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2014-08-19 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Islamic State group kills Syria tribesmen

[ARABNEWS] The Lion of Islam Islamic State group shot and beheaded hundreds of rustics from eastern Syria over the past two weeks after crushing an uprising they led amid the country's civil war, activists said Monday.

The killing of members of the Shueitat tribe come as Islamic State group fighters close in on the last government-held army base in the region. Syrian warplanes bombed the Lion of Islams' positions Monday in an attempt to halt their advance.

A Turkey-based activist who is originally from Deir el-Zour and is in contact with people in the province told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named that as many as 200 members of the Shueitat tribe have been killed by Islamic State members. On Saturday, the Britannia-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the corpse count among the rustics at 700.

The activist spoke on condition of anonymity for fear that family members in Syria might be harmed. Differences in casualty figures are common in the aftermath of attacks in Syria.

Last week, Islamic State fighters crushed the tribal uprising against their rule in eastern Syria after three days of festivities near the border with Iraq. Tribesmen expelled the jihadi fighters from the villages of Kishkiyeh, Abu Hamam and Granij earlier this month before the Islamic State launched a counteroffensive that killed dozens, activists said.

"They considered all members of the Shueitat tribe apostates because they rose against them," the activist said. "Some men were taken out in the fields and beheaded them while others were shot in the head."

The Islamic State group has declared a self-styled caliphate in territory it controls along the Iraqi-Syrian border, imposing a harsh interpretation of Islamic law. They have executed hundreds of people in Iraq and Syria over the past two months, including some who had their heads chopped off and their heads were later displayed in a public square in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa.

Last month, jihadis overran the sprawling Division 17 military base in Raqqa province, killing at least 85 soldiers. Two weeks later, Islamic State fighters seized the nearby Brigade 93 base after days of heavy fighting.

They now are closing in on the Tabqa air base, the last position held by Syrian government troops in Raqqa province.

The Observatory reported intense festivities Monday between troops and Islamic State fighters on the edge of the villages of Ajil and Khazna near the Tabqa air base. It said there were casualties on both sides.

The Raqqa Media Center, an activist collective, said Islamic State group fighters captured four villages near the air base, including Ajil.

The Observatory and RMC also reported intense air raids for the second day on Raqqa's lovely provincial capital.

Posted by Fred 2014-08-19 00:00|| || Front Page|| [17 views ] Top
File under: Islamic State

#1 See also DAILY STAR.LB > JIHADIST "ISLAMIC STATE" [ISIS aka ISIL] HAS 50,000 MEMBERS IN SYRIA: NGO.

UK-based SOHR = Syrian Obervatory for Huamn Rights.

As per SOHR, the ISIS/ISIL also repor recruited 1000 new members during last month alone.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2014-08-19 23:03|| 2014-08-19 23:03|| Front Page Top