IS shuts down classes, sends students to militia schools in Syria

Beirut, Dec 11 (IANS/EFE) The Islamic State (IS) Sunni radical group has shut down classes at schools in the Syrian town of Manbej and sent students to Islamist educational centres managed by the radicals, activists said Thursday.

Speaking to Efe news agency via internet, Mohamed al-Hadi, an activist in the province of Aleppo where Manbej is located, said the IS was also providing training courses for the town's teachers.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed the moves by the IS.

Last month, the IS shut down most of the schools in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zour to modify the curricula according to its radical beliefs.

Activists in that province and in Raqqa confirmed that the militants have created training camps to indoctrinate children in the more radical tenets of Islam.

In recent weeks, the extremists have posted a series of propaganda videos on the internet which show locations where children are trained in combat techniques and religion.

After bringing swathes of territories in northern Syria and Iraq under its control, the IS proclaimed an "Islamic caliphate" in June this year.

--IANS/EFE

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