The Pentagon has dropped 60,000 leaflets over the Syrian town of Ar-Raqqa in an effort to dissuade residents from joining the Islamic State terror group.
On March 16, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter dropped a specialized leaflet-dispenser bomb over the town of Raqqa for the first time ever in Syria, according to Col. Tadd Sholtis, an Air Force spokesman, USA Today reported.
The cartoon fliers showed Islamic State recruits being fed into a meat grinder. They were created by personnel from Military Information Support Operations, previously known as psychological operations, USA Today reported.
“The message of this leaflet is, if you allow yourself to be recruited by Daesh, you will find yourself in a meat-grinder that is not beneficial to your health,” Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren told The Hill, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.
The Pentagon has spent more than $1 billion on propaganda publications and broadcasts to influence attitudes and behavior in the Middle East, USA Today reported.
“It’s trying to set the stage for an internal uprising against ISIS,” said Nicholas Heras, an expert on ISIS at the Center for a New American Security, USA Today reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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