A pro al-Qaida media propaganda outlet released a statement on Tuesday lambasting President Trump over his recent decision to increase troops in Afghanistan.
The statement also included an image of President Trump that reads “Wanted Dead or Alive For Crimes Against Islam.” The propaganda statement from pro al-Qaida group Al-Hijrah media was first discovered by the Middle East Media Research Institute, a think-tank located in Washington, D.C., that covers the Middle East.
“Recently Trump decided to continue the war against the Muslims in Afghanistan after 16 years of severe losses,” the propaganda statement reads. “America is weaker today than ever. The US was unable to defeat the Mujahideen when it had more than 100,000 troops in Afghanistan.”
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The statement details the costs Americans have borne in Afghanistan. It also appears to copy a line from a Taliban message released in August after Trump’s prime-time speech in which he laid out his decision to increase troops in Afghanistan, calling out the American public for being tired of the prolonged conflict.
“Also, most Americans have become afraid of this war. The war in Afghanistan has cost American tax pays 841 billion dollars,” the statement reads. “Thousands of US soldiers was injured and killed by the Mujahideen. Even, Obama had admitted before his retirement that America was unable to defeat the Mujahideen in Afghanistan.”
The message also claims that Trump is only continuing the war against Afghanistan because of his “hatred against Muslims.”
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“Afghanistan will become the graveyard for American troops,” the message ends.
In August, Trump decided to increase the U.S. footprint in Afghanistan by several thousand more U.S. troops. Orders have been signed for troops to deploy to the war-torn country.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
