Twisted-new-ISIS-video-shows-Kurdish-Peshmerga-fighters-paraded-streets-interviewed-inside-cages-seemingly-marched-deaths.html

Nine-minute video shows 21 Kurdish fighters paraded through Iraqi streets
It echoes video released recently of a similar procession of prisoners
But in an abhorrent twist, the prisoners are then interviewed on camera
Then dragged from cages and forced to kneel in front of menacing militants
Ends with a haunting shot of an elderly man's face, before cutting to black

Published: 00:58 GMT, 22 February 2015 | Updated: 15:01 GMT, 22 February 2015

In the latest propaganda video from Islamic State, hostages are paraded in cages through the packed streets of Iraq to cheers and jeers.

But in a cruel twist, the orange jumpsuit-clad prisoners are interviewed by their captors - ahead of their presumably grim fate.

The nine-minute video allegedly shows 21 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, who are paraded through the crowded streets of the Iraqi province of Kirkuk, before being seemingly marched to their deaths.

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The video allegedly shows 21 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters paraded through the the Iraqi province of Kirkuk

A militant, whose microphone bears insignia associated with the terror group, talks to the camera in front of the cages

In a cruel twist, he even interviews prisoners who are shackled inside their cages and guarded by militants

A young hostage speaks to his 'interviewer' before he is dragged from the cage by by the scruff of his neck

The prisoners are driven one by one on the backs of pick-up trucks along with flag-waving militants - who are cover their faces and carry firearms - accompanying each prisoner.

Several men are then interviewed by a militant, who carries a microphone bearing the terror group's insignia, before being taken out of their cages and pushed to their knees.

The camera then stops on several hostages in turn and text appears on screen, apparently revealing details about each individual.

And the footage ends with a haunting shot of an elderly man's face before abruptly cutting to black, hinting that a terrible fate awaits him and his fellow prisoners.

The prisoners were driven on the backs of pick-uyp trucks along with flag-waving gun-toting militants

They were greeted with cheers and jeers as they were driven through the streets of the Kirkuk province

People are seen crowding around the pick-up trucks and shouting at the prisoners as they are paraded

Shiraz Maher, senior fellow at the International Center for Study of Radicalization at King's College in London, wrote on Twitter: 'New Islamic State video shows Peshmerga being paraded through Kirkuk province in cages.'

He says the video is 'not as gory' as previous ones, but adds that although it ends before it is seen, the men were presumably murdered.

Earlier this month, a video emerged showing a similar procession apparently taking place through Kirkuk in northwest Iraq.

Those men were purportedly burned alive on camera in a horrific echo of the murder of Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Muath al-Kaseasbeh.

Lt. al-Kaseasbeh was filmed being burned to death by Islamic State extremists in a 22-minute film which was expertly edited before being posted online.

ISIS parades 'Kurdish Peshmerga' fighters in cages before mob

The scenes echo a video released earlier this month of 17 Kurdish Peshmerga paraded through the same area

The men were later grabbed and marched from their cages by militants and then forced to kneel in a row

The hostages are seen bowing their heads as menacing militants carrying guns force them to their knees

The video then focuses on each hostage in turn and appears to reveal information about the individuals

The nine-minute films ends with a lingering close-up of an elderly prisoner's face, before cutting to black

Titled 'Healing the Believers' Chests', it showed the captured airman locked in a cage before a trail of petrol leading up to its bars is set alight.

The terror group and the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters have been locked in a series of tense battles for control of the Kirkuk province since January.

The video comes as a senior U.S. military official said a massive operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city from the Islamic State using up to 25,000 Iraqi troops will likely begin in April or May.

The official from U.S. Central Command said the operation would involve 12 Iraqi brigades, five of which would be trained for the mission by the coalition in the coming weeks.

Those five would make up the core fighting force that would launch the attack.

But they would be supplemented by three smaller brigades serving as reserve forces, along with three Peshmerga brigades who would contain the Islamic State fighters from the north and west.

News of the offensive comes amid reports the terror group is facing a growing number of defections and cases of corruption in its ranks in two of its major strongholds, Mosul and Raqqa.

The terror group has faced a growing backlash over the brutal death of Jordanian pilot Lt Moath al-Kasasbeh, who was burned to death in an ISIS video released earlier this month