Spotlight on Global Jihad (August 22-28, 2019)

Main events of the week

• During the past week, the Syrian army took over the entire rural area north of Hama. The Syrian General Staff announced that the Syrian army planned to advance northward, after having liberated the city of Khan Shaykhun and villages north of Hama. The Syrian army’s takeover of the southern Idlib region was relatively easy, without significant resistance from the rebel organizations. However, on August 27, 2019, the rebel organizations carried out a large-scale counterattack in the rural area east of Khan Shaykhun. The Syrian Army reported that it had repulsed the attack and that there was no significant change in the map of control zones in the region.
• In the meantime, the Turkish force, which arrived in the region on August 19, 2019, continues to establish its presence on Highway M-5 (13 km north of Khan Shaykhun). Its presence there creates potential friction between Syria and Turkey and may, in the ITIC’s assessment, constitute a political constraint hindering the Syrian army’s continued advance northward towards Idlib. In light of this situation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Russia and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin (August 27, 2019). The two presidents discussed recent developments in the Idlib region, among other things.
• In the Iraqi arena, ISIS’s intensive activity continues, as does the Iraqi security operation to mop up the northern and western parts of the country. The main types of attacks carried out by ISIS this week were the activation of IEDs, sniper fire, mortar shell attacks, attacks on Iraqi army bases, detonation of a motorcycle bomb near a Shiite house of prayer (according to another version, near a tank), and eliminating the head of one of the tribes that are opposed to ISIS.
• ISIS’s provinces in Africa and Asia continued their “routine” attacks. This week, attacks were carried out in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Niger, Mozambique and Yemen.

Idlib region

The takeover of the southern Idlib region by the Syrian army

During the past week, the Syrian army continued its successful attacks in the southern Idlib region. The Syrian army General Staff announced on August 23, 2019, that it had taken over the city of Khan Shaykhun and several villages and that the rebel organizations had sustained heavy casualties (SANA, August 23, 2019). According to sources affiliated with the regime, the Syrian army had taken full control of the rural area north of Hama, taking it over from the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and other “terrorist groups” (Muraselon, August 23, 2019). The Syrian General Staff announced that after the liberation of Khan Shaykhun and its environs, the Syrian army was planning to advance northward (Sputnik, August 23, 2019). In the ITIC’s assessment, the completion of the takeover of the southern Idlib region was relatively easy, without significant resistance from the rebel organizations. The Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham released an announcement indirectly admitting its defeat, yet stressing the heavy toll paid by the Syrian army. The report was entitled, “The [Syrian] regime advances in the rural area north of Hama and south of Idlib on the bodies and body parts of its soldiers and officers.”

    
Right: Khan Shaykhun, which was taken over from the rebel organizations. Left: Announcement of the Syrian army General Staff that the rural area north of Hama has been completely liberated from the rebel organizations (in the original wording, “from terrorism”) (SANA, August 23, 2019)

    
Tunnels in a mountainous terrain which were used by the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham in the areas of Khan Shaykhun and Al-Tamanah, east of Khan Shaykhun (SANA, August 23, 2019)

• In addition, the spokesman of the Syrian General Staff reportedly announced that the Syrian army had completely defeated the enemies and liberated Khan Shaykhun and 16 villages north of Hama^[1]. Syrian army sapper teams began to clear mines from the villages and surrounding areas in preparation for the return of the residents. The spokesman pointed out that the Syrian army was determined to liberate the Syrian territories from terrorists and their sponsors (TASS, August 23, 2019).

Response of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham

• The Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham indirectly admitted its defeat in the southern Idlib region, while stressing the heavy toll paid by the Syrian army. The organ of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham published a report entitled, “The [Syrian] regime advances in the rural area north of Hama and in the rural area south of Idlib on the bodies and body parts of its soldiers and officers.” The report praises the operatives of the rebel organizations for their steadfastness against the Syrian army and its Russian ally for more than three months.
• The report also states that residents of the areas remaining under rebel control (the “liberated north”) support the jihadi rebel organizations (mujahedeen) and some of them even joined the ranks of the fighters. The report praises the cooperation among the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham, the Army of Glory jihadi organization, and the National Liberation Front (a framework of organizations operating under Turkish sponsorship). It stresses that the campaign in the “liberated north” continues and that the rebel organizations are defending their religion, their honor and the sites where they are situated (Ibaa, August 24, 2019).

