Persian Witness a.k.a. @AhleFars

Twitter personality “Persian Witness” is a propagandist for ISIS believed to operate out of ISIS-controlled territory. In July 2015, Persian Witness created a new account under the handle @AhleFars2 after his @AhleFars (active January 2010 - June 2015) was suspended.

Persian Witness’s tweets praise military actions and violent acts carried out by ISIS.Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 6, 2015, 11:15 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/607400351025602562. His tweets and retweets often reference public services in the self-proclaimed Islamic State. These include photos of Chinese restaurants, a midwifery class, and even a budget plan to help the disabled.Persian Witness, Twitter post, January 6, 2015, 12:22 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/552530624402444288. Witness also posts photos portraying what appears to be ISIS territory. Persian Witness, Twitter post, April 30, 2015, 1:05 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/593838664909631488.

While Persian Witness is predominantly pro-ISIS, he has shown some support for ISIS’s al-Qaeda competitor, the Nusra Front. On June 6, 2015, Witness tweeted, “If you’re Happy that #Nusra lost position to #Hezbollah in #Qalamoun or #IS lost positions in #Tikrit to Rawafed, you need to check ur heart!” Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 6, 2015, 11:23 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/607402441764536320.

Persian Witness has published over 4,500 tweets and has approximately 3,000 followers. On June 10, 2015, he tweeted, “How to create a twitter handle If I get suspended? Twitter isn’t allowing the same email & new email wants mobile number ! : ( : (.”Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 10, 2015, 7:55 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/608799692336431105.

  • Persian Witness

    Jun. 15, 2015

    “by capturing #IS controlled town Tel Abyad #US coalition wanna tell all #IS supporters at the end of first,your #Caliphate is loosing (3/3).”Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 15, 2015, 10:52 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/610656228184723456.

  • Persian Witness

    Jun. 15, 2015

    “I’ve seen no people such bad mouthed as #Kurds . They’ve surpassed nusayris [derogatory term for Alawites] in this.”Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 15, 2015, 11:38 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/610667787795738624.

  • Persian Witness

    June 11, 2015

    “Well American people, here you go. This 1001 no. #ISIS killed by your brave air force.” (Tweet accompanied by picture of a purportedly dead child)Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 11, 2015, 6:05 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/609134268619436033.

  • Persian Witness

    Jun. 10, 2015

    “How to create a twitter handle If I get suspended? Twitter isn’t allowing the same email & new email wants mobile number ! : ( : (.”Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 10, 2015, 7:55 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/608799692336431105.

  • Persian Witness

    Jun. 6, 2015

    “This week #IslamicState : 1-opened Two towns (Sawran in #Syria & Harawa in #Libya) 2-captured world’s largest irriga. project & one airbase.”Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 6, 2015, 11:15 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/607400351025602562.

  • Persian Witness

    Jun. 6, 2015

    “If you’re Happy that #Nusra lost position to #Hezbollah in #Qalamoun or #IS lost positions in #Tikrit to Rawafed, you need to check ur heart!”Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 6, 2015, 11:23 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/607402441764536320.

  • Persian Witness

    Jun. 4, 2015

    “Guess which business is making most profit in #Iraq? = Its grave business ! =D.” (Tweet accompanied by screen shot of an article by Reuters titled “Iraq’s growing grave market”)Persian Witness, Twitter post, June 4, 2015, 9:51 a.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/606473364945829888.

  • Persian Witness

    Apr. 28, 2015

    “Now, If #IslamicState accept the allegiance & announce wilayat #Mindanao, then #IS will be a state stretching from #Philippines to #Algerie.”Persian Witness, Twitter post, April 28, 2015, 11:36 a.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/593091372086792194.

  • Persian Witness

    Apr. 3, 2015

    “Oh #China ! Even in #IslamicState, they have a Chinese Restaurant.” (Tweet accompanied by a picture of the outside of a purported Chinese Restaurant) Persian Witness, Twitter post, April 3, 2015, 11:19 p.m., https://twitter.com/AhleFars/status/584208528845344768.

Return to Full Database

Take action:

Help Counter Extremism

Stay updated on the latest

Daily Dose

Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.

View Archive

CEP on Twitter