Monitor: 'IS' executed over 3,000 in Syria

The "Islamic State" (IS) militant group has executed more than 3,000 people in Syria, including hundreds of civilians since last June, a monitoring group said Sunday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian war through a network of activists in the country, said it had documented 3,027 executions carried out by IS since June 29, 2014, including those of 1,787 civilians and 74 children.

Half of the civilians executed were members of the Sunni Shaitat tribe, which rose up in rebellion last year against IS, according the Observatory.

The toll also includes mass killings that took place when IS briefly re-entered the town of Kobani this week after being forced out by Kurdish fighters in January. The Observatory reported at least 223 executions in Kobani this past week.

The Observatory also detailed mass executions of rival rebel factions and Kurdish fighters, as well as nearly 900 Syrian government regime forces. IS has also put to death 143 of its own members accused of various crimes including spying and desertion.

The militant organization has captured large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq. Baghdad's army and Syrian rebels have thwarted their advance in many areas with the help of US air power and that of other coalition members.

The jihadists are known for their extreme interpretation of Islam, their brutality and massive human rights abuses. A recently-released UN report said that some 60,000 people have been forced to flee their homes amid the recent attacks by IS.

At least 8,000 IS militants have been killed in battles with opposition forces and in US-led air strikes, according to the Observatory.

bw/bk (AFP, Reuters)