Article Response #6

ISIS Reportedly Killed 128 People In Syrian Town Over 3-Week Period

The Syrian army recaptured the town on Saturday.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday that Islamic State killed at least 128 people in a Syrian town in central Homs over a three-week period before the Syrian army recaptured it on Saturday.

There was no immediate comment from Syrian government officials or state media on the report by the Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor.

Syrian troops and allied forces regained control of al-Qaryatayn town “after eliminating terrorist Daesh (Islamic State) groups that had infiltrated it,” state media said on Saturday.

Earlier this month, the Observatory said IS fighters had seized the town from government forces, part of a counter-attack by the jihadists who have come under intense pressure in eastern Syria.

At least 83 people were killed in the 48 hours before the Syrian army retook the town, the war monitor said, adding that IS had accused the civilians of being “agents of the regime.”

The town lies nearly 300 km (190 miles) from Deir al-Zor city in the east, the current focus of the government offensive, with Russian jets and Iran-backed militias, against Islamic State.

Site: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/syria-isis-massacre_us_59edc0f0e4b00f08619fd078?section=us_world-news

My Response:

• Audience- The intended audience i feel is directed toward the Israeli community and the rest of the world that may be unaware of the violence that this article was trying to portray, and the negativity that they want to present ISIS to be.

• Bias- This bias could come from the amount of negativity that the author of the article has on ISIS and could be shown when he so straightforwardly expressed this issue that many would not.

• Purpose- I feel that the purpose of this article was clearly stated when they mentioned in the article: "At least 83 people were killed in the 48 hours before the Syrian army retook the town, the war monitor said, adding that IS had accused the civilians of being “agents of the regime.” expressing the cruelty presented by the negative actions that ISIS portrayed.

• Opinion/ connections- This same situation was presented earlier in the month when the fighters had seized the town from government forces, part of a counter-attack by the jihadists who have come under intense pressure in eastern Syria. This i feel may have a direct correlation as to what is going on between ISIS and it's neighboring countries that i feel as though the article is trying to question.