Jihadism facts for kids

"Jihadism" (also "jihadist movement", "jihadi movement" and variants) is a 21st-century neologism found in Western languages to describe Islamist movements seen by the military to be "rooted in Islam" and a threat to the West.

The term "jihadism" first appeared in South Asian media; Western journalists adopted it in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks of 2001.

Images for kids

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  Afghan mujahideen praying in the Kunar Province, Afghanistan (1987)

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  Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri of al-Qaeda have promoted the overthrow of secular governments.

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  A black flag reportedly used by Caucasian jihadists in 2002 displays the phrase al-jihad fi sabilillah above the takbir and two crossed swords.

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  ISIL's territory in Iraq and Syria (in grey), at the time of its greatest territorial extent in May 2015.

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  U.S. President Ronald Reagan meeting with Afghan mujahideen leaders in the Oval Office in 1983