Retired U.S. general urges countries to fight IS militants' 'horrendous online propaganda'

The retired United States general in charge of coordinating the American-led coalition's battle against Islamic State (IS) is urging allies to also fight the militants on the internet by targeting their extremist online propaganda.

Marine Gen. John Allen said on Monday during a meeting of Western and Arab partners in Kuwait that IS militants are promoting its "horrendous brand of warfare" on the internet and recruiting innocent people.

According to the New York Post, Allen said that IS can only be defeated after contesting their online presence.

Allen was meeting with representatives of coalition countries including Oman, Qatar, France, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Britain, Egypt, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates.

IS militants, who have seized large parts of Iraq and Syria, operate a sophisticated online presence though posting frequent propaganda videos and publishing its own glossy magazine, Dabiq, through which it seeks to recruit jihadists from the West.