GAZIANTEP, Turkey — Syrian Islamist rebel groups on Friday were accused of killing at least 190 villagers in the country’s pro-government heartland and kidnapping hundreds more, as the emergence of jihadist forces fuels further sectarian strife.
Civilian residents, including dozens of women and children, were gunned down or stabbed during a coordinated, planned attack on villages in the mountains of Latakia province in August, New York-based Human Rights Watch said. More than 200 residents taken hostage still remain in custody of Islamist rebels, the group added.