Tajik Islamic State-Supportive Media House Shares Video of Toddler Praising Islamic State

Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of children in war and terrorism, and may be upsetting to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. 

Screenshot from Asror Media (Tajik Islamic State-Supportive media house) video of toddler praising Islamic State

Bottom Line Up Front

On 20 July 2026, a Tajik Islamic State-Supportive Media House, Asror Media, shared a video showing a toddler praising Islamic State, its fighters, and martyrs. The child speaks in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and is dressed in a T-shirt. The toddler appears no older than three and it looks like the video was filmed in a clothing store. A black piece of material with white writing on it is visible in the background of the video. The IS flag also has white writing on a black background. The writing system seen on the piece of material has features that indicate it could be Nastaliq, a form of Arabic calligraphy used for languages on the Persian Language Continuum, of which Tajik is one. 

The video is 29 seconds-long and appears to have been filmed on a cellphone. A mature male voice can be heard at the end of the video and the caption of the video reads "This is how a child should be raised". From this context, it is likely that the video was filmed by the child's father or another close male relative. 

In Detail

The child states the following in the video: 

"Peace be upon you, my hardworking brothers who have believed and stoned and fought in the cause of Allah with all their means and their very lives. They are the highest in rank with Allah; by Allah, they will be happy. And fight them until there is no more persecution and the religion is entirely for Allah. Peace be upon you."

The male adult taking the video states at the end: "And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah, and His blessings". 

The video shows the narratives that are used to radicalise children and adults by Islamic State: 

- The glorification of martyrdom, which is attained through suicide attacks. 

- The glorification of fighting for a just and righteous cause (the pursuit of instilling Islam as the Deen of the world.) A Deen (دين) is a complete way of life guided by divine governance, as opposed to simply being a religion whose followers live under a secular or different religious governance system. 

- The idea that Muslims are obliged to commit violence in response to "persecution". 

The radicalisation of children by Islamic State is nothing new. Women and children have been part of Islamic State since its inception, and their role is critical to the longevity of the Caliphate. 

The radicalisation of children from birth or from a very young age into Islamist doctrine is one of the most pressing issues for counter-violent extremism projects to address. It is also a children's rights issue that should be examined through the lens of child abuse. 

Tajikistan is strategically located and importantly shares borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tajikistan is part of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), whose top commanders and fighters enjoy safe haven in Afghanistan. Tajik officials cooperate with Russian and Chinese partners to secure the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan to prevent militants from easily moving between the two countries for logistical and training purposes. Tajik IS fighters also produce propaganda for ISKP and Islamic State Central Command. The attacks along this border by Islamic State have employed rockets in the past and this speaks to the fact that cells on the border have access to training and weaponry. 

In addition to child radicalisation and online recruitment, Tajik Islamic State terrorists recruit new members in prisons. The group has robust networks inside the Tajik prison system, adding another issue for counterterrorism officials in the country. 

Map of Tajikistan and surrounds. Source: Wikimedia Commons