London : The Islamic State (IS) radical group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has ordered its militants not to issue propaganda videos showing the entire beheadings of their captives, pan-Arab daily Al-Quds al-Arabi reported on Friday.
The Britain-based daily cited pro-IS media sources as saying that al-Baghdadi has ruled that only the initial cutting of the victim’s throat and the final placing of their head on their body may be shown in the beheading videos.
Al-Baghdadi’s order is intended “to respect the sensitivities of Muslims and children who find such images [of entire beheadings] repulsive”, Al-Quds al-Arabi said.
The paper did not state when the order was given but it is believed to have been in recent weeks. A video that surfaced on Friday purporting to show an IS boy fighter beheading a Syrian soldier in Palmyra appears to respect Al-Baghdadi’s diktat.