Islamic State executes Sufi imam

Damascus, Oct 16 (IANS/AKI) Islamic State militants put to death a Sufi Muslim imam in eastern Syria and seized his home, a monitoring group has reported.

The unnamed imam was executed in the town of al-Basira in Deir Ezzor province on unknown charges, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Islamic State told the imam's family that his home had become "the property of the Islamic State" and ordered his wife and seven children to leave, the Observatory said.

The imam, who was an engineer, was abducted several months ago, said the watchdog, which relies for its information on a network of activists inside Syria.

Sufis, a minority Muslim group who follow mystical beliefs, are regarded as heretical by hardliners. Islamic State has carried out a number of attacks on Sufi Muslim shrines and tombs.

--IANS/AKI

mr/