A video released by the Islamic State on Monday shows British journalist and IS hostage John Cantlie issuing a "report" on the battle for Kobani, which he claims is "nearly over" and about to fall into the hands of IS "mujahideen."
Monday's video--the fifth in a series featuring Cantlie--served to advance the cynical propaganda of IS, which aims to contradict reports from Western media outlets that IS militants are "retreating" from Kobani.
"Without any safe access, there are no journalists here in the city," Cantlie said. "So the media are getting their information from Kurdish commanders and White House press secretaries--neither of whom have the slightest intention of telling the truth of what's happening here on the ground."
The propaganda video also counters the U.S. narrative that Kobani serves as an example of Kurdish and coalition forces holding off the advances of IS.
"America is very keen for Kobani to become a symbol--a symbol of victory of the coalition that is working together to defeat the Islamic State," Cantlie said. "But they know, and the mujahideen also know, that even with all their airpower, and all their proxy troops on the ground, even this is not enough to defeat the Islamic State here in Kobani and elsewhere."
Cantlie's "report" also contained a reference to a failed U.S. airdrop which inadvertently supplied IS with weapons on October 20.
"The mujahideen are being resupplied by the hopeless United States Air Force, who parachuted two crates of weapons and ammunition straight into the outstretched arms of the mujahideen," Cantlie said.
Cantlie was captured along with American journalist James Foley in 2012 and has since been used as a propaganda tool, reading from a script and reporting "comfortable" conditions from captivity.
The IS narrative aims to show potential recruits that the fight for Kobani is "coming to an end" and that the mujahideen are simply "mopping up" now after driving 200,000 inhabitants from the city across the Turkish border.