ISIS attaches leaflets to mosques in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor countryside
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – On Friday, residents of towns in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, east Syria, were surprised to see banners of the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) and leaflets attached to doors and walls of mosques.
“Residents were surprised with leaflets attached to walls of mosques bearing a message by the ISIS militants addressing the Good State, which are areas in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, warning people never to come close to checkpoints of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and threatening the SDF with killing if they do not repent,” eyewitnesses of the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor told North Press.
The leaflets bore a phrase saying, “Do not Touch the paper” in order not to remove it, according to the source.
Residents of Abu Hamam, al-Gharanij and al-Keshkyya towns, in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, removed the leaflets and downed ISIS banners that were raised in the aforementioned towns, Sources told North Press.
“The goal of spreading these leaflets is to instill fear among people in addition to blackmailing venture capitalists and traders in order to pay royalties to groups operating under ISIS name,” a military source of SDF told North Press.
“SDF will pursue ISIS sleeper cells and any groups work in its name to sow horror among people, who should not believe in or response to these threats, and those who are threatened or blackmailed have to tell the military forces directly,” the source added.