Geostrategic Media Political Commentary, Analysis, Security, Defense
ISIS has issued the first version of a new propaganda magazine written in Russian. The new magazine was named “Istok” (the source) and it targets would-be Islamic State jihadis from the Caucasus.
The first issue of the magazine, purportedly released this week by ISIS’ media wing Al Hayat, is mostly dedicated to the story of the Russian jihadis who have travelled to Syria and Iraq. The magazine explains how the fighters from the Caucasus ended up joining ISIS after months of attempts to find a “proper” ally in the region who shared their goals and agenda. At the same time, citing numerous verses from the Quran, the propagandist magazine lays the foundations to the understanding of the profound importance of the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in Syria.
The magazine’s author closes the first issues by saying that doctors, engineers and other Muslims who decide to join the group without coming back–committing themselves 100 percent to the caliphate–will expedite the establishment of the Islamic State.
Russian fighters from the Caucasus constitute a large part of the total number of ISIS foreign fighters. It is estimated that approximately one thousand Russian-speaking jihadis have joined the radical group.
