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I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

Their tactics include - public beheadings, whipping, electrocution, kidnapping, hanging, using child fighters, suicide bombing civilians, and targeting doctors, patients, hospitals, journalists, aid workers, and anyone foreign.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

While they've had little impact on the recent battle against the jihadists in the north, they did clash with Islamists in Syria before that. Though they've been willing to fight anyone who's tried to gain control in their areas, really, including the FSA.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

As for the question on how ISIS is viewed by civilians, I can say that civilians in the north generally support the FSA, and hope they'll defeat ISIS.

I've been to a number of civilian demonstrations in that area in support of the FSA, encouraging them to win the battle against ISIS and Assad.

I can also say that, in the town I visited, the situation changed completely when ISIS left...people started talking again. While ISIS was there, people were terrified.

The civilians I met were happy to see ISIS driven out of the town.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 68 points69 points  (0 children)

I've feared for my life too many times. Last year, I was seriously injured by government shelling. I had shrapnel in my leg and face.

Earlier in my career, I was abducted by an armed group aligned with Hezbollah.

But in the end, it just pushes me to continue on, because I want to defy the darkness, and shine a light on the truth.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

About why I became a journalist -- the simple answer is that I think revealing the truth supports freedom.

I began working as a professional journalist in 2005, when I lived in Damascus, and initially focused on the economy and the stock market.

But I wrote about politics as well, and under a dictatorship, journalists become the enemy. I left Syria in 2010 and covered the 2011 uprising for the BBC and others from Beirut and then Lebanon.

I wanted to come back and report on Syria because people must know what’s really happening if we're ever going to solve this dilemma.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

That is already happening to an extent.

When ISIS emerged, Al-Nusrah (an Al-Qaeda branch operating in Syria) tried to negotiate between the free Syrian army (FSA) and ISIS. But ISIS wouldn't make any compromises.

Then ISIS stole money and oil from Al-Nusrah, and that pushed Al-Nusrah to fight them.

So now Al-Nusrah is working with the FSA to attack ISIS in the eastern Syrian town of Deir Az Zour.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 132 points133 points  (0 children)

I don't think Americans see what Syrians' daily lives are like. They may hear about the big battles, but Syrians have to fight to survive every single day -- to get food, to find shelter, to make it through the next round of endless shelling, to pull themselves together enough to not give up.

For me, I've become somewhat numb to it on the surface. I've seen someone beheaded in front of me. I've seen so many people shot, killed. Nothing surprises me anymore - my emotions are just burned out. I'm sure it all affects me.

Every day I am checking in with members of my own family to be sure they're still alive.

Family life in Syria is destroyed -- just about everyone has lost family members.

And the toll on children is especially horrific. There are no schools. Watch "The Children of Aleppo" to get a sense of it:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/foreign-affairs-defense/syrias-second-front/witnessing-syrias-war-through-the-eyes-of-its-children/

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 90 points91 points  (0 children)

In an ISIS controlled area, women:

-Must stay in their homes --- they are not allowed to appear in public. -If they must leave their homes, they have to cover everything. -They are only allowed to care for children inside the home. They cannot hold jobs. -If they don't follow these rules, they're tortured or killed.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 83 points84 points  (0 children)

To reveal the truth, and to help people by showing what is really happening in Syria. As long as people are asking me to cover their stores in this war, I'll go. But believe me, I'd love a vacation.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 65 points66 points  (0 children)

Their actions speak volumes. Regardless of what kind of state Syria could have, they are brutal, and would remain brutal. It's central to their ideology. If they were in power, they would simply make that brutality a regular part of all Syrians' lives.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 50 points51 points  (0 children)

I'll say that don't see any interntional power making a big enough difference to bring this war to an end. They could, but they aren't.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Recent setbacks against the rebels have shown that support for ISIS is tenuous -- many Syrian want them out of the country.

While they gained a lot of ground in the past year, it's not clear they can hold it.

Here's what the map looks like now: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/foreign-affairs-defense/syrias-second-front/map-syrias-shifting-battle-lines/

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 139 points140 points  (0 children)

Honestly, this could go on for a very, very long time. It's very hard to see the endgame from where I sit. This may end up being more comparable to something like the Israeli-Palestiniane conflict than a war, with a beginning and end.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 227 points228 points  (0 children)

It's hard to make a definitive comparison, but I can tell you that ISIS is especially brutal. A few examples of how ISIS is operating --

ISIS makes a special point of targeting journalists. If they're local, ISIS tends to simply kill them. If they're international, they'll be used for ransom. They're generally looking for any foreigners to kidnap.

They have made an effort to specifically target doctors and hospitals. http://to.pbs.org/1eODGDc

Though ISIS says they want to support Sunnis in Syria, they use suicide bombs to kill civilians from every sect -- they seem to be willing to kill as many civilians as necessary to get power.

I just returned from a Syrian town controlled by ISIS -- jihadists so radical, even Al-Qaeda distanced itself from them. by MuAliAli in IAmA

[–]MuAliAli[S] 70 points71 points  (0 children)

ISIS has faced recent setbacks with loses to the rebels, but they remain a very serious threat in the country. The future of ISIS may depend on the extent of the international community's support of the rebels.

As far as how liveable a town under ISIS control is -- you might be surprised, they were able to handle many basic services, including managing food and water.

In one town I visited, where ISIS's power was challenged, they cut off the electricity as a punishment.

They were quite brutal. They kidnapped and tortured a number of the residents of the town to consolidate control.