Islamic State Losing Information War after Losses in Battlefield

 

The self-declared Islamic State (IS) group is close to defeat in Syria and Iraq.

Now, some observers say the group’s hope of winning the information war is also failing. They say IS propagandists are unable to say their side is winning. So the propagandists are redirecting their attention and calling on IS supporters to carry out attacks in other areas.

The group released a video showing the change in its media strategy. Gone are the images of hundreds of victorious¹ IS fighters and their many weapons. In the past, the militants² also would describe the large areas of territory under their control. The new video has no claims of people living happily in an IS-ruled caliphate.

Instead, the video shows just a small group of fighters on an armored truck.

“It looks like this is Raqqa,” said Charlie Winter, an expert on terrorist propaganda. He works at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at Kings College London. He said the militant³ group wants to prove it is still a strong fighting force. Yet the video shows only three men in a truck in a largely empty city.

Winter noted⁴ that the most important change took place during the past few weeks. He said it was as if someone had told the IS propagandists to stop talking. He believes one or more media centers around Raqqa (in Syria) have been destroyed. Because of the group’s shrinking territory, it is difficult for IS to get source material for its propaganda.

United States-supported coalition⁵ forces fighting IS militants have also learned the importance of propaganda. Coalition forces are targeting the media operations.

Winter said the militants are changing their message to lower expectations – from hope for a caliphate to simple survival.

“It (Islamic State) still has the true believers killing⁶ themselves in its name,” he said, explaining that IS still exists even if it does not control land.

In past years, IS propaganda tried to appeal to foreigners with the dream of an Islamic utopia.

“No longer is it calling for people to travel to Syria and Iraq,” Winter said, adding that it is pushing for believers to carry out attacks in their own countries.

That is where Islamic State propaganda is trying to claim success. The group says it has influenced recent vehicle attacks in European capitals and in New York City. Yet there is little evidence to support those claims.

Winter said the international media helps the militants when it reports their claims. It makes them look powerful when, in fact, they are very weak.

The most recent propaganda video from Islamic State said that the group will soon be in control of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Gunmen claiming to represent IS attacked an Islamic religious center there, killing more than 300 people.

I'm Susan Shand.

Words in this Story

strategy – n. a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time

armored – adj. covered with flat pieces of metal

source – n. someone or something that provided what is needed; the cause of something

utopia – n. an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect

caliphate – n. the rule of a major

1 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。