Islamic State beheads elderly man in Syria's Raqqa for allegedly practising magic

Islamic State (Isis) militants publicly beheaded an elderly man in Syria's northeastern city of Raqqa on Friday (6 January) after accusing him of practising magic and sorcery, a source said.

Magic is reportedly banned under IS (Daesh) rule as the Islamist militants believe magicians are "apostates" who oppose "the law of Allah" (or God).

"An Isis jihadist beheaded the elderly man in front of hundreds of people in the al-Hamam Square in Raqqa," local media activist Khalid al-Omar told ARA News. He added that the Sharia Court run by the militant group claimed they found tools and materials at the man's house that proved he was practising wizardry.

The man was reportedly arrested on Thursday by the IS-led Islamic Police, called the Diwan al-Hisba, in Raqqa. He was then produced at the Sharia court on Friday, which found him guilty of practising magic and ordered his execution.

IBTimes UK could not verify the authenticity of the news, but executions are reportedly common in the so-called Islamic caliphate the jihadist group has established in parts of Syria and Iraq. The group is known for brutally executing people living under their rule.

Recently, it was reported that the group drowned a man in Mosul, Iraq in a liquid disinfectant, calling him an "infidel" for allegedly spying for the Iraqi government. Just over a week ago, the group was also reported to have publicly executed a Palestinian girl over spying charges.

Governments in both Iraq and Syria are fighting the terrorist group to liberate their cities from IS rule.

Raqqa is currently at the centre of an ongoing offensive against the Islamist militant group in Syria. The group had captured the city in 2014 amid the five-year Syrian civil war.