Islamic State cells demand civilians pay zakat in eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor

Reliable sources have informed the Syrian Observatory that ISIS cells have planted an improvised explosive device (IED) in front of the house of a civilian in the city of Al-Busayrah, east of Deir ez-Zor, after the owner refused to pay zakat for the group’s members.

However, a number of young men have managed to dismantle the IED in front of the civilian’s house before it explodes.

Meanwhile, ISIS cells threatened a shopkeeper in Al-Busayrah city not to come to his shop, otherwise he would be assassinated. This comes nearly a week after his home was shot by ISIS cells to force him to pay zakat.

On December 5, SOHR activists said that four members on motorcycles threatened a doctor in al-Busayrah town in eastern Deir al-Zour countryside and demanded he pay “zakat”, after they opened fire on his house.

Source: SOHR