Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda is a documentary report on some crimes by the Islamic State (ISIS) group in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor. This special report has been prepared by Fraternity Center for Terrorism and Ex- tremism Research (FCTER) at Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (Birati). January 2017 Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (Birati) is a human rights organization registered in accordance with the German law for non-profit organizations under the name of Birati Foundation for Human Rights. It is an independent organization, established on 01/01/2013. It operates in Europe, the Middle East and particularly in . The organization works to spread the culture of human rights, monitor its violations and reveal war crimes committed in areas of conflict in the Middle East. It also works to advocate their defenders and to consolidate peaceful coexistence concepts in regions of ethnic and religious diversity in the Middle East. It also seeks to empower women in the domain of jurist, profession, politics and human rights as it supports the protection of children›s rights. FFHR participates in the work of integrating refugees in the European societies. Besides, the Foundation provides studies and researches on extremism and terrorism in the Middle East to enhance the values of citizenship, justice and freedom. The Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights works on providing studies and researches on extremist and terrorist groups in the Middle East through a program of studies and research preparation managed by the Fraternity Center for Terrorism and Extremism Research (FCTER). FCTER works in studies and field researches on the origin of extremism and terrorism, their causes, consequences and the means of dealing with them in the Middle East to influence the decision-makers, protect the civil peace and reinforce the principles of citizenship, freedom and democracy. The program also monitors human rights violations by publishing its statistics and data periodically in the form of special reports on major catastrophic events. It also perpetually issues press releases about the violations that may occur in its work areas. The program issues monthly reports about the violations in its work areas, through narrative formulas produced by formal documented testimonies. The program shares reports with local and international friend organizations and it publishes international and juridical human rights reports. The Foundation emphasizes that the purpose of the current documentation process is to acknowledge the right of the victims and the unarmed civilians. FFHR hopes to reform the public freedoms and raise the level of respect for human rights in its work areas, and it does not accept in any way to convert these violations to any political gains in favor of any party of the conflict. All copyright and publishing are preserved for the Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights, 2017. Copying this report, re-using it in other reports or for translation or adaptation purposes requires a prior written permission from the Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights. For further information, please contact us:

Email:[email protected] Tel:004915218533632 Contents

1-Executive Summary 2-Legal summary 3-Methodology 4- Details: 4.1. An introduction to Deir al-Zor 4.2. Forced displacement of the local people 4.3. Crimes committed by ISIS against al-Sheitaat tribe 4.4. Recruitment of children 5-Conclusions and Recommendations 1-Executive Summary:

Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (Birati) has issued this report under the title Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda to uncover the intricacies in one of the most significant Syrian cities under ISIS control. The report covers the period between mid-2013 until the end of 2016, and addresses many crimes committed by ISIS against the residents of the rural areas of Deir al-Zor province and its districts of Mayadin and Al- Bukamal. The report focuses on three qualitative crimes of seven cases, supported by nine testimonies of victims and eyewitnesses from the above-mentioned areas. These crimes are about forced displacement committed by ISIS in the areas of , Tabiah Jazeera, and Conoco gas station in addition to the displacement of Al-Sheitaat’s tribe from their villages of , al-Keshkiah and Karaneej. One victim of Al-Sheitaat tribe says:

My brothers were killed in the battles, and ISIS occupied our village, Karaneej. They looted our houses. They did not even spare the animals; they stole the sheep and cows. Five months had passed and ISIS did not allow us to return to our houses, as they closed down whoever tried to return. The report focuses on the crimes against children, including recruitment of children, which is a war crime according to the International Humanitarian Law, namely the rules of child protection in the International Humanitarian Law, in which the two protocols attached to the four Geneva Conventions in 1949 were the first two international documents that dealt openly and directly with the recruitment of children and the use of children in armed conflicts. The first protocol regarding the protection of victims of international armed conflicts comprises an explicit text in this regard.

The second paragraph of Article 77 «Children Protection» states: «The Parties of the conflict shall take all feasible measures that insure that children who have not attained the age of fifteen years do not take a direct part in hostilities and, in particular, these parties shall refrain from recruiting them into their armed forces.» Article 77, Additional Protocol I, Geneva Convention

The second protocol regarding the protection of victims of non-international armed conflicts includes an evident provision too. The third paragraph of its fourth article states, «Children who have not attained the age of fifteen years shall neither be recruited in the armed forces or groups nor allowed to take part in hostilities.»

