ISIS moviemaker killed, group ceases Mosul’s paper propaganda
(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh-The self-proclaimed Islamic State has announced the killing of its most outstanding propaganda moviemaker, while the group also ceased its paper propaganda in the city of Mosul, Alsumaria News reported on Monday.
Alsumaria News stated, “ISIS media outlets have announced the killing of Shehata al-Masry, the group’s moviemaker, in an airstrike on a main road near al-Baaj, west of Mosul, along with two of his aides,” adding that, “Though Al-Masry was not well-known before, he seemed to have been an important personality working in the shadow.”
ISIS is known to have recruited several people with expertise from around the world to tap into their experience in its psychological war. The group has relied on films and video clips adopting the style of American thriller movies to deliver its messages.
The group has also ceased its paper propaganda in the city of Mosul, Nineveh, in an apparent sign of the group’s diminishing presence there resulting from defeats to Iraq security forces.
Alsumaria News also revealed on Monday that the group had halted its paper propaganda completely, pointing out almost certain information about ISIS transferred some of its largest printing presses out of the city.
“Propaganda issues for ISIS, which included a magazine and other weekly or monthly leaflets ceased to issue completely,” said Alsumaria.
“That paper propaganda was one of the tools ISIS relied upon to deliver their messages to the people of Mosul over the past months, having tackled several issues including the group’s decisions over several issues,” Alsumaria added.
The revelation comes as Iraqi government forces, al-Hashd al-Shaabi militia and US-led airstrikes continue to push with a weeks-old operation to liberate Mosul, ISIS last stronghold in Iraq. The operation has reportedly forced the group’s fighters to smuggle their families out of the city along with valuable possessions.
Noteworthy, ISIS most outstanding issue is Dabiq, a magazine in English and Arabic, both in a paper and online 50-page edition.