ALEPPO, Syria — The areas controlled by the Kurdish forces in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor province in northeastern Syria have recently witnessed growing activities by Islamic State (IS) cells, which are terrorizing business owners and forcing them to pay "zakat" (obligatory charitable payment).

On Oct. 3, IS militants blew up a money exchange and money transfer shop called Al-Iman Office in the town of al-Azbah, in the northern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, after its owner refused to pay zakat. No casualties were reported, but the shop was severely damaged.

One of the shop owner’s relatives told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “IS members detonated an explosive device they had planted in front of the office located in the popular market in al-Azbah, after the owner refused to pay zakat as demanded by IS.”

He said, “In early September, IS members reached out to the shop owner via WhatsApp, requesting him to pay a specific amount as zakat. He did not respond to their request so they planted an explosive device [near his shop] on Sept. 25, which failed to detonate. Hours before their second attempt on the evening of Oct. 3, they had sent him a message threatening to kill him and destroy his office because he had not paid zakat.”