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 4 Rights (Birati) The report Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda addresses three kinds of violations that are amounted to major war crimes: 1- Forced displacement against civilians by confiscating their houses, evicting people and displacing them. 2- Systematic violence against civilians by terrifying them. 3- Crimes of recruiting children. The report is divided according to the crimes as following: A – Crimes of forced displacement against civilians. B – Crimes of forced displacement against Al-Sheitaat tribe. C – Crimes of recruiting children.

The field reporters and authors of the report faced a lot of difficulties including dangerous security circumstances during their investigations in the areas under ISIS control. They were forced to sneak through uninhabited countryside to avoid ISIS’ spies, and to keep the witnesses and victims safe.

The reporters followed a methodology relied on direct meetings with victims and conducting voice recordings which were deleted after writing them down, and all documenting files containing the affidavits were disposed after copying and sending them to the authors and editors of the report.

All victims and witnesses are given pseudonyms due to the sensitivity of the security condition. The report uses the initials of the pseudonyms, which are attached with details of age and place of these victims. The report contains documented testimonies of the victims and their relatives. The crimes committed against civilians were confiscating their properties by the city’s notables and displacing them forcibly in cruel and bad circumstances, and thus the victims lived in the wilderness for approximately two months. One of the victims says:

«After we were displaced by ISIS, we lived with our children in the wilderness for two months, and the number of the displaced was more than 20 thousand people at that time and also after two months.»

The report also addresses the crimes of recruiting children as well as exposure to psychological violence by indoctrinating them violent terrorist concepts, including training to use weapons, killing and preventing them from elementary education. A child victim says: «We were watching the operations of killing that were committed by ISIS. One of the operations was slaughtering a tied victim; another one was killed by pistol and another by machine gun. Each member performs different kind of killing.»

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 4 Rights (Birati) 2-Legal Summary :

The report which has been made by Fraternity Center for Terrorism and Extremism Research (FCTER) at Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (Birati) relies on cases investigated through the statements of victims and witnesses interviewed by our reporters and researchers. Our report has been made according to the International Humanitarian Law, namely the rules of child protection in the International Humanitarian Law, in which the two protocols attached to the four Geneva Conventions in 1949 were the first two international documents that dealt openly and directly with the recruitment of children and the use of children in armed conflicts. The first protocol regarding the protection of victims of international armed conflicts comprises an explicit text in this regard, namely in the second paragraph of Article 77 «Children Protection» on committing war crimes that are regarded as one of the core crimes committed by the members of ISIS group.

According to the course of documented events that the report tells in the category of forced displacement, and according to the statements of victims and the witnesses, ISIS group committed war crimes, which can amount to genocide according to the four Geneva Conventions dated on August 12, 1949 and the two Protocols thereto of 1977 on war crimes as serious violations of the rules laid down when it comes to forced displacement. Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 banned the mass or individual forced displacement or exiling them from their home areas to other lands, except for if that is in their favor in order to spare them the risk of armed conflicts.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 4 Rights (Birati) 3-Methodology

Through seven cases documented by nine testimonies of the victims of these crimes and their relatives, the interviews were held directly with them where six interviews took place in the countryside of Deir al- Zor in Syria in both Mayadin and Al-Bukamal countryside and three interviews in a city in Turkey. The interviews were recorded and documented accompanied duly by victims› forms belonging to Fraternity Foundation, three of which have been recorded with the consent of the victims and accompanied by a vow as they were saved in the foundation›s archive.

The real names of the victims were fully concealed in addition to the means of contacting them, for their own safety because they were in areas controlled by ISIS (Daesh), or in Turkey, in which we believe there are hundreds of elements loyal to ISIS who fled or still there, accompanied by special cells after the attacks, which targeted many of the workers in the Syrian public affairs, including journalists and human rights activists, like the reporter Naji Jaraf.

The real names that have been archived in Fraternity Foundation have been replaced with the initials of pseudonyms to ensure a double security and safety.

The Fraternity Foundation does not consider this as a comprehensive and full report considering the ambiguity and intimidation experienced by the citizens of Deir al-Zor, and as the majority of workers in the field of documenting human rights violations lack forensic investigative expertise for such cases which amount to basic war crimes, and some of them to a genocide.

