A new and horrific video emerged yesterday from ISIS showing sectarian abuse and violence against 5 individuals, some of whom have Iraqi army uniforms on. The video shows the humiliation of the 5 men whom the ISIS fighter abuses as ‘Maliki’s dogs,’ a reference to Nouri Al-Maliki, the former Prime Minister of Iraq.
The abuse meted out is anti-Shia in nature and intended to play on the hatred of Shia communities that is ideologically part of the ISIS movement. The physical abuse shown against the men, who seem to be dehydrated, leads to their murder as to the ISIS executioner asks them to state that, ‘ISIS is here to stay.’
The continued play on anti-Shia rhetoric and the use of video for on-line circulation shows an insight into the strategy of ISIS which is to drive an increasing wedge between Shia and Sunni communities in Iraq and Syria.
