ISIL executes journalist in Mosul: Watchdog

The Takfiri ISIL group has executed a journalist in the Iraqi city of Mosul, which is under the control of the terrorist group, a watchdog says.

Akram Suleiman, the head of Iraq’s Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate’s branch in Mosul, said that Firas al-Bahri, a veteran TV journalist in the city, was executed by the terrorist group on Tuesday, Kurdish newspaper Rudaw reported.

The Takfiri militants demanded that the journalist pledge allegiance to the terrorist group, “but he refused to do so. Finally, they killed him today,” said Suleiman.

Reports also said that the journalist had been in the captivity of the terrorist group for almost three weeks before being executed.

The head of journalists syndicate in Mosul said the Takfiri group has executed at least six other journalists in the city.

“There are 10 other journalists who are held captive by Daesh (ISIL) in an unknown place,” he added.

In early October last year, ISIL said journalists must declare allegiance to the terrorist group and obtain approval for all reports in order to be able to continue their practice in areas under ISIL control.

ISIL started its campaign of terror in Iraq in early June 2014. The heavily-armed militants took control of Mosul before sweeping through parts of the country’s Sunni Arab heartland.

Since the terrorist group seized the city, it has imposed harsh rules there.

The terrorists have been carrying out horrific acts of violence, including public decapitations, against all Iraqi communities such as Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.