Fraternity Foundation and its specialized studies and researches did not receive any kind of support and funding from any party for the preparation and publication of this report. It only relied on the expertise and network of its field researchers and its own resources to cover the expenses of preparing it from the establisher’s and the management of the foundation contributions, believing that their work is a defense of human rights wherever it was and whoever it was for, and its moral commitment to the victims of violations and extremism and terrorism opponent.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 5 Rights (Birati) 4-DETAILS: 4.1-Deir al-Zor: OVERVIEW

Deir al-Zor city is located in eastern Syria, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) northeast of the country›s capital city of , close to the border with . The River divides it into two parts, and most of its neighborhoods are located on the west bank of the river. It has a desert climate, and it is characterized by severely dry air, lack of rain, hot in summer, and cold in winter. The Euphrates River softens the impact of the desert climate. According to official statistics of 2010, the population of Deir al- Zor is a million and a half people. Deir al-Zor has plenty of oil and gas fields, salt mines, in addition to the large storage of livestock. However, most of its people live below the poverty line. The city has suffered from deliberate marginalization during the reign of Baath Party that enjoyed wide powers as the ruler in Syria. Baath›s disagreement with its Iraqi peer has been believed to be the reason for this marginalization, due to the fact that the majority of the people of the province have relative bonds and connection with those of Iraq during the rule of Baath Party and its Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein prompting most of its population to work in the Gulf States or Lebanon.

Figure 1: the map of the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor (spelled as Deir ez-Zur as well)

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 6 Rights (Birati) With the launch of the popular protest movement in March 2011, the majority of the population took part in the peaceful movement before it turns into an armed conflict. According the Red Cross organization, AL-Bukamal town on the borders with Iraq was one of the first cities that went out of the the Syrian regime forces control followed by all cities and towns of the eastern countryside from the regime control, including Al Asharah, Mayadin and Al-Quriyah and Albulel and Al-Muhassan.

The Syrian armed opposition factions, including the free were controlling the geographical area extending from Al-Bukamal in the east to Ma›dan in the north. The most prominent group was Al- Qaqaa Brigade, Allahu Akbar Brigade before they join ISIS later in addition to the Brigade of Jafar Tayar and many other military formations.

In 2012, Al-Nusra Front began topping the military front, the town of Al-Shahil in the countryside of eastern Deir -Zour is the main stronghold of Al-Nusra Front and home to most of the leaders of the group. The group extended to the rest of areas until it completely seized control of most of them. In addition to the seizure of oil and gas fields, assassinations were the salient feature during their control, where the province witnessed a lot of assassinations of military leaders or even civilian. Additionally, the group committed numerous violations, most notably the massacre of the Shi›ite town of Hatlah and Sunni village of Almasrab where 40 Shi›ite villagers from Hatlah were killed. In Almasrab, the houses were blown up and attacked after men of Al-Assaf tribe killed a Saudi leader known as Abu Qaswarah Jiddawi who served as a legislator for Al-Nusra Front in the village, and mutilated his body. The two massacres took place on June 11, 2013, and Al-Nusra Front reign lasted until 2014, where the ISIS began to enter the province. So by July 2014 Al-Nusra members withdrew after the control of ISIS on the city and the countryside.

...... *New York Times.Number12 June, 2013

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 7 Rights (Birati) 4.2-The Forced displacement for civilians

ISIS practiced forced displacement in the countryside of Deir al-Zor, where the towns (Khasham and Tabyiah Jazeera) were the first two towns whose people displaced by the group, in June 2014, and the number of the displaced reached nearly 25 thousand civilians.

Then, the group dominated the oil and gas fields, including Conoco gas station. The displacement process had taken place by the help of local leaders of the group, including Amer Al Rafdan who is from Al-Bakir tribe in Jadid Egedat village. The displacement process lasted nearly 15 days until the displaced returned after «repentance» or «amnesty» by ISIS. However, the ISIS amnesty did not include everyone. (F.A), a 33-year-old person from the town of Tabiah says:

I did not feel panicked when I heard the sounds of gun and heavy weapons for it was not the first time, and the area where I lived was a warring area where ongoing clashes took place because of Conoco gas field, which had always the cause of disputed by factions. But later I felt panicked and scared with my wife and my child; it was 12:00 am. and the sky glowed red because of the gun fires; this was followed by the sound of an explosion that shook all of the houses. The explosion was huge as well as the number of homes which were destroyed, so people who live in Mayadin could hear it. My wife began to scream, I felt upset, I thought that Conoco station exploded and I was thinking of the other blast, which would burn and destroy everything and that I would die with all people of the town.ould burn (the green and the ground) and I will die with all the people of the town.

