Spotlight on Global Jihad (June 27 – July 3, 2019)

Main events of the week

• The Syrian ground offensive against the rebel organizations in the Idlib area, which has been going on for around two months, is still not making any progress. This week as well, the Syrian army carried out several attacks against the rebel organizations around the village of Tal Malah (northwest of Hama). The attacks were repulsed by the rebel organizations and, according to reports by the rebel organizations, the Syrian army sustained heavy losses.
• In the Idlib area, this week the US carried out an airstrike against operatives of the Guardians of the Religion Organization (Al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria), who were meeting at a site located about 15 km southwest of Aleppo. According to an announcement by the US Armed Forces, the operatives were planning “external attacks” outside Syria. Through the airstrike, the US sent a message that although it had lowered its profile in Syria, it did not intend to ignore threats of terrorism abroad originating from jihadi organizations operating in Syria (further details of the US attack appear in a separate document).
• The Iraqi arena: ISIS’s intensive attacks in the various provinces in the north and west of the country continue, and are even spilling over into the capital Baghdad. Most of the attacks carried out this week took the form of detonation of IEDs against vehicles of the Iraqi security forces and against civilians, sniper fire, mortar fire, and targeted killings.
• In ISIS’s various provinces in the Middle East and around the globe, “routine” activity continues: In the northern Sinai Peninsula, attacks against the Egyptian security forces continue, consisting mainly of the detonation of IEDs; In Nigeria, army camps were attacked in the north and northeast of the country; In Mali, a Malian army force was attacked about 180 km from the Mali-Niger border; In Congo, attacks against Congolese army forces continue, near the border with Uganda; In Tunisia, ISIS operatives carried out two suicide bombing attacks in the capital aimed against the security forces; In Chechnya, an operative of the Caucasus Province attacked a police officer; In Afghanistan, Taliban positions in the Nangarhar Province were attacked; In Pakistan, a Taliban commander was shot in the city of Peshawar, near the border with Afghanistan; In Yemen, Al-Qaeda operatives were ambushed and attacked in the northwestern part of the Al-Bayda Province; In Somalia, ISIS operatives killed a policeman in the northeast of the country; In the Philippines, two suicide bombers infiltrated an army camp in the south of the country and blew themselves up (dozens of soldiers killed and wounded).
• The widely reported campaign of renewing the pledge of allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi continued this week. Participants included operatives from Afghanistan, Iran, Kashmir, Pakistan, the Caucasus, and Azerbaijan. The objective of the campaign is to raise the morale of ISIS operatives, to strengthen their loyalty to Al-Baghdadi, and to convey the propaganda message that even after the blow that it suffered in Syria, ISIS continues to operate and win around the globe.

Main events in Syria

The Idlib region

• Fighting in the Idlib region continues to be focused in the area northwest of Hama, east of the southern Al-Ghab Plain. On June 27 and 28, 2019, the Syrian army continued its attacks against the villages of Tal al-Malah and Jubain, held by the rebels. These attacks were repulsed by the rebel organizations headed by the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham. According to the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham, in these attacks, the Syrian army sustained about 70 fatalities and 100 wounded (Ibaa, June 28, 2019).

• Rebel organization raids on the Syrian forces:
• On June 28, 2019, the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham announced that its elite unit had raided the Syrian army on the Wadi Othman route, about one and a half kilometer southwest of Tal Malah. Five Syrian soldiers were killed and several others were wounded (Ibaa, June 28, 2019.
• On June 27, 2019, the “Awaken the Believers” operations room (affiliated with Al-Qaeda) announced that its operatives had raided positions of the Syrian army and the militias supporting it near the Atshan area, about 29 km north of Hama. According to the announcement, a total of 23 Syrian army soldiers and operatives of the militias supporting it were killed, and seven others were wounded. The attacking force sustained four fatalities and two wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019).
• On July 2, 2019, the “Awaken the Believers” operations room announced that its operatives had raided Syrian army positions in the northwestern Al-Ghab Plain. About seven Syrian soldiers were allegedly killed or wounded (Telegram, July 2, 2019).