Rebel organizations’ counterattack

On August 27, 2019, the jihadi rebel organizations carried out a large-scale counterattack, the first of its kind since the takeover of Khan Shaykhun. The jihadi forces attacked the Syrian army in five villages, in an area located about 20 km east of Khan Shaykhun. To halt the attack, the Syrian army was supported by Russian and Syrian aircraft.

• According to a Syrian army source, the Syrian army halted the attacks and the jihadi organizations sustained heavy casualties. According to the same source, there was no change in the map of control zones in the area. It was also reported that the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and the Guardians of Religion Organization had sustained 37 fatalities. In addition, several car bombs and armored vehicles were destroyed even before arriving at their targets. Russian and Syrian fighter jets attacked retreating operatives (Muraselon; SANA, August 27, 2019). On the other hand, the rebel organizations claimed that they had prevented a Syrian attack against the area east of the city of Maarat Nu’man (north of Khan Shaykhun) (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, August 27, 2019).

Turkish involvement

A Turkish force established its presence north of Khan Shaykhun

On August 19, 2019, a Turkish military convoy en route to Khan Shaykhun was attacked from the air^[2]. The airstrike occurred in the area of the village of Maar Khattat, near Highway M-5, 13 km north of Khan Shaykhun. The Turkish force remained at the site where it was attacked and it apparently establishes its presence on the highway from Khan Shaykhun to Idlib and Aleppo. In the ITIC’s assessment, the presence of the Turkish force is designed to signal to the Syrian regime not to advance from Khan Shaykhun northward to Idlib, the rebel stronghold. Faylaq Al-Sham, a Turkish-sponsored rebel organization whose operatives escorted the Turkish convoy, announced that a delegation of high-ranking Turkish officers had entered Syria to visit the Turkish force in the village of Maar Khattat. However, the fact that the Turkish force is located north of Khan Shaykhun creates friction between Syria and Turkey and, in the ITIC’s assessment, may constitute a political constraint hindering the continued advance of the Syrian army northward on Highway M-5.

Diplomatic negotiations between Turkey and Russia

• On August 23, 2019, upon the completion of the Syrian army’s takeover of the southern Idlib region, a telephone conversation took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The conversation was initiated by the Turks. The two presidents discussed ways to stabilize the situation in the Idlib region. They agreed to make mutual efforts to eliminate the “terror threat” in the area and secure the implementation of the Sochi Memorandum of September 17, 2017 (TASS, August 23, 2019). At present, it is highly unlikely that the Sochi Memorandum is still relevant, in view of the takeover of the southern Idlib region by the Syrian army.
• On August 27, 2019, a meeting took place in Russia between President Putin and Turkish President Erdoğan. The two presidents discussed, among other things, the situation in Idlib. Putin announced that Russia and Turkey had agreed on joint steps to cope with the terrorists in northwest Syria and in order to normalize the situation in the area and in the entire Syria (Reuters, August 27, 2019). At this stage, the nature of these steps is still unclear.

Halting the Syrian army’s secondary effort in the Kabanah area

• The rebel organizations, headed by the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham, continue to halt the Syrian army’s attempts to advance in the Kabanah area (in the northwestern Idlib region). The Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham announced that on August 23-25, 2019, its operatives had halted several Syrian army attempts to advance on the Kabanah road. According to the announcements, several Syrian army soldiers were killed and a tank and several bulldozers were destroyed. It was also reported that concurrently with the ground attack attempts, the Syrian army fired artillery at the hill of Kabanah. In addition, Russian fighter jets carried out airstrikes against the hill and Syrian army helicopters dropped barrel bombs (Ibaa, August 24-25, 2019).
• The Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham announced that on August 26, 2019, its operatives moved towards the Syrian army trying to halt another attempted advance toward the hill of Kabanah. A video was released showing operatives making preparations before setting out to fight (Ibaa, August 26, 2019).

Interim summary of the losses since the beginning of the Syrian army ground attack

• Since the beginning of the Syrian army’s ground attack in early May 2019, a total of 3,972 people have been killed in the Idlib region. Fatalities included 1,590 rebel organization operatives, including 1,049 operatives of the jihadi organizations (bearing the brunt of the fighting). Fatalities also included 1,366 soldiers and operatives of the Syrian army and the forces supporting it, and 1,016 civilians (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, August 28, 2019).

