IS releases six of 27 Druze hostages held in southern Syria

BEIRUT, Oct 20 ( AFP) - The Islamic State group has released six of 27 Druze hostages it seized during a deadly July attack in Syria's Sweida province in exchange for a prisoner swap and a $27 million ransom, a monitor said Saturday.

The jihadist group abducted around 30 people -- mostly women and children -- from Sweida in late July during the deadliest attack on Syria's Druze community of the seven-year civil war.

Families of the hostages led a series of protests outside government offices in Sweida earlier this month to demand more be done to secure their release.