ISIS video claims to show 2 Russian captives
The Islamic State-linked news agency Aamaq has released a video purporting to show two Russian captives who say they have been taken prisoner by the extremists in eastern Syria.
In the video released on social media Tuesday, one of the captured men identifies himself. He says he and his colleague, who appears badly beaten, were captured near al-Shoula, a village outside of Deir el-Zour city, during a counteroffensive by IS in the area.
The speaker doesn't say when the two men were captured. They appear hand-cuffed and are wearing local garb.
The report first emerged last week. At the time, the Russian Defense Ministry denied it, saying no Russian servicemen have been taken prisoner in Deir el-Zour or anywhere in Syria.
The Russian military has been backing a Syrian government offensive in the area since September.
