Iraq: Is ISIS using puppies as suicide bombers in the Battle for Mosul? [VIDEO]

A video shows members of an Iraqi-backed group with a puppy strapped with explosives, purportedly sent by ISIS to their location.

The Islamic State group — also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) — is reportedly using puppies as suicide bombers in parts of Mosul to attack the Iraqi security forces and those backed by the United States. The new low by the terrorist group has attracted worldwide condemnation.

Also read: Isis issues fatwa against breeding of indoor cats, their new enemy

Video footage

Video footage uploaded by Al-Hashd Al-Sha'abi — the Iraqi state-sponsored militia countering ISIS that is also known as the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Units or the PMU — shows three PMU members crouching over a small puppy that has apparently been strapped with three bottles of explosives and shrapnel.

The video shows the trio that rescued the puppy — of indeterminate breed — at Ain al-Jahish village near Mosul explaining to the camera the bottles strapped to the back of the canine. The three PMU members have been quoted by reports as saying: "ISIS has just sent an innocent animal with explosives wrapped around it to our position to try and blow our troops up."

They added that the puppy was "being sent to the Baghdad Zoo for a nice break from the war zone and well away from ISIS fighters trying to blow animals up for their sick war." They also said: "What was this animal's crime? Even animals, ISIS booby traps them and send them out against us. They have no morals, they will never defeat us those dirty ISIS fighters."

Muslim view of dogs

In general, many Muslims view dogs as unclean, and do not choose to keep them as pets. However, dogs are not always ill-treated in the Muslim world. But that did not stop people from going on social media and condemning Islam and Muslims for this act of a terrorist group that often issues its own edicts that defy the very religion they claim to follow, like the time they actually issued a fatwa for reducing daily prayers!

Watch the video of the puppy with the PMU members here: