More than 10 Christian hostages held by ISIS have been released, according to an Assyrian human rights group. The 10 Assyrian Christians were part of more than 220 captured by the Islamists in February after it overran the Assyrian-dominated Khabur River region in the north-eastern Syrian province of Hassakeh. The Stockholm-based Assyrian Network for Human Rights said the 10 were released on Tuesday and that they are all in good health, bringing the number freed to 98. The releases were organised through meditation efforts by the leadership of the Assyrian Church of the East in Syria. Yesterday the war in Syria appeared to escalate after Turkey shot down a Russian jet, killing one of the pilots. The second pilot has reportedly been rescued by the Syrian army.