Power struggles continue among jihadi organizations in the Idlib region

During the past week, power struggles and violent incidents continued among the rival jihadi organizations. The violent incidents centered on Idlib and its environs. It appears that most of them were the initiative of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham, which strives to maintain its domination even while waging a fierce campaign against the Syrian army.

Senior figure in the Guardians of Religion jihadi organization killed by IED in Idlib

• On August 22, 2019, Sari Shihab, AKA Abu Khaled the Engineer, was killed in Idlib. He was a Jordanian-born senior jihadi operative in the Guardians of Religion Organization (which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda). He was killed by an IED activated against his car in Idlib. According to a statement released by the Guardians of Religion Organization, Sari Shihab belonged to Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad and was a confidant of Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi, the founder of the Al-Qaeda branch in Iraq. In 2015, Shihab was one of five senior Al-Qaeda figures who were released from an Iranian prison as part of a prisoner exchange deal (Long War Journal, August 22, 2019).

   
Right: Scene of the explosion of the IED planted in the car of Abu Khaled the Engineer in the city of Idlib (Khotwa, August 22, 2019). Left: The car which was damaged in the explosion (Al-Modon, a Lebanese news website, August 22, 2019)

Car bomb detonated in a security compound of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham

• The Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham reported that on August 24, 2019, a car bomb exploded in the security compound (the so-called Security Rectangle) in the Al-Qusur (“the Palaces”) neighborhood in the city of Idlib. One civilian was killed and six others were wounded, most of them women and children (Ibaa, August 24, 2019). The target of the attack was the commander of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham. According to another version, fatalities included foreign operatives (Muraselon, August 24, 2019).

    
Scene of the explosion of the car bomb in Idlib
(Ibaa, August 24, 2019)

Activity of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham against ISIS

• A force of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham raided an agricultural farm used as an ISIS headquarters on the eastern outskirts of Saraqib (about 15 km southeast of Idlib). During an attempt to arrest him, one of the ISIS operatives blew himself up. The rest of the operatives fled. Large quantities of explosives, explosive belts and IEDs ready for activation were found inside the headquarters (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, August 25, 2019).

Northeastern Syria

Attacks inside the Kurdish control area

• On August 22, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in the Ras al-Ayn area, near the Syrian-Turkish border (about 70 km northwest of Al-Hasakah). The passengers were either killed or wounded (Telegram, August 23, 2019).
• On August 25, 2019, two SDF fighters were taken prisoner by ISIS in the southern part of Al-Hasakah. They were executed (Telegram, August 26, 2019).
• On August 27, 2019, a parked motorcycle bomb was detonated against SDF forces in Al-Shadadi, about 50 km south of Al-Hasakah. Five SDF fighters were killed (Telegram, August 27, 2019).

The Euphrates Valley

ISIS’s activity in the Euphrates Valley

• ISIS’s activity continues in the area of Deir al-Zor, Al-Mayadeen and Abu Kamal. Following are the main attacks:
  • August 23, 2019: Machine gun fire at a vehicle of the SDF forces five kilometers east of Al-Mayadeen. Two SDF fighters were killed and another was wounded (Telegram, August 23, 2019).
  • August 24, 2019: An ISIS suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt against a Syrian army checkpoint some 30 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. Two fighters were killed and three others were wounded (Deir ez-Zor 24, August 24, 2019).
  • August 25, 2019: An IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in the village of Al-Basira,, some 14 km east of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were either killed or wounded (Telegram, August 25, 2019).
  • August 25, 2019: ISIS operatives attacked positions of the Syrian army and the militias supporting it in the Al-Mayadeen Desert (Deir ez-Zor 24, August 25, 2019).
  • August 26, 2019: A car bomb was detonated with a remote control in Tabqa (some 40 km west of Al-Raqqah). One civilian was killed and 10 others were wounded. Another car bomb containing 70 kg of explosives was neutralized (SDF Press, August 26, 2019). The car bomb that was neutralized was apparently supposed to explode among the SDF force arriving on the scene. To date, no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it was apparently carried out by ISIS.