Conoco (also known as Koniko) gas station in the town of Tabeya Jazeera, east of Deir al-Zor 20 km Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 8 Rights (Birati) F.A. continues:

After 3 hours of horror, the sky began to be clear amid the sound of gun-shots and the heavy machine guns when suddenly my brother›s car entered the courtyard of my house and told us that we must flee immediately because ISIS raided the town, thus I got out of my house. I did not carry anything with me except for my child who asks me «daddy where are we going? Will we die?»

In a sigh and pain, F.A who seemed to return with his memory to the incident continued:

I embraced my son to my chest and restrained myself and prevented myself from crying and whispered to his ear that we will go to your aunt’s house in Albasira town and I told him there are a lot of toys there.

F.A did not know that, this would be the last time that he sees his home. He continues:

I thought that I would return to my house. I do not care about the authority that will control, what concerns me is the sense of security and safety for me and my family. However, I was shocked when Daesh [ISIS] controlled the whole governorate and that my name is among the wanted people for ISIS because of a report from one of my relatives accusing me that I have fought against Daesh, so I had to hide until I underwent a cycle of repentance, like all the people of the town›s did, nearly 12 thousand people. When I returned to my home Daesh men had stolen and looted most of the valuable possessions of golden jewelry and furniture the house; they set up a barrier in front of the house. My life became at home more like a prison and hell.

All of above-mentioned reasons made (F.A) seriously considering abandoning his home which needed 10 years of his life to build. He said, «No one would be delighted to see their faces [referring to ISIS].»

F.A decided to leave his house and move to Mayadin, leaving behind memories of his home with all of joy and pain. After the incident of the displacement of the towns of Khasham and Tabyiah, the displacement condition became a condition in all of the agreements held by ISIS in the towns and villages at the countryside of Deir Al-Zor, which fully controlled by the group later on. ISIS purpose of displacement was not only the punishment, but also the humiliation and imposition of power on the one hand, and stealing the homes and properties of people on the other. At the beginning of July 2014, ISIS besieged the town Al Shahil which was the main stronghold of Al-Nusra front and Islamic- oriented factions, where the fight lasted nearly for 10 days. ISIS then entered under the convention of Al- Nusra Front withdrawal and the displacement of people for two months. In the nearby towns and villages ISIS stole the homes and properties.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 9 Rights (Birati) Another witness, H A, 35, remembered the incident, saying:

After Daesh [ISIS] displaced us, we and our children slept out in the open for two months, and the number of displaced people at the time was more than 20 thousand people. After the two months of displacement, we could return to our homes, but under the condition that we give ISIS two weapons in addition to repentance and deliver some of the most wanted people. Everyone in the area around us knows and witnesses that I work as a driver to transport vegetables and I do not have anything to do with weapons or fight, but my elder brother was a member of the (FSA), this is why the house that we build together was confiscated.

Deir al-Zor area is considered of the most important areas in Syria regarding producing vegetables and beans because of its strategic location that is close to the most important water resources in Syria, namely the Euphrates River as well as its warm climate, which helps growing crops, and thus the people of the area work in this sector and its required services, like transportation. H.A continues the story:

Husam Al Shalof, the former commander of Saddam Hussein Battalion, which became an ally to ISIS, broke into the house with a number of masked men, I was able to identify two of them. (Y.S) from Thiban village and (T.M) from Mayadin. They asked me to hand two weapons and to tell them where my brother was hiding, but I told them I do not have any weapon I do not know where my brother was. My brother ran away from their assaults. Thus they were angry with me and took up their guns at me and threatened me that they would punish me.

According to the investigation of Fraternity Center for Terrorism and Extremism Research (FCTER) at Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (Birati), the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq and establishing bases in the eastern region of Syria in Deir al-Zor and its countryside, and then extending towards Mosul in August 2014, suggests the involvement of both the Iraqi popular resistance, which was supported by the Syrian regime which established a training camp for it in AL-Bukamal region. The Iraqi popular resistance was an ally to al-Qaida which was led in Iraq by Abu Musab al-

A screenshot of a video of the formation of Saddam Hussein battalion on 20 September Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda 20 12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPVVmJh3FVI Fraternity Foundation for Human 10 Rights (Birati) H.A continues:

Hossam was not threatening me because of my brother only, but he was descended from a tribe in a village adjacent to ours, and there was a dispute between our tribe and theirs over oil wells, so his tribe allied itself with ISIS against us. At the beginning of October 2014, four cars loaded with machine guns and masked men broke into my house and forced me out under the pretext that it was my brother›s, not mine. They knew that I shared building it with my brother. As a result, my children and me became homeless and I filed a complaint to the Estate bureau and the judge declared that he will divide the house into two parts, which I refused to do because they know in advance that I will not live with them [ISIS] in the same house. Even my neighbour was forced to leave his house fearing it would be targeted by airstrikes it after it became their [ISIS] base.

