Report: The Islamic State Punished Four Children Accused of Stealing in a Truly Horrific Way

As stories about the horrific violence perpetuated at the hands of the Islamic State continue to make headlines, a new report alleges that radical militants in Mosul recently cut off the hands of four children who were accused of stealing.

The story comes from the Al-Saraj family, whose members fled from Mosul to the Kurdistan region last summer, though they still have contact with friends and family who remain inside the areas controlled by the Islamic State.

A friend recently text messaged a woman identified as "SA," one of the Al-Saraj daughters, explaining what purportedly happened to these kids, according to Rudaw.

"Yesterday they cut off the hands of four kids, ages 12, 11, 13 and 16," the contact said. "One of the kids stole a toy bird, another stole an electric cable."

Islamic State fighters march in Raqqa, Syria, last year. (Image source: AP/Militant Website, File)

In a separate incident, Ibrahim, another member of the family, told Rudaw that he also saw a video of what appeared to be a young boy being shot in the back of the head  moments after the boy's father pleaded with a militant not to execute his son.

"He stole something. He wanted to eat," Ibrahim said.

While family patriarch MS described the situation in Mosul as "paradise" before the Islamic State took hold, the family said that the crisis inside has devolved, with pay and electricity sparse and with food and necessities skyrocketing in price. Personal protection, too, is problematic.

"People are like sheep now," Ibrahim said. "They don’t have weapons, only knives."

The Islamic State's brutal treatment of citizens living in the areas it has claimed is no secret, with the family's matriarch, who was identified as "RS," explaining what she has heard about the treatment of women from friends and loved ones.

"They cut off their hair. Some are stoned, some are shot, and some are beheaded for adultery," she said. "If the woman has a boyfriend, the punishment is stoning. If she has more than one boyfriend, she’ll be shot."

The Al-Saraj family remains in Dohuk, a city in the Kurdistan region, where they are safe from the horrors perpetuated by the Islamic State. Read more of their claims here.

(H/T: Christian Post)