Islamic State (IS) cells have been accused of being behind a recent wave of assassinations against civilians and tribal elders in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria. The uptick in assassinations has pushed the US-led international coalition to intensify its military operations against IS, which has recently resumed its activities against civilians and military personnel in the area.
On Jan. 12, unidentified gunmen killed Sheikh Atliyoush Shatat, a notable of the Akidat tribe, in the village of Hwaij Dhiban in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor. According to media reports, Shatat, 90, was a prominent tribal figure who played significant roles in conflict resolution.
On Dec. 31, 2020, the US-led coalition carried out an airdrop of forces in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor and launched a number of missiles at a hut housing an IS cell. Three gunmen, including one Syrian national from Hwaij Dhiban and two alleged Iraqi nationals, were killed in the operation, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
An officer in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Deir ez-Zor told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that IS cells are terrorizing civilians in the desert of Deir ez-Zor, threatening to kill them if they do not pay them the zakat (charitable payment). “IS cells are threatening merchants and middle-income citizens in short text messages, demanding them to pay a sum of up to $5,000. Those who refuse to pay are accused of apostasy and IS vows to kill them,” he said.
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