Islamic State Executed 91 People in Syria Last Month

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that the group known as the 'Islamic State' executed over 90 individuals in areas under its control in Syria last month, with one-third of them being civilians. According to this group, between July 29 and August 29 of this year, the self-proclaimed Islamic government executed 91 people in regions it declared as its 'caliphate,' including 32 civilians. Among those executed were members of the 'Islamic State' itself, Syrian rebels, and forces affiliated with the central Syrian government. AFP, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights based in London, states that death sentences were issued in cases such as homosexuality or collaboration with the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria. The Syrian Observatory has added that the latest count of executed individuals has risen to 3,156 since the declaration of this group's self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria. More than half of all those executed have been civilians. The group known as the 'Islamic State' declared its self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria in June of last year. The methods of execution employed by this group range from beheading to burning and drowning, with videos of various executions also being published online. The Syrian civil war, which has been ongoing for over four years, has left more than 240,000 casualties and displaced 10 million people. Control of Syria is divided among forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad, Islamist groups like 'Jabhat al-Nusra' and its allies, the extremist group known as the 'Islamic State,' Kurds, and other rebels.