Islamic state militants kills three Christian hostages in Syria

Islamic State militants, ISIS have reportedly killed three Christian hostages that have been in their custody since February and are threatening to kill 200 more if the ransom of $100,000 per prisoner is not paid.

The men were captured when ISIS overran a series of Assyrian settlements on the Khabur river in northeast Syria, The Guardian reports.

A total of 253 Assyrian Christians were allegedly captured from their settlement.

A video released by the group shows the men dressed in orange jumpsuits before they are shot dead.

One of the men says Isis will begin executing other prisoners if the militants’ demands are not met, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

An Assyrian activist network said in a statement:

“We condemn this latest act of barbarism in the strongest possible terms. The systematic ethno-religious cleansing of Assyrian/Syriac/Chaldeans continues. They are helpless. They are children. They are women. They are somebody’s father and brother.

“We plea and beg of the international community to intervene immediately. We have been driven out of our ancestral lands. We have been killed and crucified. The international community must act now to save lives of others kidnapped.”