Main developments in Iraq

ISIS’s terrorist and guerrilla activity

• Following are ISIS’s main terrorist and guerrilla operations (mainly according to ISIS’s claims of responsibility):
  • Nineveh Province: A rocket was launched at the home of a Popular Mobilization operative in Al-Shirqat, some 90 km south of Mosul. The house was damaged (Telegram, August 24, 2019).
  • Nineveh Province: Mortar shells were fired at a Tribal Mobilization staging zone some 30 km southwest of Mosul (Telegram, August 24, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Sniper fire was directed at a staging zone of the Popular Mobilization west of Baqubah. One Popular Mobilization operative was killed and two others were wounded. Three mortar shells were also fired at the site (Telegram, August 24, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: ISIS operatives attacked an Iraqi army camp in the Jalula area, some 70 km northeast of Baqubah. Two soldiers were killed in the exchange of fire and five others were wounded. The ISIS operatives seized weapons and burned down the camp (Telegram, August 22, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Sniper fire was directed at two Iraqi policemen west of Baqubah. One of the policemen was killed and the other wounded (Telegram, August 24, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Sniper fire was directed at Iraqi soldiers east of Baqubah. One soldier was seriously wounded (Telegram, August 21, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Sniper fire was directed at a Popular Mobilization vehicle west of Baqubah. The vehicle was hit (Telegram, August 24, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Several mortar shells were fired at an Iraqi army camp west of Khanaqin. Several soldiers were wounded (Telegram, August 21, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle on the outskirts of Baqubah (Telegram, August 24, 2019).
  • Babel Province: ISIS operatives detonated a motorcycle bomb that was parked on the side of the road near a Shiite house of prayer some 50 km south of Baghdad. According to ISIS, dozens of Shiites were killed and wounded in the explosion (Telegram, August 23, 2019). According to Iraqi sources, the explosion occurred near an open market. The sources added that three people were killed and around 40 were wounded (Wikalat Kull Al-Iraq, August 23, 2019; Al-Quds Al-Arabi, August 24, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Sniper fire at an Iraqi soldier some 40 km northeast of Baqubah. The soldier was wounded (ISIS’s Diyala Province as posted on Telegram, August 25, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: ISIS operatives activated an IED against an Iraqi police vehicle some 40 km southwest of Kirkuk (Telegram, August 26, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: ISIS operatives fired mortar shells at a Popular Mobilization headquarters southeast of Kirkuk. Six people were killed and four others were wounded (Al-Arabiya, August 25, 2019). So far, ISIS has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
  • Diyala Province: ISIS operatives activated an IED against an Iraqi police vehicle west of Baqubah. Two policemen were killed (Telegram, August 26, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: ISIS operatives activated an IED against an Iraqi police vehicle north of Jalula, some 70 km northeast of Baqubah (Telegram, August 26, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: Sniper fire at the living quarters of Iraqi soldiers west of Khanaqin. Two soldiers were killed (Telegram, August 27, 2019).
  • Salah al-Din Province: ISIS operatives attacked a house used by the Tribal Mobilization some 45 km southeast of Samarra. Three Tribal Mobilization operatives were killed (Telegram, August 26, 2019).
  • Salah al-Din Province: Sheikh Abd al-Rahman Othman Al-Mashhadani, one of the leaders of the Al-Mashahida Tribe, was ambushed and killed by ISIS some 30 km north of Baghdad. According to ISIS, he reportedly took part in the war against jihad fighters (Telegram, August 27, 2019).
  • Diyala Province: An IED was activated in the eastern Diyala Province. A Shiite man was seriously wounded (Telegram, August 27, 2019).
  • Nineveh Province: An IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle some 80 km south of Mosul. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, August 27, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: An IED was activated against an Iraqi police vehicle some 15 km west of Kirkuk. The passengers were killed and wounded (Telegram, August 27, 2019).

Counterterrorist activities by the Iraqi security forces

The security operation to mop up northern and western Iraq continues

• On August 24, 2019, the Iraqi army began the fourth phase of Operation The Will to Win. This phase focuses on Al-Anbar Province in western Iraq and its objective is to mop up the province from the presence of the last remaining ISIS operatives. The operation is being carried out by the Iraqi army, the Popular Mobilization and the International Coalition forces (Al-Sumaria, August 24, 2019; Kurdistan, August 24, 2019). Three ISIS operatives were killed in the Euphrates River area, including a suicide bomber, four other operatives were detained, and explosives and guesthouses belonging to ISIS were destroyed (al-hashed.net, August 25, 2019). In addition, Popular Mobilization operatives killed four ISIS operatives and neutralized IEDs in the area of Al-Qaim, near the Iraqi-Syrian border (Al-Sumaria, August 26, 2019).

