IS militants hand themselves over to Syrian court

A further 15 fighters have defected from the ranks of the Islamic State group in Syria, confirming recent reports about a surge in desertions from the militant group.

The IS defectors handed themselves over to a Syrian regime court in al-Dameer, south of the capital, Damascus, after the court guaranteed safety to militants wanting amnesty.

"Militants turned up after the court had circulated leaflets addressed to IS militants promising them safety if they defected from the group," activist Marwan al-Qadi told The New Arab.

"The court pledged they would be safe if they surrender and sign an agreement that they will not pick up arms or join any militant groups operating in Syria," Qadi added.

At least 70 other militants have handed themselves in to the court in recent weeks.

"More militants are defecting, as there have been talks about an agreement between the Syrian government and the militant group over an IS withdrawal from the area," Qadi told The New Arab.

"They will now undergo a procedure to help rid them of IS ideological brain-washing," he added.

"Most of the militants who defected were not completely convinced with IS ideology," Qadi said. "But the reasons they joined the militant group were either financial or a personal grudge against someone, as well as general ignorance."

The latest reports of defections affirm a reported rising trend of defections by low-ranking as well as senior figures.

Witnesses in the northern Syrian city of Jarablus reported on Thursday the execution of a senior IS group commander for attempting to flee to Turkey.

The 40-year-old militant, named Abu Mustafa was publically beheaded after an IS group "court" charged him with treason after he was arrested trying to cross the border.

The surge of defections follows a spate of major battlefield losses for the militant group - both in Iraq and Syria.

The recapture of the city of Hit by local Iraqi ground forces was another major blow to the group following their earlier loss of Palmyra in Syria to Syrian regime forces.