The Islamic State (IS) has forced out more than 30,000 residents from the town of ash-Shihel, which was considered a stronghold for the Nusra Front, after the town fell into the hands of the State a few days ago.
IS has maimed Kurdish fighters and executed its opponents in the north of the country, while it began to provide some incentives in areas under its control in the north east of the country.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Islamic State now controls large parts of the province of Deir El-Zor on the border with Iraq, and it had already displaced about 30,000 citizens from Khasham and Tabia towns in the same province.
After the announcement of the establishment of the Caliphate State led by Caliph Ibrahim, or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the IS, which now controls vast areas in northern and western Iraq and northern and eastern Syria, was able to take over several villages and towns in Deir El-Zor without resistance, as fear and a lack of weapons and equipment forced the Syrian armed opposition groups fighting in the countryside of Deir El-Zor to either swear allegiance to the IS or withdraw from their positions.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that "the Islamic State has displaced more than 30, 000 people of the city of al-Shihel, the former stronghold of the Nusra Front, after the factions and the people of the city of al-Shihel pledged allegiance to the Islamic State on the second of this month."
"The Islamic State prevented the people of Khasham, more than 15,500 residents, and Tabia, about 15,000 in the eastern countryside of Deir El-Zor from returning to their villages, though IS displaced them on 23 June as a condition to accept their repentance after they fought the Islamic State," the Observatory said.
Agence France Press said activists wrote on a Facebook page developed on Saturday under the name "Al-Shihel cries for help", writing that "because the dogs of IS fear Al-Shihel, they conditioned that every citizen in the city should leave it before IS enters. And also because of their fear and cowardice they entered it in armored vehicles and tanks, not ordinary cars."
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
On the other hand, IS has started selling crude oil to traders at a price of two thousand Syrian pounds per barrel, which is equivalent to about 12 dollars, as well as they require oil traders to sell at a price of three thousand pounds per barrel, which is equivalent to about 18 dollars. The move comes "in an attempt to gain popular support in the areas under its control, and in light of the humanitarian crisis experienced by the Syrian people in all areas, especially in areas controlled by the Islamic State", the Observatory said.
......