Using UAVs

• On June 29, 2019, the “Awaken the Believers” operations room announced that it had shot down a Russian made UAV of the Syrian army in the northeastern Al-Ghab Plain. A photo which was released shows the aircraft intact (Telegram, June 29, 2019).

• On June 26, 2019, the rebel organizations attempted to attack the Russian Hmeymim airbase with a UAV. The Russian media reported that two aircraft approaching the airbase from the southwest had been intercepted by Russian army anti-aircraft fire (Sputnik, June 26, 2019). Chief of the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria Alexey Bakin reported that on June 26, 2019, “armed militias” tried to attack the Hmeymim airbase with UAVs. The Russian air defense systems recognized and destroyed them (ITAR-TASS, June 27, 2019).

Interim summary of the losses in the fighting

• The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that since April 30, 2019 (the eve of the Syrian army offensive) until June 29, 2019, a total of 2,122 people had been killed. At least 857 of the dead belonged to the rebel forces, 722 to the Syrian army and the forces supporting it, and 543 were civilians (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, June 29, 2019).

Eastern Syria

The area of Al-Mayadeen and Deir ez-Zor

• During the past week, ISIS continued its terrorism and guerrilla activity in the Al-Mayadeen and Deir ez-Zor area. Following are the main activities, according to statements of the Al-Sham Province – Al-Khayr region):
  • June 25, 2019: An SDF vehicle was shot at about 20 km north of Al-Mayadeen. An SDF fighter was killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, June 26, 2019).
  • June 26, 2019: An RPG rocket was fired at an SDF checkpoint in a village 23 km north of Al-Mayadeen. An SDF fighter was wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019).

Incident between an ISIS operative and the SDF forces in Hajin

• On June 27, 2019, SDF fighters surrounded the home of an ISIS operative in Hajin, about 25 km north of Albukamal. The operative barricaded himself at his home and exchanged fire with the forces for several hours. Ten SDF fighters were killed, including the local commander in charge of Hajin (Telegram, June 27, 2019).
• According to a version released by the SDF, they received intelligence according to which an ISIS sleeper cell operative was staying at his brother’s apartment in Hajin. A relative of the operative promised that he would surrender without resistance, but when the SDF fighters arrived at the scene, he opened fire at them. As a result, the local SDF commander in charge in Hajin and the relative of the ISIS operative were killed. In revenge for killing the SDF commander in charge, the town residents dragged the body of the ISIS operative and hanged it in one of the streets (SDF Press, June 29, 2019).
• The town of Hajin was taken over by the SDF forces about half a year ago. Since then, no ISIS activity was identified there. The above incident may indicate that in areas taken over in the Euphrates Valley, there are still ISIS operatives left, who (in the meantime?) went underground.

The Sukhnah Desert

The Al-Sham Province – Homs region reported that a Syrian army was ambushed by ISIS operatives east of the city of Al-Sukhnah. Ten soldiers, including an officer, were killed and wounded in the attack (Telegram, June 30, 2019).

Northern Syria

ISIS attacks

• On July 2, 2019, a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb near the public relations center of the Kurdish YPG People’s Protection Units about 30 km northwest of Al-Hasakah. Property was damaged (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, July 2, 2019). No claim of responsibility by ISIS was found.
• On July 1, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF off-road vehicle east of Al-Shadadi, about 50 km south of Al-Al-Hasakah. The SDF fighters in the vehicle were either killed or wounded (Telegram, July 2, 2019).

Two ISIS commanders captured

• In early July 2019, International Coalition Special Forces were landed by helicopters 24 km south of Al-Hasakah. Two ISIS commanders were captured. IEDs and weapons were found in the house where they stayed (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, July 2, 2019).

Main developments in Iraq

ISIS’s terrorist and guerrilla activity

This week, ISIS continued its intense activity in the north and west of Iraq. The most prominent modus operandi was activation of IEDs against vehicles. Other forms of attacks were sniper fire, mortar shell fire, targeted killings, and detonation of IEDs against Shiite civilians in western Baghdad.

• Following are the highlights of the terrorist and guerrilla attacks for which ISIS claimed responsibility in the past week:
  • Baghdad Province: An IED was detonated against a Popular Mobilization vehicle. Two Popular Mobilization operatives were wounded. When a rescue force arrived at the site, it was attacked by ISIS operatives and five other Popular Mobilization fighters were wounded (Telegram, June 29, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: An IED was detonated against an Iraqi police vehicle in the western rural area of the city of Kirkuk. Three policemen were wounded (Telegram, June 28, 2019).
  • Nineveh Province: A Tribal Mobilization staging zone was attacked about 120 km southwest of Kirkuk. The operatives broke into the house of the force commander. Five security guards of the commander were killed in the exchange of fire. The force commander and another commander were severely wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Tribal Mobilization operatives were hit by sniper fire about 80 km north of Baqubah. One operative was killed and another was wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: A Popular Mobilization camp was hit by sniper fire west of the city of Khanaqin. Three operatives were wounded (Telegram, June 29, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: A camp of the Iraqi Interior Ministry’s commando unit was attacked about 80 km north of Baqubah. One fighter was wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An Iraqi policeman was wounded by sniper fire about 80 km north of Baqubah (Telegram, June 28, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An Iraqi army camp was hit by sniper fire about 20 km south of Baqubah. An Iraqi soldier was killed.
  • Salah al-Din Province: A police camp was attacked 10 km south of the city of Samarra. Five policemen were wounded (ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, as posted on Telegram, June 29, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An IED was detonated against a vehicle of the Iraqi Counterterrorist Unit 5 km south of Baqubah. Two of the passengers were wounded (Telegram, June 26, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: The house of Tribal Mobilization fighters was broken into about 50 km west of Kirkuk. Three Tribal Mobilization fighters were killed (ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, as posted on Telegram, June 26, 2019)
  • Nineveh Province: The house of a Tribal Mobilization commander was set on fire about 100 km west of Mosul. In addition, two vehicles were set on fire and weapons and ammunition were seized (Telegram, June 26, 2019).
  • Nineveh Province: An IED was detonated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 40 km northwest of Mosul. The passengers were either killed or wounded (ISIS’s Al-Jazeera Province, as posted on Telegram, June 26, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: An IED was detonated against an Iraqi federal police vehicle 35 km southwest of Kirkuk. Three of the passengers were wounded (Telegram, June 28, 2019).
  • Salah al-Din Province: An IED was detonated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle in the Shirqat area, about 100 km west of Kirkuk. Three passengers were wounded (ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, as posted on Telegram, June 29, 2019)
  • Baghdad Province: During the evening, an IED was detonated against a crowd of civilians. Two civilians were wounded (Al-Sumaria, June 30, 2019). ISIS’s Iraq Province – Baghdad region claimed responsibility for the attack. According to its statement, an IED was activated against a crowd of Shiites in western Baghdad, killing and wounding eight Shiites (Telegram, July 1, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Two IEDs were detonated against two Iraqi army vehicles west of Khanaqin, 95 km northeast of Baqubah. The passengers were either killed or wounded (Telegram, June 30, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An IEDs was detonated against an Iraqi army vehicle 40 km east of Baqubah. The passengers were killed (Telegram, June 30, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An IEDs was detonated against two Tribal Mobilization fighters about 20 km southwest of Khanaqin. One fighter was killed and the other wounded (Telegram, June 30, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: An IED was detonated against Iraqi policemen 41 km southwest of Kirkuk. One policeman was wounded (Telegram, June 30, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Mortar shells were fired on an Iraqi Military Intelligence command post west of Baqubah (ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, as posted on Telegram, July 1, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An Iraqi officer was shot and killed by sniper fire in Baqubah (ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, as posted on Telegram, July 1, 2019).
  • Nineveh Province: An IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle east of Tal Afar, killing two soldiers (ISIS’s Amaq News Agency, as posted on Telegram, July 1, 2019).

Counterterrorist activities by the Iraqi security forces

• Al-Anbar Province: The Iraqi security forces launched a large-scale security operation in western Al-Anbar Province, in areas where there were reports of ISIS activity (Twitter account of the Information Directorate of the Popular Mobilization Headquarters @teamsmediawar, June 30, 2019).

   
Popular Mobilization motorized force during a security activity against ISIS in western Al-Anbar Province (Twitter account of the Information Directorate of the Popular Mobilization Headquarters, June 30, 2019)

• Al-Anbar Province: The Iraqi security forces killed five suicide bombers (i.e., ISIS operatives) while they were trying to infiltrate from Syria into Iraq north of the Al-Qaim District (Iraqi News Agency, June 29, 2019).
• Al-Anbar Province: The Iraqi security forces located a car bomb of “terrorist operatives (i.e., ISIS operatives). The car bomb was supposed to be detonated in the city of Ramadi, about 90 km west of Baghdad (Iraqi News Agency, June 29, 2019).
• Nineveh Province: A force of the Iraqi Counterterrorist Service, in coordination with the International Coalition, attacked an ISIS tunnel which was used by the operatives as a hiding place about 45 km southwest of Mosul. When the force entered the tunnel, fire was opened from the inside. Two ISIS operatives who hid inside the tunnel were killed in the exchange of fire (Al-Sumaria, June 29, 2019).
• Nineveh Province: An Iraqi Military Intelligence force pursued two “terrorist operatives” (i.e., ISIS operatives) about 120 km west of Mosul. The two were surrounded and killed (Iraqi News Agency, June 27, 2019).
• Kirkuk Province: An Iraqi Military Intelligence force detained “terrorist operatives” (i.e., ISIS operatives) about 80 km west of Mosul. The operatives were part of a squad which planned to carry out terrorist attacks in the Kirkuk Province (Iraqi News Agency, June 28, 2019).
• Salah al-Din Province: The Iraqi security forces detained an ISIS operative who assisted a terrorist who was going to carry out a suicide bombing attack in Khanaqin. The suicide bomber was killed by the Iraqi security forces several days earlier (Al-Sumaria, June 28, 2019).

The Sinai Peninsula and Egypt

Attacks on the Egyptian security forces in northern and central Sinai

• ISIS’s attacks against the Egyptian security forces in the northern Sinai Peninsula continue:
  • “Terrorist operatives” attempted to attack a checkpoint in western Al-Arish. Egyptian security forces managed to thwart the attack (@Mahmoudgamal44, June 26, 2019).
  • ISIS’s Sinai Province reported that the organization’s operatives had detonated an IED against an Egyptian army minesweeper vehicle in the western part of Rafah. Everyone in the vehicle was killed or wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019).
  • ISIS’s Sinai Province announced that the organization’s operatives had detonated an IED against an Egyptian army bulldozer near the airport in Al-Arish. All the soldiers on the bulldozer were wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019). The attack on the bulldozer is part of ISIS’s efforts to disrupt the construction of the wall around the airport.
  • ISIS operatives executed three Military Intelligence “agents” who were captured south of Al-Arish. ISIS’s Sinai Province claimed responsibility (Telegram, June 30, 2019).
  • ISIS’s Sinai Province claimed responsibility for the detonation of an IED against an Egyptian army bulldozer north of Sheikh Zuweid. The driver of the bulldozer was either killed or wounded (Telegram, June 30, 2019).
  • “Gunmen” (i.e., ISIS operatives) detonated an IED near an Egyptian army armored vehicle that was patrolling the international highway in Sheikh Zuweid. Five soldiers were wounded (Shahed Sinaa Facebook page, June 30, 2019).
  • Sabotaging electricity pylons in central Sinai: an electricity pylon in central Sinai was reportedly sabotaged. Additional electricity pylons fell as a result of the explosion. The attack caused a power outage in central Sinai. The electricity supply has been partially renewed, and it will take about two weeks until power is fully restored (Facebook page of the Sinai Tribal Union, June 29, 2019).

ISIS attack against checkpoints in Al-Arish (update)

• On June 25, 2019, ISIS carried out several simultaneous attacks against police checkpoints in Al-Arish. ISIS’s Sinai Province announced that the attacks had been carried out against three police checkpoints. ISIS operatives exchanged fire with the police. One operative detonated his explosive belt. According to the announcement, at least eight policemen were killed, including an officer. Eleven other policemen were wounded (Telegram, June 26, 2019).

