US condemns ISIL kidnappings in Homs

The United States has condemned the ISIL kidnapping of 230 civilians in the Syrian province of Homs.

In a statement, Mark C. Toner, Deputy Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department, said, "The United States strongly condemns ISIL's kidnapping this week of a reported 230 innocent civilians, including women and children, in the central Syrian province of Homs."

"ISIL's attacks have also resulted in the displacement of an estimated 2,000 people from nearby villages. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of the civilians taken captive this week and of all those held by ISIL," he added.

"The fact that this kidnapping deliberately targeted members of a religious minority group further testifies to ISIL's rampant criminality and brutality against all those who disagree with its divisive goals and toxic beliefs,"Toner said further.

"ISIL continues to exact its evil upon innocents of all faiths - including, in this instance, Christians - and the majority of its victims have been Muslims. People of all faiths and many religious leaders throughout the region have united in condemning ISIL's depravity, its mass killings, rape, sexual enslavement, lashing, stoning, crucifixion, and public murders of hostages," he added.

"To help bring an end to horrors like these, we remain committed to leading the international coalition to degrade and defeat ISIL," Toner said.