ISIS punishes delinquent local members with frontline deployment
Members of the Islamic State. File photo.
The extremist group withdrew its foreign fighters to the inside of the city, the source told Alsumaria News. He explained that the move came as a punishment for “slackness among local members regarding civilians escaping ISIS-controlled areas,” and for the fighters’ “turning themselves in for Iraqi security forces”.
Foreign fighters are now assigned security tasks previously given to locals, the source added, revealing that the measure caused tensions and dissatisfaction among the grounded members.
Group vigilantes have been urging people through mosque loudspeakers to join battles against Iraqi forces.
Despite consecutive losses of personnel and ground, ISIS has reportedly showed fierce resistance to Iraqi government and tribal troops which have carried out a wide-scale campaign since October to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and ISIS’s last significant stronghold in Iraq.