Socially, Deir al-Zor area is manipulated by tribal norms whether in the city or the countryside, but the countryside has more tribal complexities and old ingrained enmity. Clans in Deir al-Zor exceed 45 belonging to 12 main tribes, some allied their selves to ISIS to gain strength and power. Those allied to ISIS helped the rise of the group in the region, while others were subject to oppression and extermination such as the crimes committed against Al-Sheitaat clans, the greatest clans which entered into war against ISIS, which killed hundreds of them in crimes amount to a genocide.

According to studies about ISIS, it depends mainly on appointing leaders of the sons of the big clans and exploits the tribal disputes between clans in the targeted area through the exploitation of social revenge cases between them and tightens its grip on the small tribes through the big ones.

ISIS enjoys an administrative sequence and a clear administrative structure. ISIS› administration, «the State” as named by its members, is made up of all of the administrative levels because it has multiple ministries, including the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Property and others, and the one who heads these ministries is not a minister, but called Amir, like a prince of War Abu Omar Al-Shesheni.

Mrs. (J. A) (initials of pseudonym to ensure safety), 45, from Thiban village spoke with tears in her eyes because she still remembers how did Abu Hussein Alshami, Prince of property in the eastern region, break into her house where she lived with her two children.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 11 Rights (Birati) (J.A) says:

On 12/12/2014 while I was busy in cooking for my children in the severe cold, one of the men gave me a paper which stated that my husband and my children should attend religious sessions of repentance before the passage of the amnesty for those who live in the country of «blasphemy» It’s been a year and I still receive threats and notifications, but I refused to get out of my house until (A.A) and someone called Abu Aisha Al-Sahili broke and forcefully they got me out of the house and confiscated the property. They horrified my kids when they shot in the air so I had to go to my brother’s house without being able to carry my kids› clothes bag.

ISIS gives good privileges for its immigrant members in order to attract more fighters to its ranks. The group confiscates houses and delivers them to its members. Those immigrant members are given captives and money. In addition, the group pushes the local members to face their compatriots aiming to foment hatred and strife, which provides it more with power and control.

J.A, wiping her tears, concludes:

I tried to walk next to my house every day but, I felt sad and oppressed everytime I see the person who lives in my house called Abu Raad Jazrawi of a Saudi nationality. My brother talked to him more than once in order to get out of the house. But he answered my brother that I was a wife of an apostate and a mother of apostates. He said that the house was a spoil for them and that they came for jihad. I whispered to myself that my husband’s and my children sin was that they participated in the revolution against the regime and didn›t join those criminals who do not know anything about Islam except for its name.

Fraternity Center for Terrorism and Extremism Research (FCTER) at Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (Birati) made sure of the identity of Abu Hussein al-Shami and documented his real name in the register of war crimes› perpetrators at Fraternity Foundation for Human Rights (Birati).

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 12 Rights (Birati) 4.3-ISIS crimes against Al-Sheitaat clans

The greatest incident of forced displacement that the province of Deir al-Zor experienced was in the three villages of al-Sheitaat tribe, namely Abu Hamam, Al-Keshkiah, and Karaneej. The number of forced displaced people exceeded 120 thousand people. What distinguishes the incident of displacing the residents of Al-Sheitaat tribe was that it was accompanied with massacres and mass graves carried out by ISIS in 09.01.2014. ISIS invaded the villages of al-Sheitaat where displacement cases began to neighboring villages and to the desert.

Abu Muhsen al-Sheiti, 40, talked to our researchers and insisted on the meeting in the desert to be out of sight, because he was scared of ISIS on the one hand and that he wanted to smoke on the other.

Our researchers tried to find a quiet and far location and thus spent about 4 hours. Although the speech with Abu Muhsen al-Sheiti was about the forced displacement but he did not forget his three brothers that ISIS executed and he mentioned their magnanimity and manhood and heroism. He says:

My Brothers were lions; they resisted till the last breath, but I undertook transporting the women and children to the other side of the Euphrates River to the village of Sbekhan. We left everything behind, our homes and cattle, our brothers were killed in the fight and ISIS controlled our village Karaneej. They confiscated our homes, stole sheep and cows. Five months passed and we were waiting for our return to our homes, but ISIS did not allow us; they killed whoever tried to return.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 13 Rights (Birati) Abu Muhsen says that the story that grieved him was the story of Sheikh Moh Al-Sodat, the imam and crier of al Qahawi in the village of Abu Hamam when he decided to return to his village believing that ISIS will not prevent him because he was a Sheikh and the crier of the mosque, but the ISIS executed him in the public in mid-2015. Abu Muhsen also mentions the famous incident of whipping 3 women in the street because they tried to return to their homes.

