“This is a punishment for those who ask for money in the name of the Islamic State” | ISIS cells slaughter two men with knife in al-Busayrah, east of Deir ez-Zor

Deir ez-Zor Governorate – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

SOHR sources say that residents in al-Busayrah city, which is under the control of SDF in Deir al-Zour countryside, found two beheaded bodies separated by sharp hands, near the public park in the center of the city. A piece of paper was found next to the bodies which reads: “This is a punishment for anyone who asks for money in the name of the Islamic State”, in a sign that the group’s cells are behind the murder. This comes as some persons in Deir ez-Zor demanded people pay zakat, claiming that they are collecting money for the group.

Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen targeted the house of a civilian in Al-Busayrah with a sound bomb, demanding he pay zakat of $1,000 to the Islamic State, which caused material damage.

This comes in light of increasing incidents of money requests from residents in SDF-held areas and al-Busayrah in particular by people claiming to be from the Islamic State.

Yesterday, reliable sources told SOHR that members of the Islamic State informed, this morning, workers of the primitive oil refineries in the town of Al-Tayana in Deir ez-Zor countryside, that they should pay zakat to the Islamic State in US dollars, and ordered workers to collect zakat to be handed over to them two days later, and then the members of the group drove away with their car.

SOHR activists said earlier that unidentified gunmen opened fire on the house of a civilian in the city of Al-Busayrah, east of Deir ez-Zor, and then fled on their motorcycles to an unknown destination. No casualties have been reported.

In this context, SDF surrounded the neighbourhood where the targeted house is located and toured the city’s neighbourhoods.

It is worth nothing that the civilian’s house was shot four times after members of the Islamic State demanded him pay zakat.

Moreover, unknown assailants threatened a civilian who owns a wedding dress shop in Abu Hammam town in eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside to kill him if he did not pay zakat to the Islamic State.