Case of religious ignorance reveals ISIS remnants’ retaliation against defectors in Syria

Mohamed Yosry

Assassination still remains an important tool of the ISIS terrorist remnants in Syria. Their systematic killings do not differentiate between the organization’s competitors from other terrorist groups and between the killing of senior dissident leaders or civilians who were located in the areas under ISIS influence before it collapsed in the country. They would slaughter, burn, torture by using what they called “traitor grills”, and even drown dissidents o place them in boiling water before finishing them with a bullet to the head. The remaining cells of the terrorist organization carry out killings and assassinations against those who reveal the organization’s scandals and failures, including the failure of its leaders to recite the obligatory Surat al-Fatiha (the opening chapter of the Quran) during prayer. A member of the organization in Deir Ezzor paid with his life for announcing his objection to the leaders’ errors.

Religious scandal

The killing of Saad Khalil al-Ajaj, nicknamed Abu Islam al-Tayyani, in mid-January 2020 revealed the scandals of the terrorist organization in Syria and the fabrication of accusations against opponents who reveal their religious errors, which touch upon the most basic matters, including the inability of a number of ISIS leaders to read the Quran correctly.

On February 25, the Turath al-Ilmi Foundation, an ISIS dissident media group, published the confessions of Syrian dissident Hakim al-Qarani regarding the killing of Ajaj in Deir Ezzor.

Qarani said that this is not new for ISIS but is just part of an ugly chapter of the group’s crimes, which were planned by the security forces of an extinct terrorist organization under the umbrella of a leader they do not know, as they seek anything to revive their dreams of ascension following the group’s resounding defeat, which was the inevitable result of the systematic religious decline in the “caliphate”.

On Wednesday evening, January 1, Ajaj was safe in his home, and he was surprised when two masked persons stormed his house, according to Qarani, adding that they shot him with 40 rounds in front of his terrified family, including his children aged three to five, wife, mother and sisters. His mother lost consciousness due to the horrific scene.

The masked men escaped and shot the house to prevent anyone from looking at them. Everyone was surprised that ISIS then officially took credit for the crime, given that Ajaj was a leader in the Kurdish intelligence forces.

Qarani asserted in his confession that the main reason for Ajaj’s assassination was his opposition to the religious errors of the organization and his ongoing disputes with them in this regard, which had began with his renunciation of his leader, Hammam al-Tayyana, because he did not know how to read Surat al-Fatihah when praying with them as an imam.

Despite Ajaj’s disagreement with the terrorist organization, he had been secure on their side and trusted them, Qarani said, but it became clear later that his assassination was planned by providing false witnesses who were used by ISIS leaders to fabricate an accusation they in order to get rid of his legitimate criticism. Qarani added that the organization takes the testimony of anything living without investigation, and it even published Ajaj’s name incorrectly in the statement of his assassination, writing “Fahd” instead of Saad. None of the members of the terrorist organization provided any evidence following the incident to prove the validity of their claims. Rather, they have proven that they permit the shedding of Muslim blood through slander and malicious reports.

ISIS never cared from the beginning about belief or religion. Many of those who work with it are now hired killers or snitches who only seek money and carrying out personal revenge. For example, one of the region’s largest leaders, affiliated with Ahrar al-Sham, used to declare his hatred of ISIS, but when ISIS took control of Deir Ezzor, he went to them claiming repentance and now he works for the group in order to make money. The terrorist organization has turned into a pure gang of criminals.