ISIS attacks oil businessman in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – On Saturday, the Islamic State (ISIS) militants targeted with missiles and machineguns the house of an oil well investor in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria. This is the third attack against the investor since the beginning of 2023 under the pretext of refusing to pay the zakat (a form of almsgiving to purify wealth in Islam) to the group.
A local source of the investor’s relatives said that militants riding three motorcycles targeted with an RPG-7 and machineguns the residence of Ghadif al-Hamoud, an oil well investor in the town of Hawayij Ziban, 45km east of Deir ez-Zor, followed by short clashes between the attackers and relatives of al-Hamoud causing the attackers to flee.
The source added that al-Hamoud’s house was under a similar attack 20 days ago, preceded by a stun grenade attack on the roof of the house, after receiving threats for refusing to pay zakat to ISIS.
The source guessed, citing the investor, that cells of the Fourth Division are behind the two attacks, threatening him disguised as ISIS due to old personal differences.
ISIS intends to launch a financial war, starting with imposing zakat on oil well investors to fund the group. This came after ISIS in Iraq announced in a statement the decline of its economy, stressing it would launch an economic war on those who oppose it.
On Feb. 26, ISIS militants targeted the house of Ghanam al-Jadi, an oil well investor in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, with RPG-7s for refusing to pay zakat.