The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

“Compulsory Conscription” in the last stronghold of ISIS … wide-scale arrests regardless of the enlistment ages

ISIS arrests tens of young men in Al-Mayadin and massive displacement from its areas of control in Deir Ezzor

The SOHR learned that ISIS is carrying out large-scale arrests of young men, boys and men in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor. Specifically, the SOHR learned that ISIS arrested tens of people from markets, bakeries and restaurants in Al-Mayadin city, which is considered the capital of “Al-Kheir State” in fulfillment of the “Compulsory Conscription” decision issued by the organization few days ago. The SOHR observed that ISIS is arresting young men and men below and above their set enlistment ages, amid resentment in the city and other areas in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor because of the arrests and the compulsory conscription. Reliable sources confirmed to the SOHR that ISIS rushed to arrest civilians and take them to its camps and fighting fronts as a result of the massive displacement of men, young men and families from Deir Ezzor Province to other areas in Syria to avoid conscription. Such acts are threatening those who do not voluntarily conscribe, as they would be forced to do so. The SOHR observed during the past 48 hours that ISIS carried out more raids and arrests of dozens of young men, amid the displacement of the residents of ISIS-controlled areas as a result of the continuous escalation by the Russian and the International coalition warplanes since the 22nd of May 2017, which marks the start date of the escalated shelling on Deir Ezzor countryside. Then the last straw came in the form of the “Compulsory Conscription” decision issued by ISIS, forcing civilians to flee in order to escape from death of another kind; a kind in which civilians are forced to walk to their own death. This decision issued by ISIS applies to all people between the ages of 20 and 30 asking them to join ISIS Camps to perform their compulsory service in order to “repel the attack of Nusayris (Alawites) on the protectors of Islamic State in Al-Kheir State”. Otherwise, they would be forced to conscribe. Reliable sources informed the SOHR that most of the displaced are fleeing towards the countryside of Aleppo, Al-Hasakah and Al-Rokban.

The SOHR published on the 7th of August that such a decision increased the suffering of the Syrian civilians, forcing them to flee away from another kind of death, in which civilians are forced to march to their own death. Such decision forces young men aged between 20 and 30 to join ISIS camps in order to “repel the attack of Nusayris (Alawites) on the protectors of the Islamic State in Al-Kheir State”, warning those who avoids the service, to be forcibly recruited. The SOHR monitored the displacement of hundreds of families during the past few days to SDF-controlled areas. On the other hand, some of those families passed through roads leading to regime and SDF-controlled areas in the countryside of Al-Raqqah, which is linked to the western countryside of Deir Ezzor, heading towards areas controlled by the Turkish forces and the factions operating as part of the “Euphrates Shield” Operation in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, despite the fact that it is such a perilous journey, amid fears of landmines explosions and targeting by warplanes during their attempts to exit the ISIS-controlled area.

It should be noted that the Statement in which ISIS declares “Mandatory Conscription” and which was published by the SOHR on the 3rd of August came one week after the regime forces were able to enter the administrative border of Deir Ezzor, coming from the eastern countryside of Al-Raqqah and to move deeper into the western countryside of the province, in an attempt to turn around Al-Bashri Mountain and an adjacent Mountain, If successful, the regime forces would be able to put large areas of the countryside of Deir Ezzor under fire. The SOHR activists in Deir Ezzor Province obtained a copy of the statement issued by the organization of the “Islamic State” in “Al-Khair State” in which it declared “General Mandatory recruitment of all Muslim young men who are able to fight in Al-Khair State and aged between 20 and 30. No one is excluded from conscription except for those who have legitimate excuses. The aim of such decision is to repel the attacks of Nusayris (Alawites) on religion, persons, money, women and the protectors of Muslims in Al-Khair State”. The statement added: “the recruits, who will join the fight and Jihad repelling such attacks, will be equally treated as the Mujahedeen and the soldiers of the Islamic State. They will undergo Sharia and military training. They are also entitled to join the Islamic State army in accordance with the conditions of recruitment.