

After watching videos made by the rebels themselves and released by the rebels themselves showing them murdering POW's on the ground, screaming for their lives and mercy...then laughing about it like a big joke, as well as other videos of similar killings just as senseless and cruel? I don't have much trouble believing this.

Aside from that, this is the big time now and not some backwater unrest happening without much attention. Russia knows every claim here by any side is scrutinized and fact checked 10 ways from Sunday by official and media people alike, for entirely different reasons. I doubt we'll see too much wholesale fabrication on major events. Details? yeah... Whole events, still ongoing? I kinda doubt, personally.

A little update, it appears they have taken a city...this seems to be accelerating.

The Kurds issued a “victory message,” celebrating the “liberation” of Ras al-Ain, claiming to hold control over the entire city as well as the headquarters of the Islamist combatant groups there. On Saturday evening, the fighting spread to the city of Tal Abyad. "In these areas, there has long been confrontation between the troops of the international extremists affiliated with al-Qaeda and local Kurdish militias who stood up to protect their homes from attacks by radical Islamists," Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its website. The city of Ras al-Ain is home to some 50,000 people including a mix of Kurds, Arabs, Christians, and Yezidis – a Kurdish religious minority.

reply to post by shaneslaughta


Thanks for the updates. I'll keep checking back if you're planning to keep a running update to this specific situation.

I'm glad to hear it's fluid then and not static like the taking of the Filipino UN Peacekeepers as hostages a few weeks ago. The second time they'd pulled that stunt in UN monitored Golan. These rebels just can't be underestimated for despicable behavior, it would seem.

On Saturday evening, the fighting spread to the city of Tal Abyad. "Moscow strongly condemns the atrocities of international terrorists in northeastern Syria and the excesses and abuses perpetrated by extremists against a peaceful Kurdish population which is not involved in the ongoing political and military conflict in Syria," the Ministry said. The city of Ras al-Ain is home to some 50,000 people including a mix of Kurds, Arabs, Christians, and Yezidis – a Kurdish religious minority.

Anyone ever notice RT edit their stories multiple times in minutes? Does that happen a lot?

Originally posted by FreedomEntered
Well they made the right move.

Not a good move, but they know how to handle themselves.

Yes, but there is "No longer any room for mistakes".



To2. Toe heads.

So any predictions as to how long before the US steps in to quell the terrorists and remove Assad.....a two for the price of one.

I must have missed something. Maybe I need a program? I thought that at last statement, we (the US) were planning to aid the rebels (i.e. the terrorists) seeking to overthrow Assad. Wouldn't this then mean that the rebels (the ones we are planning to back) are the ones employing the human shield tactic?

Man, this whole mess is confusing. Why are we there again? Exactly...no damn idea....

reply to post by shaneslaughta

Anyone ever notice RT edit their stories multiple times in minutes? Does that happen a lot?

To be expected with breaking news. Things get updated and clarified.