ISIS’s activity around the globe

West Africa Province

Nigeria

• On June 27, 2019, several Nigerian soldiers were killed and wounded in an attack by ISIS operatives against an army camp in the northern part of the Borno region in northeastern Nigeria (Telegram, June 28, 2019). On June 28, 2019, a number of soldiers of the African Coalition were killed and wounded in an attack by ISIS operatives against an army camp in the northern part of the Borno region (Telegram, June 29, 2019).
• On June 27, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army camp in Yobe State in the north of the country (near the Nigeria-Niger border). Several soldiers were killed and wounded in the exchanges of fire (Telegram, June 29, 2019).

Mali

• ISIS operatives attacked a Malian army force in the western part of the city of Gao, about 180 km from the border between Mali and Niger (Nabras, June 28, 2019). According to an announcement by the West Africa Province, Malian soldiers were killed and weapons and ammunition were seized. The date of the attack was not specified, but it is reasonable to assume that it was carried out within the past few days.

Central Africa Province

Congo

• ISIS’s Central Africa Province announced that the organization’s operatives had ambushed Congolese soldiers around 35 km from the Congo-Uganda border. The operatives detonated IEDs. Many Congolese soldiers were killed and wounded (Central Africa Province, June 26, 2016).
• ISIS operatives carried out an attack against an army camp in the Beni region in eastern Congo. Several Congolese soldiers were killed in the exchange of fire and other soldiers fled. ISIS operatives seized weapons and ammunition (Telegram, June 27 and 28, 2019).

    
Right: Site of the ambush set up by ISIS operatives against the Congolese army. Left: The Beni region, where a Congolese army camp was attacked (Google Maps)

• ISIS’s Somalia Province announced that on the night of June 29, 2019, the organization’s operatives had shot and killed a Somali policeman in the city of Bosaso, on the shores of the Gulf of Aden in northeastern Somalia (Telegram, June 30, 2019).

Tunisia

• On June 27, 2019, two suicide bombers carried out two attacks in Tunis, targeting the security forces. The first attack was carried out against a police van near the French Embassy in the city center. A security guard was killed and five others were wounded. In the second attack, a suicide bomber blew himself up near the rear gate of the police forensic department. Four security guards were wounded in the attack. ISIS claimed responsibility for both attacks (Sky News; AFP; Al-Jazeera, June 27, 2019).

The Philippines

• ISIS’s East Asia Province announced that two suicide bombers had infiltrated a Philippine army counterterrorism unit camp on the island of Jolo in the Sulu Province, the southern Philippines. The two operatives blew themselves up with their explosive belts. As a result, around 100 soldiers were killed and wounded, and buildings and vehicles were damaged (Telegram, June 28, 2019).
• According to local sources, at least eight soldiers were killed and 22 others were wounded in the attack. The first terrorist blew himself up near the guards at the entrance to the camp. Immediately afterwards, the second terrorist entered the camp and blew himself up among a group of soldiers. Senior Philippine army officials said the attack had taken place in light of preparations for another operation by the Philippine army against the Abu Sayyaf Organization (which joined ISIS) in the Sulu Archipelago (PTV, July 1, 2019; Manila Times, June 28, 2019; Gamanews, July 1, 2019).

Afghanistan

• ISIS’s Khorasan Province announced that its operatives had detonated an IED in the Nangarhar Province against a militia supporting the Afghan government. Three militia fighters were killed. In another attack in the city of Jalalabad in the Nangarhar Province, a senior Afghan government official was shot and killed. He was allegedly loyal to the Taliban (Telegram, June 28, 2019). On June 28, 2019, ISIS operatives repulsed an attack by the Taliban in the Nangarhar Province. ISIS operatives then raided Taliban positions, killing and wounding 25 (Telegram, June 29, 2019).

• According to ISIS’s Khorasan Province, the organization’s operatives detonated several IEDs against members of the Afghan security forces in the capital Kabul. Twelve members of the security force were killed or wounded (Telegram, June 29, 2019).