ISIS is regarded as one of most cruel groups against women. It uses them as sex slaves to finance ISIS and to attract fighters by giving them women. The Kurdish Yazidi minority in Iraq is one of the most affected by this methodology, for the number of captives by ISIS exceeded 5,000 Yazidi people, nearly two thousand were freed while the rest are still suffering from captive and sexual slavery*.

Abu Muhsen continues as he smokes a cigarette:

It was more than a nightmare. We have been scattered; my cousins joined the army of the tribes of the Syrian army and the other part went to Qalmoun and while many others were scattered in the nearby towns and villages. Days and months have passed and ISIS still prevents us from entering our homes; I spent a year and three months until ISIS allowed us to return. When we returned to our houses, we found them as if they were not our houses for most of them have been completely been destroyed and the remaining parts have been stolen and a lot of my neighbors were not allowed to return. He concluded speaking painfully with his local dialect of Deir al-Zor, «Dear, the injustice does not last forever and the right is never lost, as long as someone strives to claim for it.»

......

* The report «Burning of Roses in the Syrian Conflict» is made by Fraternity Foundation on the crimes committed against women in Syria. The report was released on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in 2016.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 14 Rights (Birati) 4.4-Recruiting children in Deir al-Zor countryside

Definition of child soldier Child soldier is any child under the age of 18 correlated with a military group or power, a child who was recruited or hired at any military position or power of groups in whatever rank, such as boys and girls who were involved as warriors, cooks, porters, spies or for sexual purposes (1). In the countries which experience wars or conflicts, thousands of children are recruited in the military works whether it was with a governmental or non-governmental party, namely the militias and other groups of rebels. Many children are recruited to the military work voluntarily as a result of several factors which may be economic, social or security or under the effect of brainwashing and religious incitement. The absence of the family and the school›s role leads to facilitating the process of recruitment of child soldiers, and the recruitment of girls for sexual purposes or forced marriage, or even to fight.

......

*(1)Paris Principles regarding the involvement of children in armed disputes, 2007.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 15 Rights (Birati) How did the recruitment process start?

Since the domination of ISIS on Deir al-Zor city in June 2014, they established offices for the recruitment which accept members from all ages, but most of the enrolled were children due to the absence of the role of the family and sever poverty that have engulfed the region and due to the closure of all schools, the parents and the families cannot ask about their children who have joined the recruitment office and they shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine if they do, under the religious rule that states, «there is no obedience to a creature in God’s disobedience,» meaning that there is not authority of parents in the matters related to jihad and fighting the infidels.

(H.J), the father of the killed child (A H J), 14, told our researchers:

Since the beginning of the war, my children and I didn›t leave the village «Swidan Jazzera» till the so-called , who told our reporters: our told who , 52 (M.S), of eyewitness the in confirmed been has This « Ahmad of Abdullot a us Latifcaused « ISIS fromto son Al-Quriahhis of villageenrolment the but attractedethics, and my morals child high agedhas he 14years; to20 joinsince ISIS andneighbour my I didn’tbeen has have«(M.D) power the ontake myand childcome to anystarted more,village moreover,Al-Quriah from AhmadLatif» Abdul Abdul Latif«Ahmad informedso-called the when the securitystarted son his of squad story thatThe I preventembarrassment. the enrollment of my child with the Jihadists so they arrestedPetrol. of me, andCompany I paidAl-Furat 5000from it SP.stole he Afterwhich fourcar his months,in teenagers I do confirm that Ahmad Abdul Latif was responsible for the recruitment of the teenager (Ahmad) with ISIS. with (Ahmad) teenager the of recruitment the for responsible was Latif Abdul Ahmad that confirm do I my child was killed in one of the battles of ISIS on the front of Deir al-Zor airport late in 2015. Ahmad Abdul Latif is the only responsible for the killing of my child because he was the one who recruited him and others in the village. This has been confirmed in the eyewitness of (M.S), 52, who told our reporters: «(M.D) has been my neighbour since 20 years; he has high morals and ethics, but the enrolment of his son to ISIS caused us a lot of embarrassment. The story of his son started when the so-called «Ahmad Abdul Latif» from Al-Quriah village started to come and take the teenagers in his car which he stole it from Al- Furat Company of Petrol. I do confirm that Ahmad Abdul Latif was responsible for the recruitment of the teenager (Ahmad) with ISIS. Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 16 Rights (Birati) During the interview of our researcher with the uncle of the child (M J), his testimony matched with that of (M.S). The process of recruiting children is not bound to the offices, but ISIS spreads inside the cities, towns and countryside using vehicles with loudspeakers and gifts for children roaming all along the two banks of the Euphrates River. A day is allocated to one of these villages preceded by preparation of religious chants that are not devoid of inciting tribal sayings in order to charge the people with some tribal instigation, such as «Ekidat! you are the heroes and the men» preceded by a study for each member of the village and the nature of its neighborhoods and the people who have an effect in it. Those cars used to enter the villages with loudspeakers whose sounds reach the entire village. Abo Al-Ghurbaa Al-Yemeni was the first to organize for the recruitments by chanting and reciting his anthem (Ansarna Waya Habaib). The car of Abo Al-Ghurbaa Al-Yemeni used to enter all villages of the area, calling people for joining ISIS in the public squares throughout festivals and distributing gifts and cash money.

