The Apocalyptic Prophecy Fuelling ISLAMIC Militants

A coalition of around 60 countries is fighting IS in Syria and Iraq

Written more than 1,300 years ago, the foretelling of an apocalyptic battle in a Syrian town has become a driving force for IS.

One of the various videos released by IS showing the beheading of hostages offers a fleeting glimpse of the ancient apocalyptic prophecy that fuels the group's extremism.

Peter Kassig, also known as Abdul-Rahman, was murdered and his head later displayed in a video that also shows the slaughter of captured Syrian soldiers and speech from a British-sounding IS militant dubbed 'Jihadi John'.

The militant says the killing took place in the town of Dabiq, adding: "Here we are burying the first American crusader in Dabiq, eagerly waiting for the remainder of your armies to arrive."

Dabiq, the Islamic State magazine

The line is a reference to an ancient prophecy that an "infidel horde" would stage a monumental battle with an Islamic army in the Syrian town.

The Sunni Muslim tale dates back more than 1,300 years and tells of the "horde" flying 80 banners before an Islamic triumph that triggers the end of days.

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It has become a fundamental part of the philosophy behind Islamic State, which captured Dabiq in August.

The town's symbolic significance far outweighs its relatively minor strategic importance to the group, compared with cities it controls such as Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq.

And as the militants come under heavy bombardment from the air by the US and allies seeking to halt their march, Dabiq has increasingly become a rallying call.

Shadi Hamid, a fellow at the Brookings Institute, said: "It raises morale.

"It is fair to assume that the vast majority of (IS) fighters believe in this type of talk."

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The prophecy itself was made by the Prophet Mohammed, according to his companion Abu Hurayrah's report, or hadith.

Abu Hurayrah is described as the most prolific narrator of hadith - accounts of the Prophet Mohammed's deeds, teachings and sayings - in Sunni Islam, adding to the importance of the prophecy in the eyes of IS.

Among IS supporters on social media, Dabiq has become a byword for a struggle against the West, with the US-led coalition portrayed as modern-day Crusaders.

IS has even named its official magazine Dabiq, which carried an article in an issue late last year under the byline of John Cantlie, a British hostage captured by the group in 2012.

One Twitter user in Tunisia recently wrote: "The lions of Islam have raised the banner of the Caliphate in Dabiq. Now they await the arrival of the Crusader army."

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The prophecy has been passed down in different versions, but in all cases it features a great battle between a Muslim army and the forces of non-believers.

IS supporters have been interpreting a series of recent events as further evidence of its truth.

The US-led coalition's members now number more than 60 countries, with many watching closely in anticipation of when the prophecy's "80 banners" are reached.

In reference to the prophecy, one Twitter user simply posted: "When you despair of your air power, you will find us waiting in Dabiq."

Anjem Choudary, a radical British Islamist preacher who has expressed support for IS, said he did not believe Muslims sought to make the foretold battle a reality.

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"It could happen now; it could happen in the future," he said.

"I don't think any Muslim strives to bring it about."

But many IS supporters are convinced of the prophecy's validity, with one writing on Twitter: "Dabiq will happen for certain.

"The US and its allies will descend on Syria once they see that the air campaign has failed. That is a promise by God and his Messenger."