Syria: Villages along the Khabour River Liberated from the Islamic State

According to World Watch Monitor, reports given to the Catholic News Service (CNS) indicate that all the villages along the Khabour River, invaded by Islamic State militants three months ago, have been liberated.

“This is very happy news,” Father Emanuel Youkhana, of Christian Aid Program northern Iraq, told CNS.

He cautioned Christian villagers, however, from returning home too quickly because of landmines left behind by the militants. “Three Kurdish fighters were killed by [Islamic State] landmines, and a clean-up operation is underway,” Youkhana said.

Assyrian Christian and Kurdish forces regained control of the towns with the support of US-led coalition airstrikes.