At the central square, the terrorists staged an execution area where militants beheaded or crucified people. There are still four T-shaped wooden crosses on which the militants left people to die under the scorching Middle East sun standing in the square.
"The militants executed those residents of the city who, in their opinion, did not observe the norms of religion. That is, they smoked, for example. Women were also killed if they were not properly dressed," local resident Hussein Ahmad, who once fled from Daesh, and now returned to his hometown, said.
According to Ahmad's testimony, the militants even made teenagers joining their ranks. Those who refused to join were at risk of becoming executed.
"As you can see, only seniors and small children from our village have survived. The rest were either killed or taken to Daesh," Ahmad said.
A list of the "court" employees has been also found, but it only contains positions and nicknames rather than any real names, as the militants were afraid to reveal their true identities. Examples from the list include "Judge from the Persian Gulf," if you translate the name literally, and "Lawyer Abu Omar."
Those sentenced to death were held underneath these "courts." On the days of execution, as the refugees from Dayr Hafir claim, the terrorists rounded up the locals at the central square, where even children were forced to look at the medieval violence.
"I personally hid my children when the executions took place. After all, the terrorists forced even the smallest ones to look at the atrocities that they committed," local resident Ramadan Ibrahim said adding that the militants could execute one even for the fact of cutting a beard.
"I had a huge beard. I got rid of it as soon as I came here, "he said.
For example, a military field hospital was under one of the city's bridges. The walls in the building are painted with suras from the Koran, and graffiti in the form of Daesh's flag in the middle. The place was chosen specifically by the militants, as the concrete overlapping of the bridge served as protection from shelling.
The conditions inside are completely unsanitary, dirty mattresses on the floor, scattered surgical tools.
"It was a hospital for the ordinary Daesh fighters. Conditions, as you can see, are terrible. Here we have found drugs from Western and some Arab countries," Rami Navras, Lt. Col. in the Syrian Arab army, said.
He added that the military was nevertheless shocked by the sight of the modern medical equipment the militants possessed. But, it was only the militants who could use the benefits of civilization, whereas the locals were subject to medieval conditions with their public executions and dungeons.
In the near future, bomb squads will start working in Dayr Hafir. When they will clear all the streets and houses, the city's residents will be able to return to the city.
