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العربية
A video of scores of alleged ISIS defectors from Deir Ezzor has recently gone viral on social media. The spokesperson for Sham Legion, a FSA faction, said in the video that they (Sham legion members) secured the defection of those alleged ISIS militants, claiming the responsibility for the operation.
However, Sham Legion has not provided any compelling proof to back their claims. What they published was a picture showing an ID card they found after inspecting a man called ‘’ Karam Mumeen al-Shawa’’, who is among those alleged ISIS defectors. In other words, the card they found is the type of IDs given by ISIS to those attending its ”repentance sessions”, including civilians, regime defectors and FSA fighters. This means that not everyone holding it is necessarily an ISIS member.
Karam Maamon al Shawa from Deir Ezzor is a former FSA fighter who has been working as a mechanic; he mainly repairs electrical generators, since ISIS’ seizure of Deir Ezzor province. Moreover, Local sources confirmed to D24 that Karam has no ties or affiliation with ISIS.
The other alleged ISIS defectors presented in Sham Legion’s video seem to be more like passengers than ISIS members as they are shown carrying their baggage in the video.
Two months ago, The Levant Front published a video showing an alleged ISIS prisoner whom they claimed was captured in battles. The video sparked critics from Deir Ezzor activists who falsified the claim by stating that he was only a Deir Ezzor based activist and that he was arrested one day while passing through a checkpoint of The Levant Front.
It should be pointed out that the ID presented in Sham Legion’s video is totally quite different from the picture below which is the ID card given by ISIS to its affiliated fighters; and those who pledge their allegiance to the group.
