Isil begins forcibly conscripting civilians to fight in the battle for Deir Ezzor

The Islamic State (Isil) has begun forcibly conscripting men to fight on the front lines for the first time as it struggles with a major manpower shortage in the battle for one of its last strongholds in Syria.

The jihadist group ordered all men between the ages of 20 and 30 to report to Isil checkpoints for military duty, according to an order issued in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on Thursday. Civilians were given one week to submit themselves or face punishment. 

Isil has forced civilians into its ranks before but only ever in support roles, like cooking for its fighters or digging trenches. The Deir Ezzor order is believed to be the first time the group has called up conscripts to actually fight. 

“They have never done anything like this before and it shows they have a serious manpower shortage,” said Elizabeth Tsurkov, a research fellow at the Forum for Regional Thinking, an Israeli think tank.

“In the past people have been forcibly conscripted to carry out work behind the front lines because they didn’t trust conscripts to fight on the front.”

Isil controls most of Deir Ezzor province but is under pressure from pro-Assad regime forces advancing from the west. The regime also controls a pocket with the city of Deir Ezzor, which Isil has been besieging for two years but has been unable to capture. 

With the jihadist group routed from Mosul and losing ground in its self-declared capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa, Deir Ezzor is one of the few remaining population centres under Isil control.

Much of Syria’s oil is also in Deir Ezzor, making it an important source of revenue for Isil.

An estimated 600,000 people are living in Isil-controlled parts of the province, meaning that its conscription drive could potentially force thousands of men into taking up arms against the advancing regime troops.   

The published conscription order calls for “all young men who are capable of fighting and doing jihad” to report to Isil centres, with the exception of those have permission from religious authorities not to take part.  

“Anyone who fails to enlist within one week from this announcement will be forcibly deployed to the front lines,” the orders said. 

The conscripts are promised that they will be given a course in sharia law and military training before they are sent to fight and told they will be paid a salary and treated no differently from Isil’s volunteer fighters. 

The command to serve was expected to be echoed at Friday sermons given in mosques in Isil-controlled areas.