Abo Al-Ghurbaa Al-Yemeni is on the right side of the picture and no one knows his real name , but he is famous for his Jihadist songs and anthems.

He was active in , then turned to Deir Al-Zor and currently is staying in Mayadin near the office of recruitment located in the public park. Abo Anas Al-Jizrawi is supporting Abo Al-Ghurbaa in this work; both are working in recruiting the children and the youth in rate of 40 young man and 15 children in each festival or celebration to call for Jihad in addition to other emigrants from other countries as well as some local supporters. The first phase of children brainwashing starts by gathering them inside the mosque and forcing them to watch videos on a projector on the wall. The video usually shows other children cutting the heads and using weapons. At the end of each show, a person from ISIS distributes gifts and some amount of money to encourage the children to attend in the next time. They encourage the children to play with guns and they turn the training into fun after getting used to watching these shows. After displaying these shows for a while, the children have the inclination to do such actions and here starts the second phase where the children should choose their work either suicidal, fighter, policeman or from the squad members.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 17 Rights (Birati) Hamoudi (Pseudo name), 11, says:

They first played a video made in city, so we watched the killing operations that Daesh [ISIS] committed. One was slaughtering by knife while the victim was bounded and someone else killed the victim by the pistol and others by machine guns. So each member kills in a way and all those killers were children. Then they distribute some biscuits and other things, and then two of the children with us joined to ISIS as members of the organization. He was called Abo Mohammad Al-Halabi, a bald blond man with hazel eyes from ; he was at the age of my elder brother.

The child continues narrating that incident: I used to go to the mosque for praying and after the prayer, they [ISIS] asked questions, when I answered for the first time, they gave me 200 SP and the second time, I was paid 500 SP. Then, they enrolled us with huge number of children who were not more than ten years to religious session in the mosque and at the end, they displayed a video on a projector showing how do children like us were killing the non-believers by shooting the victim in the head with a pistol, after that, two of the children joined them and other two children, who were brothers ran away because they felt they were in danger and ISIS was attempting to wash their brains.

Upon the enrollment of children in the office, his family can›t ask about him. Then the third phase starts by joining training camps on using the weapons and making the bombs which last from 30 – 45 days. After that, the children will be sent directly to the battles, checkpoints, police, or used as spies where up to the estimation, 9 out of 10 children don›t return to their families after recruiting in ISIS. So those who aren’t killed in the battles remain with ISIS and grow to turn into criminals cutting the heads, which appeal for ISIS to view such actions to the children.

When we were going to the mosque, one of ISIS members said, «We will take one of you and make him (Dakomah),» so I said within my heart I am going to be Dakomah. They ask the children, «What do you want to be in the future?» Each children answers differently they would like to be Suicidal, Dakomah, Hesbah, security man, policeman, Jihadist, or Gun fires man. After that incident I did not go to the mosque. The security men are the spies of ISIS among the people.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 18 Rights (Birati) Miss (J A) said:

When my son came back from the mosque, we noticed big change in his ideas as if he were exposed to brainwashing. He was saying to me that their life is full of mistakes and sins and that we should follow the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). After that, I called out my elder son to listen to what his younger brother is telling, then his older brother tried to let him understand and to raise high his awareness that ISIS is trying to seduce the children by giving them the weapons and if he continued going to the mosque, his life would come to an end.

