Air strikes target Islamic State positions after abduction of Christians

After the abduction of more than 200 Assyrian Christians in Syria earlier this week, air strikes have targeted Islamic State positions of where they were taken from.

Reuters reported that on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the U.S.-led alliance air strikes were going on near Tel Tamr in the Hassakeh province of where they were abducted.

"Some people have tried to call them by cellphone, the relatives that have been abducted, and they get an answer from a member of ISIS who tells [the families] that they will send the head of their relative,” said Bassam Ishak, a Christian and president of the Syriac National Council of Syria.

"They are trying to terrorize the parents, the relatives in the Christian Assyrian community," he added.

The Associated Press noted that about 220 Christians were captured from their villages in the province which borders Turkey and Iraq. The area has populations of Kurds and Arabs and is predominantly Christian Assyrians.