Isis has released a series of propaganda videos threatening Saudi Arabia and accusing the country of colluding with “crusaders”.
Gun-wielding militants are seen calling for followers in the country to launch terror attacks in revenge for the government’s announcement of an “Islamic military alliance” to fight terrorism.
Although doubt has been cast on the Saudi defence ministry’s list of 34 supposedly involved countries, it is aiming to co-ordinate efforts against extremists in several countries from Riyadh.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the force was borne out of “the Islamic world's vigilance in fighting this disease [terrorism] which has damaged the Islamic world”, adding: "Currently, every Muslim country is fighting terrorism individually...so co-ordinating efforts is very important."
In response, Isis is using at least five videos to urge revenge attacks on Saudis and allies including Bahrain, which is already part of the US-led coalition bombing Syria.
One clip shows a man accused of collaborating with the Saudis being shot at point-blank range, while another shows an Isis attack claiming to be within Saudi Arabia in September.
It appeared to show an Isis militant murdering his cousin for joining the Saudi armed forces.
At the time, the Saudi interior ministry confirmed the attack and named the culprits as “followers of the Daesh (Isis) terrorist organisation”.
The Isis propaganda videos claim to have operatives working in Saudi Arabia from three of its divisions - Wilayat Hijaz, Wilayat Najd and Wilayat Bahrain.
The propaganda campaign coincided with territorial losses and military defeats in Iraq and Syria that one Kurdish commander hailed as the start of the group's "era of destruction".
