LATEST: Claim — Islamic State Declares War on Turkey After Erdogan’s Election as President
Syria’s death toll rose on Sunday as the Assad regime stepped up bombing in and near Aleppo.
The Local Coordination Committees recorded the deaths of 84 people yesterday. In Aleppo Province, 35 were killed, with 11 deaths in Hama Province, 10 in Raqqa Province, and 9 in Damascus and its suburbs.
The LCC said five children were among the victims, while the Syrian Network for Human Rights claimed 10 were killed.
Aftermath of a bombing in Aleppo on Sunday (Warning — Images of Wounded):
The Violations Documentation Center has confirmed 102,054
deaths since the start of the uprising in March 2011. Of the dead, 73,561 were civilians.
Claim: Islamic State Declares War on Turkey After Erdogan’s Election as President
An account supporting the Islamic State has posted a claimed statement from its “Caliph”, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declaring war on Turkey.
Caliph's statement regarding Erdogan and Turkey. #IslamicState pic.twitter.com/aQGMzKXiqp
— Islamic State Media (@empire_islam) August 11, 2014
The statement refuses to recognize Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, elected as President on Sunday, as the “legitimate Emir of Turkey”. It said “Turkish kafireen (were) legitimate to slaughter” and promised, “The Ummah Black Banner will be flying over Istanbul…sooner than the kuffar expect.”
Reports: Islamic State Crushes Sheitaat Tribal Uprising in Eastern Syria
Activists claim that the Islamic State has crushed a tribal uprising against its rule in eastern Syria.
The al-Sheitaat tribe has taken up arms against the jihadists on July 30, saying its members were being detained and harassed. Videos showed local demonstrations in support of the tribe.
However, local sources said the Islamic State has restored control.
Unconfirmed reports from a “monitoring group” claim 21 al-Sheitaat were executed — three of them beheaded — since Wednesday.
The Islamic State posted photographs of the executions last week, with reports indicating the victims worked at a local oilfield.
“No one will now dare from the other tribes to move against Islamic State after the defeat of the al-Sheitaat,” said Ahmad Ziyada al-Qaissi, an Islamic State sympathizer in the nearby city of Mayadin.
The head of the al-Sheitaat tribe, Sheikh Rafaa Aakla al-Raju, said in a video message posted on YouTube on Sunday, “We appeal to the other tribes to stand by us because it will be their turn next … If (Islamic State) are done with us the other tribes will targeted after al-Sheitaat. They are the next target.”
A Syrian human rights activist from Deir Ez Zor Province, said from Turkey that the resistance had been crushed in the last few days. “The situation is very bad, but the people can’t repel them,” he said.
He added that the Islamic State was distributing gas, electricity, fuel and food to garner local support.
“It is a poor area. They are winning support this way. They won a lot of support this way. They are halting theft and punishing thieves. This is also giving them credibility.”
Another resident of Deir Ez Zor, Abdullah al-Noami, said that four al-Sheitaat towns had fallen.
“These areas have fallen into the hands of Islamic State after the withdrawal of the fighters. The youths who were found were executed or their heads were cut off on the grounds that they fought against Islamic State,” he said.