BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:00 P.M.) – An Armenian family shared their experience of living under the control of self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIL/ISIS) in Syria before they managed to flee, speaking from their new home in Ayn Abiad village in the northern countryside of Raqqa, Wednesday.
The family said they paid IS-imposed tax known as Jezyah in order to “be protected” as well as obeying orders to avoid punishment.
“During the time of ISIS, you had to dress up and behave in certain ways, if you didn’t fulfil the orders you would be punished according to your offence,” according to members of the family, who said that their religious rituals were banned under IS authorities.
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Months later, however, the family found themselves in the situation when they could no longer afford food and water, while having to deal with regular power shortages.
“There was no water left, no bread or electricity. The missiles were over us, all windows and doors were broken, we could not have tea, breakfast or lunch; we used to hide in the cellar.”
At last the family managed to escape to the territory liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqa where they started a new life in a small village outside the city.
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