Spotlight on Global Jihad (April 23-30, 2020) - The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

Turkish soldiers starting to disperse the demonstration by force (Al-Durar Al-Shamiya YouTube channel, April 26, 2020)

Turkish soldiers standing by heavy machinery before starting to disperse the demonstration by force.

Iraqi security personnel standing near body parts of the suicide bomber (blurred in the original), close to the entrance to the building of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Directorate in Kirkuk (azzaman@azzamannews, Twitter account of an international Arab daily operating from Iraq, April 28, 2020).

ISIS “guesthouse” that was destroyed (al-hashed.net, April 27, 2020)

27, 2020). A photo of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization, is visible on the hood of the vehicle (Al-Muhandis was killed in a targeted killing along with Qods Force Commander Qassem Soleimani).

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Overview

In the Idlib region in Syria, the ceasefire was generally maintained, although the intensity of the incidents again increased during the past week. The source of the increased intensity was the violent evacuation, the first of its kind, of demonstrators and Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham operatives from Highway M-4 (the Aleppo-Latakia highway) by the Turkish army. They were evacuated in order to enable the joint Russian and Turkish army patrols agreed upon between the two countries (March 5, 2020). However, the warring sides in the Idlib area are still in a waiting position, partly in view of the fear of a COVID-19 outbreak.
In Iraq, ISIS has continued its high-intensity activity, taking advantage of the spread of COVID-19 (2,003 patients to date). In addition to the routine attacks (ambushes, IEDs, sniper fire, and targeted killings), this week ISIS carried out a suicide bombing attack. A suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the Iraqi Intelligence and Counterterrorism Directorate building in Kirkuk. Although the attack ended with the injury of only two Iraqi intelligence personnel, it does indicate that as ISIS gains in strength and confidence, it will also attempt to carry out more daring showcase attacks.
Nigeria continued to dominate the terrorist and guerrilla activity of ISIS’s other provinces in Africa and Asia. This week as well, ISIS’s intensive activity against the Nigerian army continued, mainly in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. The activity consisted mainly of attacks on army camps, ambushes, and activating IEDs.
In ISIS’s Yemen Province, a war of hearts and minds is being waged between ISIS and Al-Qaeda, concurrently with the fighting on the ground. In a recent video, ISIS accuses Al-Qaeda of being an “infidel” organization because it supports the Taliban, which has formed an alliance with the “Crusaders” (i.e., the USA) against the Muslims. Therefore ISIS calls for war against Al-Qaeda.

The Idlib region

The ceasefire is generally still maintained in the Idlib region, although there was an increase in the intensity of the incidents in the past week compared to previous weeks. However, it seems that the sides are still in a waiting position due to the fear of an outbreak of COVID-19^[1].

Violent dispersion of a demonstration on the M-4 highway

Recently, the Turkish army attempted to enforce the joint patrols of the Russian and Turkish armies on the M-4 highway, as stipulated in the Russian-Turkish agreement (March 5, 2020). In order to enforce the agreement, Turkish soldiers attacked members of rebel organizations, an act which has never been done before. The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, and Turkey reportedly agreed to hold another round of talks in Iran similar to the Astana Summit after the COVID-19 crisis (TASS, April 22, 2020).
On April 13, 2020, a Turkish army force attempted to disperse demonstrators and dismantle tents which they set up on the road (Khotwa, April 26, 2020), apparently unsuccessfully. On April 23, 2020, the Russian and Turkish armies managed to carry out a joint patrol (TASS, April 23, 2020). On April 26, 2020, an incident, the first of its kind, occurred when a Turkish army force, which included armored vehicles and heavy machinery, dispersed a crowd of demonstrators on the road. The incident took place near the village of Al-Nayrab, 8.5 km southeast of Idlib (Khotwa, April 26, 2020).

M-4 highway and the village of Al-Nayrab, near the scene of the incident (marked with an illustration of an explosion). The “safe corridor” on both sides of the road, in accordance with the Russian-Turkish agreement, is marked in purple. The area controlled by the Syrian army is marked in red, and the area controlled by the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and the other rebel organizations is marked in green. The border between Syria and Turkey is marked by a yellow line (Syrian NORS Institute for Strategic Studies, March 7, 2020).

During the incident, the Turkish force made use of tear gas and water jets and even opened fire at the demonstrators. According to another version, the jihadi operatives are the ones who fired at the Turkish force, and the latter returned fire. As a result, four operatives of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham, who were among the demonstrators, were killed (Khotwa; Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, April 26, 2020).
Following the incident, operatives of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham attacked positions of the Turkish army in the Al-Nayrab area. In response, Turkish army UAVs attacked a vehicle carrying operatives of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham in Al-Nayrab. Two operatives were killed and three others were wounded (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, April 26, 2020).

