Islamic State imposes tax on Christians in Syrian city
September 04, 2015
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has imposed the jizya, or special tax on non-Muslims, on the Christians of the central Syrian town of al-Qaryatayn, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights and Avvenire, the Italian Catholic newspaper.
The militant group captured the town on August 5 and subsequently destroyed the fifth-century Monastery of St. Elian, desecrating the relics of the saint.
In levying the jizya, the Islamic State also imposed 13 conditions on the town’s Christians, including bans on the possession of weapons and the establishment of churches and monasteries.
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Further information:
- Siria, il “pizzo” all'Is è «contratto di protezione» (Avvenire)
- The Christians of al-Qaryatain City have to make a choice whether to pay “Jizya” or enter to Islam (Syrian Observatory of Human Rights)
- Abo Baker al- Baghdadi gives conditional “safety” for the Christians of al- Qaryatian and makes a contract with them after a year and half of making another one with the Christians of al- Raqqa (Syrian Observatory of Human Rights)
- Islamic State destroys ancient monastery, desecrates saint’s tomb (CWN, 8/24)
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