ISIS members decided to show a softer side by putting their weapons down and taking part in a makeshift Jihad Olympics in July, reported Daily Mail.
Photographs capturing children as young as five taking part in the activities surfaced online yesterday (July 10).
These photographs were posted on Twitter by Terrormonitor – an account that reports forms of terror activity across the globe.
According to Daily Mail, the event is believed to have taken place in Tal Afar, Iraq – an area controlled by ISIS.
Those who participated were seen playing tug-of-war and musical chairs, reported Express.
Winners were said to have walked away with a goodie bag full of sweets.
According to The Sun, the event was organised following an advertising drive by the extremists where ISIS members had spread the word using leaflets.
The Daily Mail added that the event might have been set up because statistics from the Obama administration recently showed that traffic of ISIS-related posts on social media went down by 45 per cent in the last two years.
And the Jihad Olympics is the terrorist group’s attempt at drawing in more people and portray them in a “normal” and “very different” image.
An anti-ISIS dissident was quoted by Express saying: “The games are very silly – running around chairs to music and tug-of-war. The ISIS fighters begin all the games but then get people to join in. Who would dare say no?
“It is a good idea to let the ISIS fighters win too. Who knows what might happen otherwise? Your head could be the next one in the dirt.”
mldas@sph.com.sg
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