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By Saif Tahir & Amira Jadoon | Published in ICCT, 28 April 2026
In their latest analysis for the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), Tahir and Jadoon examine how the Islamic State has reconstituted itself in the digital identity spaces where Gen-Z lives. Following its territorial defeat, IS has migrated into gaming platforms, meme culture, and music trends — building a “virtual caliphate” that operates through algorithmic amplification and cultural mimicry rather than centralized media production.
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