By Mark Ellis
Ruthless ISIS fighters retreating from towns taken by the Kurds are planting mines in the bedrooms and bathrooms of homes to blow up returning families.
The bombs, which have killed 12 people, were discovered in the Khabour region of Syria, Diana Yaqco, a spokesperson for the group ‘A Demand for Action’ told The Daily Mail.
Kurdish and moderate Syrian forces are working to liberate the villages, as well as find and defuse the explosive devices. The bombs were planted by ISIS after they seized the area in February and kidnapped 250 civilians.
The bombs are hidden beneath beds, lurking behind bedroom doors and also in bathtubs, as well as in crop fields in the northeastern part of Syria, which is predominantly Kurdish but also has populations of Arabs, along with Christian Assyrians and Armenians, according to The Daily Mail.
It is the terror group’s terrifying new scheme designed to vanquish minorities in this area.
‘Property of Islamic State’ and ‘Your land is ours now, go to hell’ are scribbled on walls inside the homes of Assyrians who fled earlier this year, according to The Daily Mail.
“This is a move that indicates Daesh (ISIS) anticipates the return of the Khabour residents. To prevent that from happening, they are prepared to take extreme measures,” Yaqco told The Daily Mail.
“There is also confirmation of Islamic State suicide bombers lurking in the area,” she added.
In February, ISIS targeted communities situated along the Khabur River and abducted Assyrian Christians, including women and children.
A few of these hostages were released, including two elderly women recently, but the fate of the others is unknown.
It has been reported that $100,000 was demanded by ISIS for the return of each hostage.
“There are still 250 who remain hostages at the mercy of ISIS,” Yaqco told The Daily Mail.
“When ISIS is planting mines in field crops and homes, they are guaranteeing extinction of those minorities. People can’t go back — there is no security. There are no people guarding the area. It’s now property of Islamic State.”
