CRI听力:IS Abducts Dozens of Christians in Syria

Dozens of people, said to be Christians, have reportedly been abducted by Islamic State militants in Syria.

The militants have reportedly overrun a string of Assyrian villages an area of northeastern Syria that borders Iraq.

Local authorities in the area are still uncertain about the details.

"Until now we haven't been able to make contact with any of the hostages. As I said, 90 to 150 people were kidnapped and two people are missing, so we think they have been killed or martyred."

The reported kidnappings come as Kurdish fighters from Syria continue to make advances in the region.

Some reports are suggesting the Islamic State is trying to use the hostages as bargaining leverage to have its fighters currently being held by the Kurdish Peshmerga released.