The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an Al-Qaeda-inspired Sunni militant group, is mocking Michelle Obama and so-called hashtag diplomacy on social media. The jihadists’ Tweets are also bragging about the capture of Iraqi military vehicles.
On June 10, less than a thousand of ISIS militants in soft-shelled pickup trucks occupied the northern Iraqi city of Mosul with a population of 1.8 million people. The city fell with no apparent resistance as scores of Iraqi troops fled dropping their uniforms and leaving precious US-made hardware behind. The militants celebrated getting US-made Humvees and tanks – some of which have since headed to Syria to be used against the government forces – and even allegedly captured at least one Black Hawk helicopter.
#Syria: video of various clips of ISIS fighting in Deir az-Zor, incl. taking a tank from Jabhat al-Nusra: https://t.co/bD8MaBmo2I
— Aymenn J Al-Tamimi (@ajaltamimi) June 15, 2014
#Syria: Omar ash-Shishani of ISIS posing with an Iraqi army Hummer: pic.twitter.com/DLUZ6MQUJq
— Aymenn J Al-Tamimi (@ajaltamimi) June 15, 2014
The US military equipment captured by ISIS is worth millions of dollars, the New York Post reported.
Yep, a whole truckload of #Iraq army Hummers captured by ISIS and on their way to #Syria: pic.twitter.com/BLqcbhnL52
— Aymenn J Al-Tamimi (@ajaltamimi) June 13, 2014
“We’re aware of reports of some equipment—namely Humvees—and the pictures that have been posted online,” Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Bill Speaks said in an email to Fox News. “We are certainly concerned about these reports and are consulting with the Iraqi government to obtain solid confirmation on what assets may have fallen into ISIL’s hands.”
#Iraq: Jamaat Ansar al-Islam with a captured Iraqi army tank: pic.twitter.com/84FFGnXTXk
— Aymenn J Al-Tamimi (@ajaltamimi) June 13, 2014
The photoshopped image of Michelle Obama with the #bringbackourhumvee hashtag is a take-off of her #bringbackourgirls Tweet aimed at the kidnapping of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls by militant group Boko Haram in that country.
#Humvees_AsPurchased_WithYourTaxDollars Islamists Mock Michelle with: #BringBackOurHumveehttp://t.co/44HN98RCQn … pic.twitter.com/4oTmxc2N8N
— Tom T. (@VRWCTexan) June 18, 2014
It’s not the first time the Obama tweet has been hijacked. In May, a viral anti-drone meme campaign took off with photoshopped pictures of the US first lady holding signs such as “My husband has killed more young girls than Boko Haram ever could” and “#Stop drone murder.”
#BringBackOurHumvee we miss them, it would be a shame to #drone them. #Iraq#ISISpic.twitter.com/xhTlX5ChUm
— Caz Nova (@caz_nova) June 19, 2014
Americans are hitting back against ISIS on Twitter, however.
#BringBackOurHumvee or #BringBackOurHumvees before we have to send in the 72 Virgin Dating Service ... pic.twitter.com/UnDmgxOR8W
— LOLDems (@LOLDems2012) June 18, 2014