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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Unknown individuals demand Zakat from residents of Hasakah |
| 2022-02-11 |
SHADDADI, Syria (North Press) – The 28-year-old Sa’ed al-Omar, a pseudonym for shop owner in Shaddadi town south of Hasakah, northeast Syria, is still worried after he had refused to pay Zakat (donation of Islam) to some people pretended to be members of the Islamic State Organization (ISIS). Few days ago, an individual, who refused to identify himself, received WhatsApp messages from unknown people asking to pay Zakat of $700. Al-Omar refused to pay and they threatened him of “punishment and killing”, if he does not pay during coming days. Recently, several people have received calls and messages from unknown people pretending as ISIS members asking to pay “Zakat”, and threatened of killing in case their request is refused or told to the security sides. Those people targeted the well-offs and venture capitals in Shaddadi town. It is first time that the residents receive such calls for “Zakat” since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) controlled Shaddadi and cleared it of ISIS, according to the residents. In February 2013, Shaddadi town, 60 km south of Hasakah, became out of the Syrian government control after fighting with the armed opposition factions and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS-formerly al-Nusra Front), where the city infrastructure was destroyed and the government institutions were looted. One year followed the armed opposition control, ISIS attacked them, and after few days of fierce fighting, ISIS controlled the town. In 2016, the SDF took control over Shaddadi. During its control, the ISIS forced the residents to pay sums of money as Zakat, depending on how wealthy they were, via Zakat Diwan (office). Shaddadi town and countryside witness activation of ISIS sleeper cells from time to time that target the SDF checkpoints and the US base in the town with missiles during the last period. There is a prison in the town that houses thousands of ISIS members, and the SDF announces the capture of members and leaders from time to time. Meanwhile, some people refused to call the security forces about the incident fearing of being killed or threatened, some of them dared and called, some people ignored the calls and thought those are some deceivers and fraudsters. The security forces are following the contacts which send messages, according to those who called them. Muhamad al-Ahmad, 34, a nickname of a trader in the town, received messages on WhatsApp a week ago, asking to pay $1,000. “They told me if I do not pay Zakat, I will be punished severely”, he said. “ISIS let us live in panic and fear and at the moment we are still worried about our families even though I refuse to pay” he added. Reporting by Bassem Shuweikh |
| Posted by:badanov |