Iraq News

ISIL claims killing of 5 media activists in Syria

The "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) on Sunday (June 26th) published a video showing the execution-style killing of five Syrian media activists it had kidnapped eight months ago, AFP reported.

All victims seen in the footage, posted on the blog of the group's Al-Bayan radio, were from Deir Ezzor city, more than half of which is under ISIL control.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it recognised one of the victims as a citizen journalist it had worked with.

The activists were kidnapped in Deir Ezzor in October and killed between November and December, the Observatory said.

"The video was only published now because ISIL -- who are losing ground in Syria -- want to send a message that they are still strong," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

ISIL has previously claimed the killing of several media activists working in areas it controls.

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