ADVERTISEMENT

IS executed over 4,000 in Syria in last 2 years: report

April 30, 2016 05:06 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 02:21 am IST - LONDON:

By crude methods like beheadings, shootings, stonings and throwing people off buildings, setting them on fire.

Jihadi John stands next to American-Israeli journalist Steven Sotloff in this still image from a video obtained from SITE Intel Group website on February 26, 2015. Sotloff was beheaded by Jihadi John on September 2, 2014. The ruthless outfit has executed 4,144 people by regular beheadings, shootings, stonings and other methods of murder such as throwing people off buildings and setting them on fire.

The Islamic State (IS) militant group has executed over 4,000 people within two years, a U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said, calling on the United Nations to stop the crimes and violations committed against the Syrian people by the outfit.

Monitors compiled the list dating back to the declaration of the IS in June 2014, showing regular beheadings, shootings, stonings and other methods of murder such as throwing people off buildings and setting them on fire.

ADVERTISEMENT

Offences include sodomy and apostasy

The so-called offences of those executed included sodomy, apostasy and alcohol smuggling, SOHR notes.

It concludes that by the end of the 22nd month of the so-called “caliphate” under ISIS, 4,144 people had been executed.

SOHR said civilians made up the bulk of those executed, estimated at 2,230 people, including in three large-scale massacres of Sunni and Kurdish citizens.

The civilians, including women and children, are among the number, as are hundreds of IS’ own members and enemy fighters from Bashar al-Assad’s army and opposition rebel groups, The Independent reported.

Serious call to U.N.

“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights call again on the U.N. Security Council to work seriously to stop the crimes and violations committed against the Syrian people by the ‘Islamic State’ and the regime of Bashar al-Assad,” a spokesperson said.

In the month until March 29 this year, 80 killings were recorded in IS territory in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Al-Hasakah.

A child was among 37 Syrian civilians executed, while 24 IS members, six rebels and fighters and more than a dozen Syrian army and militia members were beheaded and shot, SOHR said.

A first-hand account

A former London student, who joined the IS in Syria last year described the reign of terror they enforce in their strongholds in an interview with the newspaper.

“I witnessed stonings, beheadings, shootings, hands chopped off and many other things,” said Harry Sarfo, currently in prison in Germany awaiting trial for terror offences after fleeing Syria last July.

He added: “I’ve seen child soldiers — 13-year-old boys with explosive belts and Kalashnikovs. Some boys even driving cars and involved in executions.”

6 men shot in the head with Kalashnikovs

“My worst memory is of the execution of six men shot in the head by Kalashnikovs. The chopping off of a man’s hand and making him hold it with the other hand,” he said.

“The Islamic State is not just un-Islamic, it is inhuman. A blood-related brother killed his own brother on suspicion of being a spy. They gave him the order to kill him. It is friends killing friends,” he added.

This is a Premium article available exclusively to our subscribers. To read 250+ such premium articles every month
You have exhausted your free article limit.
Please support quality journalism.
You have exhausted your free article limit.
Please support quality journalism.
The Hindu operates by its editorial values to provide you quality journalism.
This is your last free article.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT