Spotlight on Global Jihad (December 12-18, 2019)

Highlights of the incidents

• In the Syrian arena, ISIS continues its intensive activity, mainly in the area of Al-Mayadeen, in the Euphrates Valley. The main types of attacks in the Euphrates Valley were the activation of IEDs, firing at vehicles, and targeted killings (of SDF operatives and local dignitaries). According to an infographic published by ISIS, summarizing the activity of the Al-Sham Province (Syria) from the end of August to the end of November 2019, there were 233 attacks in the various regions in Syria, more than half of which (133) were carried out in the Euphrates Valley. ISIS’s publication and the ITIC’s information indicate that ISIS is gradually recovering in Syria, which is its main arena of activity, even after the fall of ISIS’s strongholds in the Euphrates Valley (April 2019).
• In the Iraqi arena, ISIS continues its intensive activity, with an emphasis on the Diyala Province north of Baghdad. This week, the main types of attacks were the activation of IEDs, machine gun fire, light weapons fire at vehicles, and sniper fire. In addition, an IED was activated against a high-voltage pylon supplying electricity from Iran to Baghdad. The attacks carried out by ISIS were aimed mainly against the Iraqi security forces and the Shiite militias supporting them. The Iraqi security forces continue their counterterrorism activities, which, in the ITIC’s assessment, fail to provide an effective response to ISIS’s intensive activity.
• At the same time, ISIS’s provinces in Africa and Asia continued their routine activity. Prominent this week was an attack carried out by hundreds of ISIS operatives against a Niger army base, about 140 km south of the Niger-Mali border. The attackers arrived from Mali by car and motorcycle and carried out artillery softening-up before the attack. According to ISIS, at least 100 soldiers were killed in the attack and dozens were wounded. According to Nigerian military sources, 71 soldiers were killed in the attack, about 12 soldiers were wounded and dozens are missing in action. According to the sources, this is the deadliest attack so far against the Nigerian army.

Idlib region

Local incident in the Mushayrafa area

• On December 11, 2019, a rebel force managed to take over an abandoned Syrian army base north of the village of Mushayrafa. A Syrian army counterattack (December 12, 2019) was halted by the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham. Twelve Syrian soldiers and eight rebel operatives were reportedly killed in the fighting (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 12, 2019). Since December 12, 2019, there has been no ground activity in the area.

Airstrikes

• This week, Russian and Syrian airstrikes against rebel targets continued, focusing on the Kabanah area, Mushayrafa, and the rural area southeast of Idlib. Following are the highlights:
  • On December 11, 2019, Russian fighter jets carried out an airstrike against an abandoned Syrian army base about 1 km north of Mushayrafa (Edlib Media Center – EMC, December 11, 2019). Apparently, this was carried out as air support for the Syrian army ground forces operating in the area (as stated above).
  • On December 12, 2019, Russian fighter jets carried out airstrikes against targets about 35 km south of Idlib. At the same time, the Syrian army fired artillery at the area (Edlib Media Center, December 12, 2019).
  • On December 14, 2019, Syrian helicopters dropped barrel bombs about 40 km south of Idlib (Edlib Media Center, December 14, 2019).
  • On December 16, 2019, Syrian helicopters dropped 8 barrel bombs in the Kabanah area (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 16, 2019).

Summary of the losses since the beginning of the Syrian army’s ground attack

• Since the beginning of the Syrian army’s ground attack in early May 2019, a total of 4,944 people have been killed in the Idlib region. Fatalities included 1,956 rebel organization operatives, including 1,279 operatives of jihadi organizations. Fatalities also included 1,714 soldiers and operatives of the Syrian army and the forces supporting it, and 1,274 civilians (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 17, 2019).

Clashes between two rival jihadi organizations

• While rebel organizations are fighting against the Syrian army, clashes continue between the jihadi organizations controlling the Idlib region. Most of the incidents this week were between the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Guardians of Religion Organization. Operatives of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham abducted and detained operatives of the Guardians of Religion Organization and also broke into one of their command posts. On December 13, 2019, the Guardians of Religion Organization published a call for reconciliation and resolution of the conflicts by arbitration based on Islamic religious law.

Activity of ISIS’s Al-Sham Province (Syria)

Summary of three months of activity of the Al-Sham Province

This week, ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly published an infographic summing up about three months of activity of the Al-Sham Province (from August 31 to November 27, 2019). According to the infographic, the ISIS province carried out 233 attacks in this period, in which 547 people were killed and wounded. The attacks took the form of activating IEDs (82 attacks); targeted killings (57); sniper shooting, attacks of self-sacrifice, bombardments and arson (29); attacks and confrontations (34); ambushes (19); and detonation of parked car bombs (12).

• According to the infographic, the most active area in the Al-Sham Province was Al-Khayr Region (the Euphrates Valley), with 133 attacks (Note: Based on the ITIC’s follow-up, the Euphrates Valley, mainly the Al-Mayadeen area, is indeed the area with the most intensive ISIS attacks). The following regions come next: Al-Raqqah (40 attacks); Al-Barakah (Al-Hasakah area) (38); Homs (8); Hawran (southern Syria) (8); Aleppo (5); and Damascus (2). Following is a breakdown of the number of dead and wounded caused by ISIS’s attacks in the following regions: Al-Khayr (Euphrates Valley) (252); Al-Raqqah (124); Al-Barakah (Al-Hasakah area) (108); Homs (47); Hawran (southern Syria) (15); and Aleppo (1) (Telegram, December 12, 2019).

The Euphrates Valley

ISIS’s activity

ISIS continued its attacks in the Euphrates Valley, mainly in the Al-Mayadeen area. The main forms of attacks were the activation of IEDs, shooting at vehicles, and targeted killing of local SDF and Kurdish officials.

• Following are ISIS’s main activities according to the organization’s claims of responsibility:
  • On December 10, 2019, an SDF intelligence operative was targeted by machine gun fire in the village of Diban, about 5 km east of Al-Mayadeen. He was wounded (Telegram, December 12, 2019).
  • On December 13, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle southeast of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed (Telegram, December 13, 2019).
  • On December 14, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle on the road leading to the Al-Omar oilfield, about 17 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed (Telegram, December 14, 2019).
  • On December 15, 2019, Yassin al-Najras, head of a commune in the village of Al-Hawaij, 4 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen, was shot and killed and his weapon was seized (Telegram, December 15, 2019).
  • On December 15, 2019, a hand grenade was thrown at the leader of a commune in the village of Al-Harijiyah, about 40 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was wounded (Telegram, December 17, 2019).
  • On December 15, 2019, hand grenades were thrown at the businesses and the house of the leader of a commune in the area of Al-Harijiyah, about 40 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. His house as well as a gas station and a bakery owned by him were damaged (Telegram, December 17, 2019).
  • On December 16, 2019, an SDF intelligence operative was taken prisoner and shot to death in the village of Al-Hawaij, 4 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen (Telegram, December 16, 2019).
  • On December 16, 2019, an SDF intelligence commander was targeted by machine gun fire in Al-Hawaij, 4 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed (Telegram, December 16, 2019).
  • On December 16, 2019, an IED was activated against the house of an SDF fighter in Diban, 5 km east of Al-Mayadeen. The house was totally destroyed (Telegram, December 17, 2019).
  • On December 16, 2019, a Syrian soldier who also served as an intelligence operative of the SDF forces was taken prisoner in Al-Hawaij, 4 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was interrogated and then executed (Telegram, December 17, 2019).

Northeastern Syria

Al-Hasakah area

• On December 11, 2019, Muthanna Jamil al-Zaher, a commander in the Syrian Army Air Force Intelligence, was targeted by machine gun fire in his house, about 40 km east of Al-Hasakah. He was wounded. While the ISIS operatives were on their way back to their base, they fired at an SDF vehicle. An SDF fighter was wounded. According to a statement by ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, an officer who was targeted was “an agent of the International Coalition,” who had reported the locations of homes of ISIS operatives’ families and as a result dozens of them were killed (Telegram, December 12, 2019).
• On December 16, 2019, an SDF vehicle was targeted by machine gun fire about 60 km northeast of Al-Hasakah. One SDF fighter was killed (Telegram, December 16, 2019).

ISIS operatives held by the SDF

• According to a statement by SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, 12,000 ISIS operatives are held by the SDF forces. He said that the issue of detainees could be resolved only by UN-sponsored discussions, as the French foreign minister had said (@MazloumAbdi Twitter account, which belongs to the SDF’s General Commander, December 15, 2019).

Southern Syria

• On December 10, 2019, Hezbollah operatives were targeted by machine gun fire on the road leading to Al-Harak (about 20 km east of Daraa). A Hezbollah operative was killed. Two other operatives, including an officer, were wounded (Telegram, December 11, 2019).

The Iraqi arena

ISIS’s activity

This week, ISIS’s intensive activity continued, mainly in the Diyala Province, north of Baghdad. The most common forms of activity were firing machine guns, activating IEDs, light weapons fire at vehicles, and sniper fire.

• Following are ISIS’s main activities based on its claims of responsibility:

Diyala Province

• On December 10, 2019, an Iraqi policeman was targeted by sniper fire 15 km northeast of Baqubah. He was wounded (Telegram, December 11, 2019).
• On December 10, 2019, several IEDs were activated against a gas station owned by Shiites about 10 km north of Baqubah. A Shiite security guard was wounded. The gas station was destroyed (Telegram, December 11, 2019).
• On December 11, 2019, an Iraqi police operative was targeted by sniper fire in the area of Al-Urouba, 35 km northeast of Baqubah. He was wounded (Telegram, December 12, 2019).
• On December 15, 2019, an Iraqi army compound about 60 km east of Baqubah was targeted by sniper fire. Four soldiers were killed and three others, including an officer with the rank of major, were wounded (Telegram, December 16, 2019).
• On December 15, 2019, an Iraqi army compound about 30 km northeast of Baqubah was targeted by sniper fire. Two soldiers were killed and another soldier was wounded (Telegram, December 16, 2019).
• On December 15, 2019, an IED was activated against a high-voltage pylon through which electricity is supplied from Iran to Baghdad, in the area of Hamrin, about 60 km northeast of Baqubah (Telegram, December 16, 2019).
• On December 15, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a checkpoint about 35 km northeast of Baqubah. The Iraqi security forces repelled the attack. Two Iraqi members of the security forces were wounded (Iraqi News Agency, December 15, 2019).

Nineveh Province

• On December 11, 2019, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle about 100 km south of Mosul. One Tribal Mobilization fighter was killed (Telegram, December 13, 2019).
• On December 11, 2019, an Iraqi army vehicle was ambushed about 20 km south of Mosul. An Iraqi army officer and two of his escorts were wounded (Telegram, December 13, 2019).

Kirkuk Province

• On December 10, 2019, an Iraqi police checkpoint was targeted by machine gun fire 40 km northwest of Kirkuk. Three policemen were killed (Telegram, December 12, 2019).
• On December 15, 2019, Iraqi policemen were ambushed 45 km southwest of Kirkuk. Two Iraqi policemen were killed (Telegram, December 15, 2019). Iraqi military sources confirmed the report (Al-Sumaria, December 15, 2019).

Salah al-Din Province

• On December 12, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked Popular Mobilization operatives west of Samarra (about 100 km northwest of Baghdad). Seven Popular Mobilization operatives were killed and three others were wounded (al-hashed.net, December 12, 2019). According to an Iraqi source, the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber (implicitly, an ISIS operative) (@SecMedCell Facebook page, which belongs to the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office, December 12, 2019).
• On December 13, 2019, a compound of the Shiite militia “The Peace Brigades” (led by Muqtada Sadr) was attacked west of Samarra (about 100 km northwest of Baghdad). Seven Peace Brigades operatives were killed. In addition, weapons and equipment were seized (Telegram, December 15, 2019).
• On December 16, 2019, an Iraqi army checkpoint was targeted by machine gun fire north of Baghdad, on the highway between Baghdad and Samarra. Three soldiers were killed (Telegram, December 17, 2019).

Counterterrorist activities by the Iraqi security forces

Al-Anbar Province

• On December 14, 2019, Iraqi security forces detained Gha’eb Sirhan, one of ISIS’s senior commanders, 12 km northeast of Fallujah. The detainee was involved in attacks against the security forces and Iraqi civilians (Al-Sumaria, December 14, 2019).

Salah al-Din Province

• On December 12, 2019, a Popular Mobilization force detained a “terrorist operative” (implicitly an ISIS operative) in the Baiji District, about 90 km southwest of Kirkuk (al-hashed.net, 13 December 2019).

Nineveh Province

• On December 13, 2019, an Iraqi Military Intelligence force detained a “terrorist operative” (implicitly an ISIS operative) about 60 km south of Mosul, while he was attempting to flee to the Kurdistan region (Al-Sumaria, December 13, 2019).

Kirkuk Province

• On December 15, 2019, a force of the Iraqi Federal Intelligence and Investigation Agency located an ISIS depot containing IEDs and weapons about 50 km west of Kirkuk (Iraqi News Agency, December 15, 2019).

The Sinai Peninsula

Main ISIS activity

• This week, there was a decrease in the intensity of ISIS’s attacks in the northern Sinai Peninsula.
• On December 16, 2019, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army vehicle in the area of Al-Sharifat, east of Al-Arish. The vehicle was damaged (Telegram, August 17, 2019).
• On December 13, 2019, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army vehicle in the village of Al-Jahimat, south of Rafah. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, December 13, 2019).
• On December 13, 2019, it was reported that Imad al-Kawka, a Palestinian operative of ISIS’s Sinai Province, was killed during an operation against the Egyptian army (no location was specified) (@SahemPress Facebook page, December 13, 2019).

Counterterrorist activity by the Egyptian security forces

• The Egyptian army reportedly located two large underground hiding places in the Sinai Peninsula. They contained the largest quantity of weapons found since the military campaign against ISIS’s Sinai Province began: more than 1,500 kg of C4 plastic explosives, as well as TNT. In addition, a tunnel was found in the northern Sinai border area, as well as 38 holes and trenches used as hiding places by ISIS operatives. A total of 181 hiding places used by operatives and for storage purposes were found in mountainous areas, containing large quantities of explosives and related equipment (Anbaa Sinaa Facebook page, December 17, 2019).

Counterterrorism and preventive activity

ISIS network exposed in Moscow

• On December 13, 2019, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and Russian Ministry of the Interior arrested five ISIS operatives in a large shopping center in Moscow. They were planning to carry out terrorist attacks. Two of them are Russian citizens and three are citizens of Central Asian countries. Communications devices and operating instructions found in their possession were confiscated. In addition, a weapons cache was found, containing IEDs, a Kalashnikov rifle, a handgun and ammunition (TASS News Agency, December 13, 2019). The squad reportedly planned to carry out attacks during the new year at a school and a police station (Express website, December 14, 2019).

The activity of ISIS’s provinces in Africa and Asia

Africa

Nigeria

• ISIS’s intensive activity continues in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria:
  • On December 12, 2019, West Africa Province operatives fired machine guns at a Nigerian army vehicle on the highway leading to the city of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State. Several Nigerian soldiers were killed and a few others were wounded (Telegram, December 14, 2019).
  • On December 12, 2019, West Africa Province operatives attacked a camp of a militia loyal to the Nigerian government about 25 km northwest of Maiduguri. A total of 15 militiamen were killed. ISIS operatives seized weapons, ammunition and two vehicles (Telegram, December 13, 2019).
  • Operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province executed six Action Against Hunger humanitarian aid workers abducted by ISIS in July 2019 in Borno State, in a village on the border with Niger (Reuters, December 13, 2019).

Mali

• On December 15, 2019, ISIS’s Amaq News Agency released a video documenting the execution of three Malian soldiers who had been abducted by ISIS (Telegram, December 15, 2019).

Niger

On December 11, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army base in the town of Inates, about 140 km south of the Niger-Mali border. The two sides exchanged fire. As a result, according to ISIS, at least 100 soldiers were killed and dozens were wounded. The ISIS operatives seized the base for several hours and set fire to the living quarters. When they withdrew, the ISIS operatives seized weapons and ammunition, 16 vehicles, and several tanks (Telegram, December 12, 2019).

• According to Nigerian military sources, 71 soldiers were killed in the attack and 12 were wounded. According to Nigerian Army Spokesman Col. Boubacar Hassan, this is the deadliest attack so far against the Niger army. He said that the base in Inates was attacked on December 10, 2019, by “hundreds of militants” for about three hours. The same base was reportedly attacked by operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province in May and July 2019 (Reuters, December 11, 2019; Bloomberg, December 13, 2019). The spokesman said it was an unusual attack combining artillery shelling and suicide bombers. “Security sources “said that 30 soldiers were still missing. He also said that a “significant number” (which he did not specify) of the attackers were killed (Reuters, December 12, 2019; France Press, December 12, 2019). The attackers apparently came from Mali (Bloomberg, December 13, 2019; France Press, December 12, 2019).
• According to terrorism expert Wassim Nasr, the attackers used, more or less, the same method they used in the previous attack in July, in which at least 17 soldiers were killed. According to Nasr, suicide bombers were deployed at the start of the attack, then mortar shells were fired, and then the attackers arrived on motorcycles and in cars, attacking the base from various directions. The number of attackers is estimated at several hundred. Since the base was disconnected from the telephone network, the soldiers who were attacked could not call for reinforcements (France Press, December 12, 2019).

Yemen

• On December 14, 2019, an IED was activated against a Houthi vehicle near the city of Ibb, about 150 km south of the capital Sana’a. A Houthi operative was killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, October 15, 2019).

Afghanistan

• According to an announcement by the Afghan Interior Ministry, the Afghan National Police had carried out an operation in the Achin area, southeast of Jalalabad, in Nangarhar Province. At least eight operatives of ISIS’s Khorasan Province were arrested and their weapons seized (Afghanistan Times, December 11, 2019).
• This week, too, ISIS’s Khorasan Province refrained from claiming responsibility for its activity. This is in light of the blows suffered by ISIS during the military campaign in the Nangarhar Province, which was carried out in recent weeks by the Afghan government security forces with US support.

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