ISIS Seizes Syria Police Station, Captures Dozens of Hostages

ISIS accuses civilians of being government informers

ISIS fighters stormed the desert town of al-Saan, in Hama Province, seizing the police station and capturing dozens of people, including both civilians and police. Eight soldiers are also being held.

ISIS has been trying to raid areas near the desert that they operate within. Al-Saan was a former stronghold of theirs. The civilians they captured are accused of being informers for the Assad government.

Syrian state media reported that the civilians were out picking truffles at the time of the raid, and ISIS made their way to the police station, capturing 13 police, the alleged informers, and the eight soldiers.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head noted that abducted soldiers are usually killed, and that ISIS has also killed civilians they believe are in league with the government.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.