Syria: Al-Mayadeen in ruins as locals speak of the horror of living with Islamic State

SOT, Reporter (Arabic): "How many times you’ve been arrested for your beard?"
SOT, local resident (Arabic): "Four times. Four times I’ve been arrested for my beard. Not because it doesn’t grow, but because it should grow. They arrested me, then whipped me, tortured me and gave me spoiled food."
Locals in Al-Mayadeen have spoken of the horror of living with Islamic State after the terror group was routed from one of its last strongholds by Syrian and allied forces.
Footage shot on Sunday showed the city in ruins with huge caches of weapons left behind by feeling IS fighters.
Locals spoke of being thrown in jail for smoking one cigarette, having beard stubble or not wearing the correct clothing.
Russian Defence Ministry Spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov confirmed the city was retaken during a successful offensive operation carried out by Syrian government troops.
A Syrian military officer said troops searched the whole area, which was the main military depot of ISIS and found underground tunnels full of weapons.
The operation to liberate Al-Mayadeen, which is 44 kilometres (27.3 miles) southeast of Deir ez-Zor, reportedly lasted less than three days.