ISIS Opens English-Language Schools: Islamic State To Teach Foreign Fighters' Children

The Islamic State group plans to open schools in Syria for the families of its foreign fighters, where most lessons will be taught in English rather than the local form of Arabic. The two schools – one for boys and another for girls –will be located next door to each other in the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, according to Syrian activist group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently.

The terror group – also known as ISIS or ISIL – announced its plans in a promotional poster obtained by local activists of Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, who uploaded a photo of the typed notice to their Twitter page Sunday. “By the grace of Allah we have opened schools for English speaking children,” the poster said, noting that the schools will be for children ages 6 to 14.

Religious lessons, mathematics and English language will be taught in English. Arabic language lessons and Quran readings will be conducted in Arabic. The lessons will begin at 9 a.m. and end at noon Saturday through Wednesday, the poster said. Contact information was also provided for those interested in teaching part-time and full-time at the schools, which will be located in ISIS' de facto capital of Raqqa in eastern Syria.

The move appears to be the Islamic State’s latest attempt to attract more foreign fighters to its ranks and to rule a self-declared caliphate over its territory, large parts of western Iraq and eastern Syria. However, the extremists have suffered from intensified U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, fighting many rival factions on the ground and facing tensions among its foreign recruits.

More than 20,000 people from more than 100 countries have traveled to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS since last summer, according to U.S. Department of State estimates.