Islamic State crucifies five Mosul residents

Five crucified bodies were seen hanging from traffic signals and electricity poles at a road junction in east Mosul, Iraq, on Tuesday, indicating that the Islamic State was still in charge in the city after their disappearance in the last 10 days.

The five bodies were believed as agents passing news to US-led air coalition and to the Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad, a resident told Reuters.

The Islamic State fighters have conquered the large parts of northern Iraq including the city of Mosul since 2014. The city was divided into two halves separated by the Tigris River in the centre. The Islamic State fighters were stronger on the Sunni Arab side located on the western half of the city. The eastern half has more mixed population than the western half. The eastern half has elite Iraqi troops that have broken through the Islamic State defences.

The Islamic State fighters were present in the streets to check if the residents practice the Islamic behaviour. The morality police of the Islamic State, Hisba, looked for smokers and checked people's beards and clothes. The Islamic State forbade people to smoke and banned men wear Western-style clothing and Western logos. Women were required to wear gloves and veil.

It also tried to clampdown the city's contact with the outside world as officials checked SIM cards of the residents.

"I went to get my pension as usual, but the man at the office refused to give it to me unless I handed over my SIM card," a 65-year-old man, who gave his name as Abu Ali, told Reuters.