Armed militants kidnapped six workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and a Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteer in northwestern Syria

Armed militants kidnapped six workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and a Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteer in northwestern Syria on Sunday.

According to a spokesman for the ICRC, the abduction occurred near the town of Saraqeb in Idlib province when the team was coming back to the Syrian capital Damascus.

“We call for the immediate and unconditional release of the seven colleagues,” said Magne Barth, head of the ICRC's Syria delegation. The ICRC, however, has not revealed the identity, gender or nationality of the abducted workers.

No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings so far.

Syrian state TV also confirmed the incident, saying it was done by foreign-backed militants operating in the Arab country.