Finally, I prevented him from going to the mosque for he was talking to us about the non-believers and how the non-believers are committing the mistakes and sins and we should kill them as if he were one of ISIS and had their notions, but with my persistence in addition to that of my elder son, we managed and convinced him and suspended him from going to the mosque.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 19 Rights (Birati) Children Camps

1-Al Rahba Camp: it is called Al Rahba Camp because it was near Al Rahba Castle which overlooks Mayadin and contains a base equipped with all weapons. It is surrounded by series of mountains and valleys and a rough ground that is difficult to get to easily, and it was close to the sheep market labeled (Almagaf) which is featured that it contains the fortifications even against any airstrikes. This means it is not open and contains more than 2,500 children inside within each training session almost every two months. It is an open field for training on all types of weapons, explosive devices and explosives.

2- Al Salihia Camp: It is located in the town of Salihia in Al-Bukamal area in palm farm. The camp connects directly to the Euphrates River and is featured by a lot of trees inside. It is believed that most of the clips by ISIS were broadcasted from inside this camp. It is small enough to train 300 children and the training inside the camp to teach how to disassemble and install arms as well as training on workout plans without arms due to its closeness to residential houses.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 20 Rights (Birati) 3- Al-Tank Camp: It is located inside the Al-Tank oil field and is one of the largest cams because it contains most of the migrants and the training inside is for children and young people and all age groups, which often graduate as suicide bombers and suicidal from inside the camp. The camp is far from any residential areas and has been subjected to many airstrikes, but was not affected because of its large geographical area and taking advantage of the deep craters in which trainers and trainees hide.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 21 Rights (Birati) 5-Recommendations:

Based on this report, Fraternity Foundation expresses its concern about the blackout surrounding the crimes committed in Deir al-Zor area and its countryside and recommends the following:

1. The Foundation appeals to the international community to take effective measures to ensure humanitarian access to civilians trapped by ISIS, who uses the available means to control the region›s economic resources for the benefit of the extension of its control and control the course of living life.

2. The Foundation hopes from the European courts and the Security Council to refer the crimes files committed by ISIS in Syria urgently to the International Criminal Court, as the Foundation supports the orientations of the European Union to open up international tribunals to prosecute the war criminals, where a lot of them are believed to be in the European Union countries.

3. The Foundation follows up with concern the weakness of the Syrian organizations regarding investigating violations committed in Syria, and deplores the focus on the crimes committed by the Syrian regime only, and the deliberate ignorance of the course of what is happening in Deir al-Zor area.

4. We appeal to the European governments and the United Nations and in particular the Human Rights Council the need to support the work of independent human rights organizations wishing to conduct adequate investigations into the militant group crimes in Syria and Iraq, and to provide what is necessary for the development of their work and the sustainability of the ability of employees to provide all documentary information to identify war criminals in Syria, and to start to bring them officially to the international justice.

5. According to the data that confirms entrenched tribal traditions and tribal dealing in the region, which is believed to generate revenge and reprisals if the defeat of ISIS may take place in the future, we hope from those who are interested and based on the peace process in Syria to make sure and ensure the provision of all resources necessary to avert future disaster in the area. This comes by a real involvement of the inhabitants of Deir al-Zor in the peace negotiations and delivering the necessary expertise, skills and capabilities of the actors in the civil society such as activists who had fled out.

Deir al-Zor, the Syrian Bermuda Fraternity Foundation for Human 22 Rights (Birati) The statute of limitations on these crimes does not apply irrespective of the date of their commission: A- War crimes defined in the Statute of the International Military Nuremburg of 8 August 1945 and confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly resolutions 3 (d -1), dated February 13, 1946 and 95 (d -1), dated December 11 first / December 1946, particularly serious crimes “enumerated in the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 for the protec- tion of war victims. B-Crimes against humanity, whether in wartime or peacetime, as they are defined in the statute of the International Military Nuremburg of 8 August 1945 and confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly resolutions 3 (d -1), dated February 13 1946 and 95 (d-1), dated December 11 1946,eviction by armed attack or occupation and inhuman acts resulting from the policy of apartheid, and the crime of genocide as defined in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention of Genocide and its Punishment, even if the acts do not constitute a violation of the domestic law of the country where it was committed. “Article I of the Convention on the (lack of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity) for the year 1968.

Fraternity Center for Terrorism and Extremism Research (FCTER) at Fraternity Founda- tion for Human Rights (Birati) Syria, January 10, 2017