Isis’s propaganda magazine Dabiq published an article in October justifying the practice of selling women and children. It condemned Yazidis as "pagans" and "infidels” and claimed they were divided among Isis members “according to the Sharia”.
Mr Jiyad said: "Their supporters were in denial until Daesh confirmed it in a magazine; some had said before the revelation that they wouldn’t do such a thing as it was vile, but then were left with egg on their faces."
Tensions are also believed to have risen after Kurdish troops aided by US-led coalition airstrikes retook the Syrian border town of Kobani, which Mr Jiyad says caused some “internal criticism”.
Yazidi sex slaves, the loss of Kobani and the struggle to keep infrastructure running in areas captured by Isis are believed to be causing friction among militants in the group.
Recent reports suggest infighting is growing between the ranks of foreign fighters as Isis tries to recover from bombing campaigns against its strongholds in Iraq and Syria.
The Jordanian airforce recently claimed to have degraded Isis’s capabilities by 20 per cent after air strikes against militants were intensified in retaliation for the death of pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kasaesbeh. Isis is also believed to be suffering financially of late as their supply routes between core territories are damaged.
Sajad Jiyad, Research Fellow and Associate Member at the Iraqi Institute for Economic Reform, said one of the biggest issues to have caused friction between fighters in the past surrounded the decision to keep Yazidi children and women as sex slaves.
Published on Feb 21, 2015
Source : http://www.conflictstudygroup.com/
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