PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Syrian Emergency Task Force remembers the seventh anniversary of the al-Shiatat Massacre in Deir Ezzor, Syria. Starting on August 8th, the six-day massacre led by ISIS resulted in over 1,000 deaths of members of the al-Shiatat tribe, including women and children. This massacre remains to be one of the deadliest throughout the years of the Syrian Revolution.
ISIS initiated this execution and mass displacement in response to those who opposed their control of Deir Ezzor. Not long after, ISIS created mass graves in nearby towns of Abu Hamam, Granjui, and al-Kishkiyah. Targeting and punishing the ethnic tribe al-Shiatat, who lived in the city, Omar Abu Layla, SETF Director for Northeast Syria, stated that ISIS’ aimed to:
“to disintegrate the tribal community because they rejected extremism. Daesh [ISIS] killed hundreds of [civilians] for just being members of the al-Shiatat tribe, and their bodies filled [the] streets and houses… The people of Deir Ezzor have suffered under the crimes of the Assad Regime and have been the biggest victims of ISIS. The world must never forget this terrible massacre and continue to work with the Syrian people to achieve justice and peace in Deir Ezzor and all of Syria.”
As attacks continue to occur against innocent civilians, SETF strongly condemns the normalization of the Assad regime through such appointments. We also condemn the silence of the international community and press with regards to these atrocities against innocent civilians. Please join us in commemorating this tragedy in honor of the innocent men, women, and children, who have fallen to ISIS and Assad’s merciless brutality. We urge the international community to stand with these victims.
Press Contact:
Celeste Brevard
Director of Communications Syrian Emergency Task Force
[email protected]