HASAKA, Syria — Islamic State (ISIS) militants are asking for $100,000 from the family of a Kurdish car trader killed by an ISIS sleeper cell in northeast Syria on Friday in exchange for returning his body, his family told Rudaw on Sunday.
Abbas Khidr Cuma was a Kurdish car trader in Hasaka province. He and an Arab friend were ambushed and killed by ISIS on their way to Shaddadi – where locals have recently spoken of their fear of ISIS returning to power after arrests of militants in the area.
Cuma was shot in the head by ISIS militants, who filmed his execution and sent to his wife. ISIS has said it will send back his body if his family pays $100,000.
“They spoke to me on WhatsApp and said they are ISIS. I did not respond because I was scared and I threw away the phone. They called me again and said, “answer the phone, we will tell you what has happened to Abbas.” I answered the phone and they said if I want Abbas’ corpse I must send them $100,000. I couldn’t continue the call any more, I was shocked,” said Abbas’ wife Jiyan on Sunday.
Cuma is survived by two young sons. His family are asking for his body to be retrieved and the militants arrested.
“Abbas was killed unfairly. He is now in the hands of ISIS. I hope they get him back,” said Ciyan Aziz, one of his relatives.
‘It’s not right for the body to be left behind in the desert. He said he was a Kurd: that’s why he was killed. We spill our blood for this land,” said Abba’s sister Ilham Khidr.
ISIS sleeper cells killed two women in the Hasaka town of al-Dashisha last month. They were employees of Til Shayir municipality.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has captured two ISIS members said to be responsible for their murder
The remote areas between Deir ez-Zor and Hasaka have become a safe haven for ISIS sleeper cells
Earlier this month, the SDF announced the arrest of dozens of ISIS suspects in Deir ez-Zor during the first day of a new military operation launched in retaliation for the assassination of the two women.
The SDF has conducted multiple operations against ISIS sleeper cells, often in coordination with the global coalition against ISIS.
Translation and Video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed
