Horror of life under ISIL exposed in recaptured Syrian town of al-Shadadi

[rooster59]

Horror of life under ISIL exposed in recaptured Syrian town of al-Shadadi



The horror of life in Syria under the so-called Islamic State was opened up to the world this week when western journalists visited the northern town of al-Shadadi, recaptured recently by Kurdish-led forces.

One resident pointed out makeshift gallows.

Elsewhere amid the destruction, bombs and explosives are found in the street and in buildings.

Many of the abandoned houses contained bunkers and escape tunnels.

The team from Britain’s Sky News was also shown a hotel said to have been used by the extremists to assault women.

One witness said they risked torture with electric prods for showing too much skin.

Ahead of indirect peace talks due to resume on Monday, the Syrian government has ruled out discussions on a change at the top.

It said it drew a “red line” around President al-Assad’s position.

The Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said the Geneva talks would depend on the opposition’s attitude – but they were deluded if they thought they could take power.

“Our understanding of the transitional period is a move from the existing constitution to another constitution. And from the existing government into another government that might include other parties,” he said in Damascus.

But among the rebels’ demands are that Assad have no role in any new government.

The UN is due to host renewed negotiations between the Syrian government and a main opposition group, more than two weeks into a fragile truce.

The opposition group the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said before al-Moallem’s comments that it would attend the Geneva talks. But it has played down the chances of a deal.

Other groups opposed to the government in Damascus that are not part of the HNC are not included in the talks.

Last week the HNC said the truce was close to collapse because of attacks by the Syrian government and its allies, including Russia.

Both sides have accused each other of violating the “cessation of hostilities”.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-03-13

[wooloomooloo]

An abortion of a region. Just don't send their ilk to our western shores.

[realenglish1]

There will never be piece with Assad and I am not a Syrian supporter by any stretch

[Kiwiken]

Assad may not be a good person but Isil is far worse. The transition must be slow and Extremists kept out. Despite what some think I believe even the Iranians know this

[boomerangutang]

Have a lottery to pick 10 shepherds to stay, and ship everyone away (....to where? I don't know). Then allow the terrain to revert to the wild. That region used to be forests and fields. Then people came along and screwed it up. There's probably more blood (human and animal) falling on the ground each year, than rain.

[craigt3365]

Assad may not be a good person but Isil is far worse. The transition must be slow and Extremists kept out. Despite what some think I believe even the Iranians know this

Agreed. Sadly, Assad is the reason IS is there. A corrupt and weak leader of his country.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Assad may not be a good person but Isil is far worse. The transition must be slow and Extremists kept out. Despite what some think I believe even the Iranians know this

Agreed. Sadly, Assad is the reason IS is there. A corrupt and weak leader of his country.

ISIS would not exist if the US didn't destabilize the entire region in the first place.

I agree that assad is corrupt but he had no problem killing vast amounts of his own people so I am not sure I agree with your calling him weak. Not that I consider him strong in a positive way.

[craigt3365]

Assad may not be a good person but Isil is far worse. The transition must be slow and Extremists kept out. Despite what some think I believe even the Iranians know this

Agreed. Sadly, Assad is the reason IS is there. A corrupt and weak leader of his country.

ISIS would not exist if the US didn't destabilize the entire region in the first place.

I agree that assad is corrupt but he had no problem killing vast amounts of his own people so I am not sure I agree with your calling him weak. Not that I consider him strong in a positive way.

Muslim extremists have been in the ME for many years. Syria has had problems before. This isn't their first experience with this. Yes, the US did create a lot of problems. But can't blame the US for everything.

Why isn't a country like Jordan in the same mess? Or Saudia Arabia? Strong leaders. For better or worse! LOL By strong, I mean able to control their country and keep it from a civil war. Killing innocent civilians isn't a sign of strength. Libya is another example. A leader hated by his people. Same with Assad.

[Asheron]

Assad may not be a good person but Isil is far worse. The transition must be slow and Extremists kept out. Despite what some think I believe even the Iranians know this

Agreed. Sadly, Assad is the reason IS is there. A corrupt and weak leader of his country.

ISIS would not exist if the US didn't destabilize the entire region in the first place.

I agree that assad is corrupt but he had no problem killing vast amounts of his own people so I am not sure I agree with your calling him weak. Not that I consider him strong in a positive way.

Muslim extremists have been in the ME for many years. Syria has had problems before. This isn't their first experience with this. Yes, the US did create a lot of problems. But can't blame the US for everything.

Why isn't a country like Jordan in the same mess? Or Saudia Arabia? Strong leaders. For better or worse! LOL By strong, I mean able to control their country and keep it from a civil war. Killing innocent civilians isn't a sign of strength. Libya is another example. A leader hated by his people. Same with Assad.

For "many years" you surely mean ~1400 years right?

But yes, "strong leaders" have held the population in control. Many do not seem to understand that there is a very large portion of muslims that actually support ISIS and their dream of a caliphate.

[erobando]

Huh? The title indicates that the article is about life under Daesh in Al Shaddadi but like 66% of the article has nothing to do with that.

Anyhow, Syria's problem has nothing to do with strong or weak leadership. Stop looking at the world so simply... individual leaders don't matter that much.