Pakistan

• ISIS’s Pakistan Province announced that the organization’s operatives had shot and killed a Taliban commander in the city of Peshawar, some 40 km east of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border (Telegram, June 27, 2019).

Chechnya

• ISIS’s Caucasus Province reported that an operative of the organization had attacked a Chechen police officer in the Achkhoi-Martan District, about 30 km southeast of the capital Grozny. The attack was carried out with a knife and a hand grenade, and the police officer was killed. The ISIS operative was also killed in the attack (Telegram, July 1, 2019). According to local sources, the assailant threw the hand grenade at a police position and then attacked the police officer with a knife, and was shot and killed by the security forces (crimerussia.com, July 1, 2019).

Yemen

• According to ISIS’s Yemen Province – Al-Bayda region, the organization’s operatives ambushed and fired at an Al-Qaeda vehicle in the northwestern part of the Al-Bayda Province. An Al-Qaeda operative was killed and five others were wounded (Telegram, June 27, 2019).

The battle for hearts and minds

Renewal of the pledge of allegiance to ISIS’s leader throughout Asia

The campaign to renew the pledge of allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi continues. The objective of the campaign is to raise the morale of ISIS operatives and supporters, to promote the recruitment of additional operatives, and to convey the message that even after the blow that it suffered in Syria, ISIS continues to operate and win around the globe. This week, operatives from various provinces in Asia pledged allegiance to ISIS’s leader.

•  This past week, ISIS’s Khorasan Province released a video entitled “The [clear] results will be in favor of those who adhere [to the religion of Islam]” (the same title as used for videos released in other provinces). The video shows operatives from Afghanistan, Iran, India, Kashmir and Pakistan. The operatives express their opposition to nationalism, democracy, the local regimes in the various countries, and the Western powers (the so-called Crusaders), and threaten to carry out attacks against the “infidels” (Telegram, June 29, 2019).

    
Operatives of the various provinces pledging allegiance to ISIS’s leader (Telegram, June 29, 2019)

• In the beginning of the video, an operative from Afghanistan attacks the Taliban movement and calls it an “infidel” and a collaborator with the central government in the fight against ISIS. Later, an ISIS operative from Iran accuses the Iranian regime of persecuting the jihadists and threatens further attacks by ISIS. Operatives from Kashmir say that ISIS is reviving jihad against democracy and nationalism, and an operative from Pakistan threatens that ISIS will expand its activity (Telegram, June 29, 2019).

Operatives of the Caucasus Province renewed their pledge of allegiance to ISIS’s leader

• The video, entitled “The [welcome] results will benefit the adherents [of the religion of Islam],” shows two operatives from the Caucasus Province with an improvised ISIS flag behind them. The quality of the video is lower than similar videos released by the various provinces around the globe (Telegram and the archive.org file-sharing website, June 26, 2019).

• The speaker in the video, codenamed Sheikh Abu Abdullah of the Caucasus, speaks in Russian (with Arabic subtitles) and his voice is distorted (to prevent the identification of his voice). He says: “We, the jihad fighters of the Islamic State in Russia, tell our brothers the jihad fighters who are suffering that the suffering will purify the ranks since there are only a few left … Be patient and be confident that you will emerge victorious. We say to Russia and to those who collaborate with it: Did you think that you eliminated the Islamic State and Islam after attacking women, children, and old people? You do not know what awaits you. This difficulty only strengthens us to spill your blood. You will see the consequences of your actions … We declare war on you, and we have already started it” (Telegram and the archive.org file-sharing website, June 26, 2019).

Pledge of allegiance of the Azerbaijan Province

• ISIS’s Azerbaijan Province, which is revealed for the first time, released a video showing three masked men with an ISIS flag in the background. The speaker, codenamed Abu Yusuf the Azerbaijani, says that the Islamic State “rekindled the fire of jihad” and pledges to continue on this path until “the infidels are removed.” The speaker encourages ISIS’s operatives and supporters in Azerbaijan, calls on them to be patient, and attacks the Azerbaijani regime (the “tyrants in Azerbaijan” acting on the orders of “Shiite Iran”). At the end of the video, the three operatives renew their pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Al-Ansar, July 2, 2019).

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