The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Idlib Militants Execute Three Civilians Over Witchcraft, Heresy Accusations

Security forces of al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have executed three Syrian civilians after accusing them of practicing “witchcraft” and committing “heresy”, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on November 28.

According to the London-based monitoring group, the execution took place near the town of Anjara in the opposition-held part of the western Aleppo countryside.

  • “The Hirabah [Islamic term for the death sentence] sentence was implemented on these people for several reasons, including magic, witchcraft and one of them claimed to be a prophet,” a source familiar with the matter told the SOHR.

SOHR had reported that HTS security forces are using torture to force captives into confessing to crimes they didn’t committee. The monitoring group also revealed that a Saudi commander of the terrorist group known as Abu Azzam al-Jazrawi is behind the execution orders.

Earlier this year, the terrorist group executed many civilians in the Greater Idlib region accusing them of being “spies” for the Syrian or Russian intelligence services. In one incident, the group tortured an opposition activist to death on similar charges.

HTS is publicly following the footsteps of ISIS, which has become infamous for executing civilians. Just like ISIS, HTS is likely trying to intimidate and terrorize people in Greater Idlib in order to secure its own power.

Source: Idlib Militants Execute Three Civilians Over Witchcraft, Heresy Accusations