ALEPPO, Syria — Islamic State (IS) cells in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria threatened employees and workers of institutions linked to the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and warned them against carrying out work for the administration.

“On the morning of Aug. 9, the employees of the local council and the municipality in the town of al-Hariji in the northeastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor were surprised to find upon arrival at their workplace paper notes bearing the IS logo and the name and function of each employee,” an official at the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. 

“The notes included the names of 18 employees. They were threatened with death if they continued to work for the Autonomous Administration. The employees who received the death threats are mainly public servants, guards at the local council and educators. Most of them resigned out of fear for their lives because IS cells have been particularly active recently and might carry out the threats,” the official added.

The eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor has recently seen an uptick in assassinations targeting Kurdish forces, Autonomous Administration employees, tribal figures and civilians.