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WASHINGTON — For months, Islamic State in Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) militants rampaged across Syria and Iraq, seizing cities, taking hostages and terrorizing all who dared to confront them.

The tide began to turn in mid-August, when U.S. airstrikes pushed them from key Iraqi battlegrounds. Then, on Aug. 19, the group released a video that showed the beheading of American freelance journalist James Foley.

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The pattern continued.

Within days of a military defeat, the group would release images of more beheadings — at least nine over six weeks — of Western journalists, aid workers and Muslim soldiers.

The tactic signals that even as ISIS suffers battlefield losses, it is holding on to its edge in the propaganda war. U.S. officials say that’s the only way the militants can continue to maintain support and attract new recruits.

On Friday, ISIS released a new video showing the beheading of British aid worker Alan Henning after nearly two straight weeks of daily airstrikes against their fighters.