The Islamic State (Isis) in Mosul, northern Iraq, has reportedly chopped the hands off three women for using mobile phones.

In addition, five men are also said to have been flogged for using their phones – which the Islamic State consider a crime.

"Today evening, the IS militants cut three women's hands off for unknown charges," an anonymous source in the Nineveh province told the Iraqi News, while later reports suggested they were punished for using mobile phones.

The source added: "They also whipped five people for using cell-phones to contact their relatives while standing on the celebration stage in the Cultural Compound in central Mosul."

Over the past months, the Iraqi Sunni extremist group has been establishing strict laws, which it claims is based on Islamic Shariah law, in the territories they control in Iraq and Syria.

Several people have been handed extreme sentences over their actions, which Islamic State says are sinful according to Islam, including homosexuality.

The source, cited by Iraqi News, who did not wish to be identified, added: "IS told the people of Mosul that it would whip anyone 30 times if they were caught using cell-phones."

Earlier reports claimed that Islamists had knocked down mobile networks in their strongholds.