Syria's problems do have to do with the nation being relatively small which puts it in the middle of power struggles between larger nations in the region.

Libya? The Qaddafi regime would have won the civil war easily if NATO didn't support the rebels with air power.

[craigt3365]

Huh? The title indicates that the article is about life under Daesh in Al Shaddadi but like 66% of the article has nothing to do with that.

Anyhow, Syria's problem has nothing to do with strong or weak leadership. Stop looking at the world so simply... individual leaders don't matter that much.

Syria's problems do have to do with the nation being relatively small which puts it in the middle of power struggles between larger nations in the region.

Libya? The Qaddafi regime would have won the civil war easily if NATO didn't support the rebels with air power.

Individual leaders make all the difference. Size isn't the biggest factor. Jordan is a great example. Qaddafi had lost before Nato stepped in...which they did to try and stop the bloodshed.

[AGLV0121]

Huh? The title indicates that the article is about life under Daesh in Al Shaddadi but like 66% of the article has nothing to do with that.

Anyhow, Syria's problem has nothing to do with strong or weak leadership. Stop looking at the world so simply... individual leaders don't matter that much.

Syria's problems do have to do with the nation being relatively small which puts it in the middle of power struggles between larger nations in the region.

Libya? The Qaddafi regime would have won the civil war easily if NATO didn't support the rebels with air power.

>>> Stop looking at the world so simply... individual leaders don't matter that much.

Individual leaders such as Nelson Mandela - who went from violence to peace, Martin Luther King, be he praised, or Gandhi, and thousands of others did matter.

Now as for Assad, he followed his father's footsteps - Hafez el Assad killed 30 to 40000 Syrians in 1982. Had Bashar accepted to discuss with the opposition, instead of bombing and gasing his own people, hundreds of thousand people would still be alive today, in their homes, not fleeing en masse.

[craigt3365]

Agreed. Sadly, Assad is the reason IS is there. A corrupt and weak leader of his country.

ISIS would not exist if the US didn't destabilize the entire region in the first place.

I agree that assad is corrupt but he had no problem killing vast amounts of his own people so I am not sure I agree with your calling him weak. Not that I consider him strong in a positive way.

Muslim extremists have been in the ME for many years. Syria has had problems before. This isn't their first experience with this. Yes, the US did create a lot of problems. But can't blame the US for everything.

Why isn't a country like Jordan in the same mess? Or Saudia Arabia? Strong leaders. For better or worse! LOL By strong, I mean able to control their country and keep it from a civil war. Killing innocent civilians isn't a sign of strength. Libya is another example. A leader hated by his people. Same with Assad.

For "many years" you surely mean ~1400 years right?

But yes, "strong leaders" have held the population in control. Many do not seem to understand that there is a very large portion of muslims that actually support ISIS and their dream of a caliphate.

The Muslim Brotherhood was founded about 80 years ago. But yes, problems have been in the area for many, many years. Just like in other parts of the world.

A "strong" leader doesn't have to be a crazy dictator like so many in the ME are. I've spent a bit of time traveling in that region. The average person just wants a good life and to be able to take care of their family. Sadly, like with any religion, there are many fanatics.

[derator01]

References to credible news sources only, please.

[erobando]

Huh? The title indicates that the article is about life under Daesh in Al Shaddadi but like 66% of the article has nothing to do with that.

Anyhow, Syria's problem has nothing to do with strong or weak leadership. Stop looking at the world so simply... individual leaders don't matter that much.

Syria's problems do have to do with the nation being relatively small which puts it in the middle of power struggles between larger nations in the region.

Libya? The Qaddafi regime would have won the civil war easily if NATO didn't support the rebels with air power.

Individual leaders make all the difference. Size isn't the biggest factor. Jordan is a great example. Qaddafi had lost before Nato stepped in...which they did to try and stop the bloodshed.

LOL at stop the bloodshed! The civil war in Libya still hasn't been resolved over 4 years later. You do-gooder interventionists make the world a much worse place, even for the people you are supposedly helping.

@ AGLV0121... Interesting you mention Mandela. He would never been successful without funding from the Good Colonel Qaddafi.

[craigt3365]

Huh? The title indicates that the article is about life under Daesh in Al Shaddadi but like 66% of the article has nothing to do with that.

Anyhow, Syria's problem has nothing to do with strong or weak leadership. Stop looking at the world so simply... individual leaders don't matter that much.

Syria's problems do have to do with the nation being relatively small which puts it in the middle of power struggles between larger nations in the region.

Libya? The Qaddafi regime would have won the civil war easily if NATO didn't support the rebels with air power.

Individual leaders make all the difference. Size isn't the biggest factor. Jordan is a great example. Qaddafi had lost before Nato stepped in...which they did to try and stop the bloodshed.

LOL at stop the bloodshed! The civil war in Libya still hasn't been resolved over 4 years later. You do-gooder interventionists make the world a much worse place, even for the people you are supposedly helping.

@ AGLV0121... Interesting you mention Mandela. He would never been successful without funding from the Good Colonel Qaddafi.

Interventionist? Where did I ever say that? Get your facts straight, please. I just said most of these dictators treat their people terribly. What's the solution? None that are any good....but I do lean towards trying to do something that helps the average person rather than the maniacal dictator's pocketbook.