Reports from Inside Syria (dated: September 3rd, 2015)

Thursday September 3rd, 2015

-Translated from reporting provided by PDC local staff

 

Raqqa
• Wednesday afternoon: Western coalition warplanes targeted the new finance building in Raqqa city with 3 raids, which ISIS had taken to use as the headquarters for their Islamic courts.
• Dawn Thursday: The coalition targeted the Tal Simeon region just North of Raqqa with 4 Tomahawk Missiles. The area has been divided between ISIS and Kurdish units. There have been intermittent skirmishes and clashes between the two parties.
• ISIS units inspected a truck carrying rifles and supplies, and found Kurdish fighters hiding in oil tanks. The Kurdish fighters were attempting to enter the Raqqa city.
• In Raqqa city, Abu Karm al-Iraqi was executed by ISIS near al Dallah roundabout. He was the former emir of the Islamic police forces.
• In Tabqa, West of Raqqa, ISIS notified locals in the neighborhoods of that group prayer would not be held. This was justified with security reasons.
In the North
• ISIS fighters triggered an IED directed at Kurdish Party Fighters. This incident took place East of Suluk and led to at least 4 dead Kurdish fighters.
• The YPG repelled an armed ISIS attack. In the village of Fatissa 8 Km east of the town Ain al Issa . This led to two dead and 3 others wounded from ISIS units. The YPG also destroyed an ISIS car mounted with a Dushka gun heavy machine gun.
• PYD police arrested 26 year old Ismail Fadawi Zalafi in the village of Khirbet al-Faras 18 Km West of Tal Abyad. He was beaten and taken from the prison in the financial area to the prison at the border gates.
• 52 year old Lawyer Saad Fahad Shuwaish was arrested by the PYD in the farming area 1.5 Km south of Ain al Arous. He was taken from PYD headquarters in the financial district and was taken to the prison at the gates of the area. Saad was the leader of first civil movement in Tal Abyad. He was also the first president of a local council for Tal Abyad and also a founding member of the Free Lawyers Association.

 

Homs
• ISIS imposed a Dhimmi contract in the town of Quaryatayn in Homs city and central Syria. According to a document issued by ISIS, the Dhimmi contract is a condition for their [the Christians] survival in their town.
• During an ISIS meeting held with residents of the town of Quaryatayn, ISIS revealed its imposition of the Dhimmi contract on the Christians, where they were said they were “establishing the rule of God on the Christians of Quaryatayn city.” The contract consists of 13 clauses for the purpose of giving security to the Christians in the town.
• According to the text of the Dhimmi contract, which ISIS placed upon the Christians town of Quaryatayn, it stipulates that for their survival in their town, “Christians must 1) pay a yearly tribute estimated at 4 gold dinars, 2) not publish their religion or their beliefs, 3) not possess weapons or deal with spies working against ISIS, and 4) to not establish monasteries, churches, or religious temples.”
• Also the ISIS statement clarifies that Christians are to “revere Islam and Muslims so as to not challenge anything from their religion. They [the Christians] will have their own special cemeteries as per custom. And that Christians will commit themselves to decency regulations that ISIS has placed upon clothing, or in buying and sales.” The statement added, “If the Christians of Quaryatayn abide by the conditions within the Dhimmi contract, ‘then their land, their money, and their souls will be protected.’ If this is violated, then there is no contract and ISIS takes way what keeps the Christians from residing in war.”

 

Aleppo
• On Wednesday [ 2 September], the FSA announced it attacked and liberated all of the points which ISIS members had occupied in the surroundings of Marea city in rural northern Aleppo, in portions of Marea city, portions of Sundaf village and Kafra Farms, and the cluster of buildings between Sawran and Kafra. The previous night [Tuesday], ISIS and the FSA faced off within the cluster of buildings between Kafra and Sawran, which ignited violent clashes.
• Approximately 30 ISIS members were killed and tens of others were wounded during the clashes. The FSA published photos of the ISIS members being held captive.
• An FSA source confirmed that it was able to capture two ISIS members. The FSA was also able to destroy ISIS munitions and mechanized equipment.

 

Deir Azzour

• Today [Thursday the 3rd] performed a new round of executions in the Deir Azzour region.
• In western rural Deir Azzour, ISIS executed Ahmad Hasan al Fanaash at the Hassan village roundabout, on the charge of working for SARG.
• Idris al Hasan a child of hamar al a’ali village, was a martyr and an army defector.
• In Quriyah city, Aki Fahad al Janriss a child of al A’ashara, was executed with the charge of cooperating with the SARG.
• A man from Mayadin city, was executed by firing squad in the village of Subyakhan. His name was not released.
• Unknown man was in the village of Graniij, was executed on the charge of cooperating with the SARG.
• In the Village of Khisham, ISIS cut off a hand of two teenage boys on the charge of stealing a water pump/generator [maintaining water pressure in a building or area]. The first boy is 14 years old and the second is 13 years old.
• Meanwhile, coalition planes launched an air raid, on Mayadin city, targeting the Turabi bridge which ISIS built on the Farat river (Euphrates). This resulted in ISIS members closing the postal routes leading into the city.
• ISIS opened a new headquarters for Hassbeh in the village of Abu Hamam. Hassbeh, in Islam, is the civil branch responsible for keeping financial institutions guided by Islamic law. Also, ISIS notified residents of the villages and towns, from Abu Kamal to the limits of Hayjin Island, that they will be conducting sharia courses, for the general public, for a period of 7 days.