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Abstract
This article explores how propaganda can be used to construct counter-factual visual narratives at times of war. Specifically, it examines how the Islamic State communicated its way through the 100-day-long battle for east Mosul, which was launched by the coalition and its allies in October 2016. Drawing on Jacques Ellul’s 1962 theory of propaganda, it uses qualitative content analysis to decipher the 1,261 media products published online by the group during the first phase of its defence of the city. The author contends that, even though it was resoundingly defeated there by January, the global legacy of this battle, which was used as a testing ground for a series of potent innovations in insurgent strategic communication, will endure long into the future.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Image I. ‘Amaq News Agency sitrep covering a suicide attack in eastern Mosul.
Image II. Screenshot from A’maq News Agency video showing the aftermath of an airstrike in eastern Mosul.
Image III. A’maq News Agency infographic providing an update for the third month of the battle for Mosul.
Image IV. Nineveh Province Media Office operation claim regarding a suicide attack in eastern Mosul.
Images V-VII. A selection of images drawn from a Nineveh Province Media Office photo-essay on agriculture in Mosul.
Images VII-VIII. Flyers for Nineveh Province Media Office videos on Mosul, “The hunters of the tanks” and “The procession of light.”
Image IX. Readout of Bayan Radio news bulletin
Image X. Screenshot of frontpage of the 60th issue of al-Naba’
Figure 1. Drone footage of suicide attack.
Figure 2. Fighters of the Islamic State pledge to the death in Tal’afar to the west of Mosul.
Figure 3. A tour in one of the dental care centres in the city of Mosul.
Notes
1 For example: ‘The brother Abu Bakr al-Muslawi—may God accept him—one of the operatives of the martyrdom-seeking operations on the gathering of the rafidah army and its militias in the outskirts of Shaqqaq al-Hadaba’ in northeast Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 8 January 2017.
2 For example: ‘Three Humvee vehicles were destroyed, two more disabled and 14 members of the ISF killed during a martyrdom-seeking operation in the outskirts of al-Ta’mim in Mosul’ (Sitrep, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 15 December 2016.
3 For example: ‘The destruction of a Humvee vehicle belonging to the hashd militias in Talal al-‘Adhba south of Mosul’ (Video, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 4 December 2016.
4 For an account of its profoundly complex in-theatre infrastructure and bureaucracy, see Almohammad and Winter (Citation2019) and Milton (Citation2018). For more on its propaganda production values, see Robinson and Dauber (Citation2019).
5 For example: ‘Men from the people of Mosul flock to sign up to Islamic State’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 15 January 2017.
6 For example: ‘A snapshot of life in the city of Tal’afar to the west of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 20 November 2016.
7 For example: ‘One week into the battle for Mosul’ (Infographic, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 24 October 2016.
8 For example: ‘12 martyrdom-seeking operations and fierce battles during the first few days of the battle for Mosul’ (Detailed news, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 17 October 2016.
9 For example: ‘Breaking news: Aspect of the ongoing battles with the rafidi army and its militias in the east of Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 9 November 2016.
10 ‘The ignition of war’ (Video, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 29 October 2016; ‘The promise of Allah’ (Video. Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 14 November 2016; ‘The impact of the bullets’ (Video, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 28 November 2016; ‘The hunters of the tanks’ (Video, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 13 December 2016; ‘The procession of light’ (Video, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 3 January 2017; ‘The knights of the ministries’ (Video, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 24 January 2017. All available at jihadology.net.
11 For example: ‘Thursday 29th Rabi’a al-Awwal 1438 (News bulletin, Islamic State: Bayan Radio), 28 December 2016.
12 ‘The apostates will see what the mujahidin have prepared for them after their campaign on Mosul has been broken’ (Interview. Islamic State: al-Naba’), 17 November 2016. Available at jihadology.net.
13 For example: ‘al-Naba’ Newspaper, the 60th Edition’ (Newspaper, Islamic State: al-Naba’), 22 December 2016. Available at jihadology.net.
14 The exception was: al-Naba’ Newspaper, the 61st Edition’ (Newspaper, Islamic State: al-Naba’), 28 December 2016. Available at jihadology.net.
15 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (2016) ‘This is what Allah and his messenger promised us’ (Audio statement, Islamic State: Furqan Foundation), 2 November 2016; Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir (2016) ‘And you will remember what I say to you’ (Audio statement, Islamic State: Furqan Foundation), 5 December. All available at jihadology.net.
