ISIS says coronavirus outbreak is a 'plague' sent by god, calls on god to increase torment on non-believers
The Islamic State (ISIS) has reportedly called on God to increase the torment of the deadly coronavirus across the world, especially on "non-believers". The terrorist organization also boasted that "crusader nations" have been forced to retreat because of the pandemic, reports state
The message form ISIS was included in a new newsletter from their al-Naba publication, which followed the terror group's previous article instructing the organization's members on how to deal with the spread of the coronavirus. The article began by stating that God "has imposed something of his painful torment on the nations of his creation," claiming that the virus is God's response to idolatrous nations, Al-Masdar News reported, according to the Daily Mail.
The article then goes on to urge God to increase the torment of the deadly virus against any non-believing nations and protect believers from any harm.
"We ask God to increase their torment and save the believers from all that," the ISIS article stated. "Indeed he is harsh of punishment against the one who rebels against him, and merciful to the one who obeys him and stands with him."
The terrorist organization also stated in the piece that the viral infection had forced the "crusader nations" to retreat and increase military presence in their own regions to contain the spread of the virus, which has been rapidly spreading worldwide.
Although ISIS did not specifically call the virus by its official name, it, however, pointed out the impact coronavirus has had across the world. The ISIS article came just days after they issued directives for their terrorists on how to combat the virus outbreak.
The terror group's list included measures like "staying away from sick people," "washing your hands before eating," and "avoiding travel to affected areas." The directives appeared similar to the ones being issued by governments across the world. However, ISIS' measures also included decrees like "putting your faith in God and seek refuge in him." The group also told its members that "illnesses do not strike by themselves but by the command and decree of God."
Although ISIS has lost nearly all of its so-called caliphate in the Middle East, the terror group continues to hold pockets of territory across Iraq and Syria. Iraq has reportedly at least 266 cases of the novel coronavirus so far with 23 confirmed deaths. The death rate suggests that the actual number of infections is higher than what has been reported. While Syria, till now, has reported only one case of the coronavirus, it is highly likely that cases there have gone undetected. The government only controls certain parts of the country and the healthcare system is in ruins after years of civil war in the region. Iran is the worst-hit country in the Middle East with nearly 24,000 cases of Covid-19 and nearly two thousand deaths.
Countries like the United States, Italy, Spain and France are also witnessing a high number of cases and deaths. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases across the world have reached almost 400,000 with over 17,000 confirmed deaths.