ISIS ‘kidnaps over 300 cement workers’ in Syria

The ISIS militant group has abducted more than 300 workers from a cement factory near Damascus, Syria’s state-run news agency SANA reported on Thursday, citing a source at the industry ministry.

Managers of the factory located near the southwest town of al-Dumeir outside Damascus confirmed the abductions, SANA reported, quoting an unnamed ministry official.

“The company informed the ministry that it has not been able so far to communicate with any of the abductees,” the official said, cited by SANA.

The official said the ministry was keeping in contact with the company to try and learn where the cement workers had been taken.

Residents of the town of Jeiroud, near the factory, said they saw around 125 of the abducted workers being transported on ISIS vehicles that were heading to towards Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta area, SANA said, quoting local officials.

The fresh fighting near Damascus came ahead of a new round of peace talks due next week in Geneva following a ceasefire between the regime and non-jihadist rebels that has allowed Syrian forces to focus on fighting ISIS.

“We haven’t been able to reach our family members since noon on Monday after an attack by Daesh (ISIS) on the factory,” said one resident of Dmeir.