16 ‘One Week into the Battle for Mosul’.
17 ‘The procession of light’.
18 ‘The knights of the ministries’.
19 ‘The knights of the ministries’.
20 ‘The knights of the ministries’.
21 ‘The procession of light’.
22 For example: ‘Snapshot of the clashes which took place last night between the fighters of Islamic State and the Iraqi security forces in the al-Qadisiyya al-Thaniyya district of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 30 November 2016.
23 ‘The procession of light’.
24 For example: ‘Deployment of Islamic State fighters on the streets of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 18 October 2016.
25 For example: ‘Targeting one of the rafidi army and militia positions in Ba’uiza with an SPG-9 in northern Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 11 December 2016.
26 For example: ‘Snapshot of the clashes between Islamic State fighters and Iraqi security forces in al-Zarqawi district’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 9 November 2016.
27 For example: ‘Aspect of the clashes with the rafidi army and its militias with light and medium weapons in al-Hadaba’ district in northern Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 13 January 2017.
28 For example: ‘Glimpses of the clashes in al-Hamdaniyya to the south east of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 23 October 2016.
29 For example: ‘Disabling an Abrams tank of the Iraqi army near Qayyarah, to the south of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 17 October 2017.
30 For example: ‘Aspect of the destroyed vehicles and booty of the mujahidin near Salam in south Mosul’, (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 30 December 2016.
31 ‘The hunters of the tanks’.
32 For example: ‘Month one of the battle for Mosul’ (Infographic, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 18 November 2016.
33 For example: ‘Glimpses from al-Karama district in the east of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 31 October 2016.
34 For example: ‘Glimpses of life in al-Intisar district after the expulsion of the Iraqi security forces’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 8 November 2016.
35 For example: ‘Fighters of Islamic State pledge to the death in Tal’afar to the west of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 19 October 2016.
36 ‘Men from the people of Mosul flock to sign up to Islamic State’.
37 ‘The knights of the ministries’.
38 ‘The apostates will see what the mujahidun have prepared for them after their campaign on Mosul has been broken’.
39 ‘This is what Allah and his messenger promised us’.
40 ‘And you will remember what I say to you’.
41 ‘The apostates will see what the mujahidun have prepared for them after their campaign on Mosul has been broken’.
42 For example: ‘Remnants of America bombing on the al-Quds district of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 2 November 2016.
43 For example: ‘John Cantlie discusses the bombing of the bridges and water and electricity infrastructure in the city of Mosul’ (Video clip, Islamic State: A’maq News Agency), 7 December 2016.
44 For example: ‘An orphanage in Nineveh Province’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 3 September 2014.
45 For example: ‘A day out for those living in the shade of the caliphate’ (Video, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 10 March 2015.
46 For example: ‘A tour of Najafi street in the city of Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 3 March 2015.
47 For example: ‘Special coverage of the khutbah and prayers in Mosul’s great mosque’ (Video, Islamic State: Furqan Foundation), 5 July 2014.
48 For example: ‘Refurbishment and opening of the al-Warithin Hotel in the city of Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 15 May 2015.
49 ‘Inside Mosul’ (Video, Islamic State: Al-Hayat Media Center), 3 January 2015. Available at jihadology.net.
50 For example: ‘Photographs from the city of Mosul: The market in the Nabi Yunus (peace be upon him) district’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 21 November 2016.
51 For example: ‘Agricultural activity in the city of Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 14 November 2016.
52 For example: ‘Aspect of the work of the zakat office in Mosul: The distribution of flour to the needy’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 28 December 2016.
53 For example: ‘Implementing the hadd of Allah upon one who has acted the action of the people of Lut’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 11 November 2016.
54 ‘Photo report: A tour in one of the dental care centres in the city of Mosul’ (Photo-essay, Islamic State: Nineveh Province Media Office), 9 October 2016.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Charlie Winter
Charlie Winter is a Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, a research centre based in King’s College London’s Department of War Studies. His research specialism is terrorism and insurgency, with a focus on online and offline strategic communication. His PhD research examines how militant groups cultivate creative approaches to governance and war. Alongside his work at ICSR, which is supported by Facebook as part of the Online Civil Courage Initiative, he is an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism in the Hague and an Associate of the Imperial War Museum Institute in London. E-mail: [email protected]