Additional counterterrorist activities by the Iraqi security forces

• Following are the highlights of additional counterterrorist activities carried out by the Iraqi security forces:
  • Al-Anbar Province: The Popular Mobilization headquarters of the Al-Anbar Province announced that an Iraqi army airstrike had destroyed a cave where ISIS operatives had been staying in the Rutba area, in the western Al-Anbar Province. The ISIS operatives in the cave were killed (al-hashed.net, August 25, 2019).
  • Nineveh Province: A police force acting on the basis of intelligence arrested an ISIS intelligence operative south of Mosul (Al-Sumaria, August 25, 2019).
  • Al-Anbar Province: Iraqi security forces captured eight wanted men (implicitly ISIS operatives) (al-hashed.net, August 26, 2019).
  • Kirkuk Province: Iraqi Police Intelligence squads located a hiding place of ISIS operatives in the area of Tal Hama, in the Kirkuk Province. The hiding place contained eight IEDs, weapons, and military equipment. Another hiding place was found in Anana, in the Kirkuk Province. The hiding place contained army uniforms, ammunition, and beds. Both hiding places were set on fire (Al-Sumaria, August 26, 2019).

The Sinai Peninsula

• A sniper from ISIS’s Sinai Province killed an Egyptian army officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel at a checkpoint west of the city of Rafah (Telegram, August 25, 2019).
• ISIS snipers fired from a considerable distance at a checkpoint of the Egyptian security forces in the area of Al-Hama, in central Sinai. A member of the Egyptian security forces was killed (Shabakat Akhbar Sinaa Facebook page, August 25, 2019).
• Operatives of ISIS’s Sinai Province activated an IED against an Egyptian army vehicle south of Sheikh Zuweid. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, August 26, 2019).
• ISIS operatives activated an IED against an Egyptian army foot patrol in a village south of Sheikh Zuweid. Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, August 27, 2019).

ISIS’s activity around the globe

Nigeria

• ISIS operatives ambushed Nigerian soldiers in the area of Diko, in Borno State, central Nigeria (some 30 km from Abuja). The two sides exchanged fire. Five Nigerian soldiers were killed and one was wounded. In addition, two vehicles were seized (Telegram, August 22, 2019).
• ISIS operatives attacked another Nigerian army camp in Yobe State in northeastern Nigeria. The two sides exchanged fire. Some soldiers were killed and some were wounded. The camp was set on fire and vehicles were seized (Telegram, August 23, 2019).

Niger

• ISIS operatives activated an IED against a vehicle carrying Nigerian soldiers in the southeastern part of the state, near Lake Chad. The vehicle was destroyed and its passengers were killed and wounded (Telegram, August 24, 2019).

Mozambique

• ISIS operatives attacked the homes of “agents” who they claim are collaborating with the Mozambican army, in the Cabo Delgado Province in northeastern Mozambique. Nine so-called agents were killed in the attack. Their homes were set on fire (Telegram, August 22, 2019).

Afghanistan

Attacks in the Nangarhar Province continue

• ISIS operatives fired at a member of the Afghan security forces some 30 km southwest of Jalalabad, in the Nangarhar Province. He was killed (Telegram, August 22, 2019).
• ISIS operatives detonated two IEDs against Afghan Police vehicles in Nangarhar Province. Three policemen were wounded (Telegram, August 20, 2019).
• ISIS operatives detonated an IED, destroying the home of a Taliban operative in Nangarhar Province (Telegram, August 23, 2019).
• An operative of ISIS’s Khorasan Province shot and killed a policeman in the city of Jalalabad.

Yemen

• On August 25, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked positions of Al-Qaeda in the area of Qifah, some 100 km southeast of the capital Sana’a. A total of 15 Al-Qaeda operatives were killed and dozens were wounded. ISIS operatives took over the positions and seized their contents (Telegram, August 26, 2019).
• ISIS operatives activated an IED against an Al-Qaeda vehicle in the area of Qifah. The passengers were killed and wounded (Telegram, August 26, 2019).

^[1] The Syrian army’s announcement detailed a list of villages and hills in the southern Idlib area which were taken over and mopped up (SANA, August 23, 2019). ↑
^[2] For further details, see the ITIC's Information Bulletin from August 20, 2019, “Developments in the Idlib Region (Updated to the morning of August 20, 2019)” ↑

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