(AINA) -- Armed jihadist seized control of Qastal al-Burg village on Thursday, May 10, and ordered its 10 Christian families to leave, according to a report published by UPI on its Arabic language website.

A resident of the village, who did not wish to be identified, said "armed jihadist (expiatory) group came to the village and ordered us to leave our homes empty handed." The armed group, he further stated, "have exercised their control over all the houses, and occupied the church and made it as their command control center."

Qastal al-Burg village is in the province of Hama and is 48 kilometers northwest of Hama.

Translated from Arabic by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi.