The Islamic State has released a list of seven rules for Christians living in the Syrian city of Raqqa, including never to pray in public or commit "treachery" against the terror group
The statement opens with a quote from the Quran, which reads: "Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgement of superiority and they are in a state of subjection."
The list of seven rules are said to be in return for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of the terrorist group, granting safety to Christians within the city, reports that International Business Times.
In the document, it says al-Baghdadi will safeguard 'their selves, children, money and churches', if Christians obey the strict list of rules
According to the list, public worship and treachery against ISIS is forbidden, and Christians living in Raqqa are no longer allowed to construct churches or even repair any damaged churches in their villages. However, all acts of worship, including openly reading the Bible, must be carried out within a church, and never in public.
Christians are also banned from publicly showing their crosses in Muslim areas or in their own market places, and are not allowed to "'raise their voices when praying or in other acts of worship".
In addition, Christians are ordered not to prevent any of their fellow believers from converting to Islam.
The list concludes with a warning to Christians living in Raqqa: it is illegal, under pain of death, for them to "carry out any actions of enmity to the Islamic State such as helping air strikes locate their positions.
Raqqa, which is Iraq's sixth largest city, was overtaken by ISIS in January, and has since become a central hub where the militants gather and dispatch to other battlegrounds across the country. At the time, ISIS released a warning to resident living in the city, ordering them to vacate their homes or stay and face severe consequences.
In October, ISIS executed three men in Raqqa for reportedly placing beacons near strategic buildings and aiding coalition air strikes.
Beheadings are a common occurrence within Raqqa's Paradise Square, as well as frequent lashings for "crimes" such as smoking a cigarette. Journalists are not allowed to operate within the city under the threat of death.
Abbu Muhammad, 25, told the Associated Press, "I can say that our people in Raqqa city are under the rule of a terrorist organization, who cut heads from bodies and keep them hanging in the streets, simply to terrorize the people of the city."
The last of the government forces were driven out of the area in August. The terror group - which has seized wide expanses of territory in Iraq and Syria - subsequently seized an air base and executed score of Syrian soldiers.
