Beirut (AFP) - In the Syrian
stronghold of the Islamic
State jihadist group,
everything is black,
activists say, from men's
turbans to women's veils.
Even the passports.
"Black IS flags are
everywhere. Women are
covered from head to toe
in black burqas, and can
only leave the house in the
company of their fathers,
brothers or husbands," said
Abu Yusef, an activist from
Raqa province, which IS
considers its headquarters.
Asked what colour IS
passports are, he laughed:
"Black."
IS members parade on the
streets with their weapons
-- usually Kalashnikovs
assault rifles or pistols --
while non-members are
not allowed to own arms,
he told AFP via the
Internet.
They exert control over
every aspect of life, with
men and women
controlled by separate
security forces.
"The Khansaa brigade is
composed of women IS
members. They are armed,
and have the power to
stop and search any
woman on the street," said
Abu Yusef.
"Daesh's version of Islamic
law is imposed by the
men's Hesbeh brigade," he
said, using the Arabic
acronym for IS.
IS also has "ministries for
everything you can
imagine: education, health,
water, electricity, religious
affairs and defence. All the
ministries occupy ex-
government buildings."
Education is based on a
strict interpretation of
Islamic law, and military
training camps for young
boys have been set up in
Raqa, Abu Yusef said.
"There is even a consumer
protection authority," he
said.
- Jihadist-only coffeeshops
-
Activists in Raqa have
frequently complained that
the jihadists have access to
recreation but forbid it for
others.
They post photographs
online showing jihadist-
filled coffeeshops in Raqa,
while complaining that
non-fighters are not
allowed to enjoy public
spaces.
In Deir Ezzor, where locals
tried in vain to keep IS out,
none of the coffeeshops
that are so popular
elsewhere in the Middle
East remain open.
"Nothing good or fun is
allowed," activist Rayan al-
Furati told AFP via the
Internet.
"It is impossible to even
imagine anyone smoking,
or anyone selling tobacco
products. It is impossible
to see a woman without a
full veil. And every day,
when the muezzins call for
prayer, everybody closes
their shops and goes to the
mosque, or else they face
detention."
For the group's jihadists,
however, life in IS-
controlled parts of Syria is
good, not least because of
the benefits they get.
The lowest IS cadres are
paid $300 (235 euros) a
month, said Raqa-based
activist Furat al-Wafaa,
using a pseudonym to
protect his identity.
"In the current
circumstances, that's a lot
of money," he said via the
Internet.
Wafaa said the group's
generosity does not
extend to those under its
rule.
"Daesh is not really a state.
It gives its members all the
services they want, but
other citizens get no part
in that.
"It's a mafia that rules
through terror. And people
are forced by hunger to
join, because that's the
only way to get a proper
salary."
At the same time, IS
collects taxes from the
population.
"Even those too poor to
pay have to comply. So
people are joining because
they face the choice of
starving, or joining in the
extortion," he said.
Shopkeepers impoverished
by a nearly four-year war
pay some $60 a month in
tax to the IS, he said.
- 'Settler occupation' -
Deir Ezzor's Furati,
meanwhile, likened IS to a
settler movement that has
displaced the local
population.
"Just as Israel occupied
Palestine with settlers, the
same thing has happened
here," said the activist,
who like tens of thousands
of residents recently fled
Deir Ezzor for fear of
persecution.
"You have foreign jihadists,
even Americans, living
with their families where
we once lived," said Furati,
using a pseudonym to
protect family members
still in the province.
The jihadists have kept the
oil and gas fields,
electricity plants and dams
in areas under their control
running.
They pay employees an
extra salary to continue
working, adding to their
uninterrupted monthly
wages from the Syrian
government.
Furati said employees
belonging to President
Bashar al-Assad's minority
Alawite sect had long fled
when IS arrived in Deir
Ezzor and other employees
have been kept on.
"Those employees still
working the oil and gas
fields were given
guarantees they wouldn't
be harmed, and Libyan
engineers were brought in
to support them," he said.
But power cuts and water
shortages in IS-controlled
areas are endemic, activists
say, adding to the woes of
those living under their
rule.
Nael Mustafa, another
activist still living in Raqa,
said there is no separation
between the public and
the private in IS-controlled
areas.
IS forces have no qualms
about raiding homes and
searching phones and
computers for evidence of
what they consider
immoral practices.
"They believe that
everything belongs to God
-- and therefore comes
under their control," he
told AFP.

These extremists are taking this thing too far but their power would soon be curtailed.

https://us.yahoo.com/news/black-prevails-syria-jihadist-stronghold-101650446.html?.b=%2Findex

christejames: These extremists are taking this thing too far but their power would soon be curtailed.

THATS EXACTLY APC PLAN FOR NIGERIA. NIGERIA MUST BE ISLAMIZED. JIHADI BARCANITA LACASA EMESSY EGGHEADER OBIAGELLI DONPHILOPUS NGENEUKWENU TOLEXANDER. OYA MAKE UNA COME DEFEND RELIGION OF PISS

mike404: THATS EXACTLY APC PLAN FOR NIGERIA. NIGERIA MUST BE ISLAMIZED. JIHADI BARCANITA LACASA EMESSY EGGHEADER OBIAGELLI DONPHILOPUS NGENEUKWENU TOLEXANDER. OYA MAKE UNA COME DEFEND RELIGION OF PISS

Fool! Keep mentioning your mother! Anuofia

mike404: THATS EXACTLY APC PLAN FOR NIGERIA. NIGERIA MUST BE ISLAMIZED. JIHADI BARCANITA LACASA EMESSY EGGHEADER OBIAGELLI DONPHILOPUS NGENEUKWENU TOLEXANDER. OYA MAKE UNA COME DEFEND RELIGION OF PISS

hahaha their plans won't work, its already dead on arrival.

NgeneUkwenu:

Fool! Keep mentioning your mother! Anuofia

NGWERE I DONT WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHAT BOKO HARI IS PLANNING FOR INNOCENT CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY

AKUNWATA1: NGWERE I DONT WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHAT BOKO HARI IS PLANNING FOR INNOCENT CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY

May you be the victim, when they come calling!

Nonsense keep mentioning the name of your mother! Otele gbagbua gi Ebe ahu! Onye nzuzu!

mike44
You are a nincompoop to be honest with yu

NgeneUkwenu:

May you be the victim, when they come calling!

Nonsense keep mentioning the name of your mother! Otele gbagbua gi Ebe ahu! Onye nzuzu!

HABA NGWERE NO BE FIGHT NOW I JUST WANNA KNOW HOW YA GONNA COPE WITH THE NEW ISLAMIC CALIPH UNDER PROPHET OF ISLAM (BOKO HARI) PISS AND POO BE UPON HIM

mike404: THATS EXACTLY APC PLAN FOR NIGERIA. NIGERIA MUST BE ISLAMIZED. JIHADI BARCANITA LACASA EMESSY EGGHEADER OBIAGELLI DONPHILOPUS NGENEUKWENU TOLEXANDER. OYA MAKE UNA COME DEFEND RELIGION OF PISS

You are just as dumb as you will ever be , so what does this have to do with APC or Islam? S tupid fo ol going round the net to find foolish news just to prove yourself right that is all your life depends on , and if you ever quote me or mention me hope you will be ready for what comes after