Turkish army force using water jets to disperse a demonstration
(Al-Durar Al-Shamiya YouTube channel, April 26, 2020)

The Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham published a statement condemning the Turkish army for forcefully dispersing the demonstration (referred to as a “protest watch”), causing the death of several demonstrators. According to the statement, this happened after 45 days in which the Turkish army refrained from dispersing the demonstrators by force. It calls on Turkey to put those responsible on trial and refrain from such actions. The statement also calls for the continuation of the demonstrations (referred to as “peaceful protest watches”) (Ibaa, April 28, 2020).

Preparations of the rebel organizations for the fight against COVID-19

The Health Ministry of the Salvation Government, the entity running civilian affairs in the region controlled by the rebel organizations, recently held a course for 15 volunteers for the fight against COVID-19. Similar courses were held for healthcare volunteers. At the end of their courses, the volunteers will start operating in the medical isolation centers set up in the Idlib region and the crossings [between the Idlib region and the area controlled by the Syrian regime]. So far, two isolation centers have been set up in the Idlib region, one of them in the area of Jisr al-Shughur, about 30 km southwest of Idlib (Ibaa, April 26, 2020).

Northeastern Syria

The area of Al-Mayadeen and Albukamal

ISIS continued its activity in northeastern Syria. The main forms of activity were ambushes, the activation of IEDs, and targeted killings.

On April 28, 2020, the bodies of two fighters of the Palestinian Al-Quds Brigade (affiliated with the Syrian regime) were found in the Al-Mayadeen Desert. The fighters were abducted by ISIS several days before about 6 km south of Al-Mayadeen and were executed (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, April 28, 2020).
On April 27, 2020, an SDF vehicle was targeted by machine gun fire about 45 km south of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 28, 2020).
On April 26, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle about 10 km northeast of Deir ez-Zor. Several fighters were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 27, 2020).
On April 26, 2020, an IED was activated against the mayor of Al-Susah about 7 km northeast of Albukamal, which is under the protection of the SDF forces. He was wounded (Telegram, April 26, 2020).
On April 25, 2020, ISIS operatives ambushed Syrian soldiers in the Al-Mayadeen Desert. Four soldiers were killed (Telegram, April 27, 2020).
On April 25, 2020, an SDF intelligence operative was targeted by machine gun fire on the road leading to the Al-Omar oil field, about 14 km north of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed (Telegram, April 25, 2020).
On April 23, 2020, an SDF intelligence commander was targeted by machine gun fire in the village of Shahil, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed (Telegram, April 23, 2020).

Eastern Syria (Al-Sukhnah-Palmyra region)

ISIS’s high-intensity activity in the deserts of eastern Syria

On April 9, 2020, it was reported that ISIS operatives had attacked positions of the Syrian army and the militias supporting it in the desert of the Al-Sukhnah region, including the T-3 Pumping Station (about 40 km east of Palmyra). Syrian reinforcements dispatched to the area regained control of positions taken over by ISIS. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 32 Syrian soldiers and fighters of the forces supporting the Syrian army, and 26 ISIS operatives, had been killed (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, April 29, 2020).
So far, neither ISIS nor any other organization has claimed responsibility for the attack. A Syrian military source reported that on April 9, 2020, a Syrian army unit had thwarted an attempt by ISIS operatives to infiltrate into the area southeast of Al-Sukhnah. Several ISIS operatives were killed or wounded, and the others fled the scene (Al-Watan Online affiliated with the Syrian regime, April 9, 2020).

ISIS’s region of activity: Palmyra, Al-Sukhnah, and the T-3 Pumping Station
(Google Maps)

According to a report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, ISIS has been maintaining intensive activity for about a year in the deserts of eastern Syria against the Syrian army and the Shiite militias supporting it. This activity has included activating IEDs, ambushes, planting mines and attacking Syrian forces in the area almost on a daily basis, resulting in hundreds of casualties among the Syrian forces. ISIS allegedly controls an area of 3,280 square kilometers in the Syrian Desert (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, April 29, 2020).

Southern Syria

The Daraa region

On April 29, 2020, a man affiliated with the Syrian regime was targeted by machine gun fire in the village of Kahil, about 14 km east of Daraa. He was killed (Telegram, April 29, 2020).

The Iraqi arena

Iraq continues to be ISIS’s main zone of activity. There has been a significant increase in the scope of ISIS’s activity in Iraq, with the expansion of ISIS’s regions of activity and diversification of the forms of activity. Especially prominent this week was a suicide bombing attack carried out by ISIS in Kirkuk. Other forms of activity were ambushes, the activation of IEDs, sniper fire, light arms and mortar shell fire, and targeted killings. The increase of ISIS’s activity takes place in view of the spread of COVID-19. According to data of the Iraqi Health Ministry, so far 2,003 people have been infected with COVID-19 and 92 of them have died (Facebook page of the Iraqi Health Ministry, April 26, 2020).

ISIS’s Iraq Province taking the lead in ISIS’s activity

On April 23, 2020, ISIS released an infographic (entitled “The Harvest of the Fighters”) summing up its activity in the various provinces around the world between April 16 and April 22, 2020. According to the infographic, 86 attacks were carried out during this time, 50 of them (close to 60%) in Iraq. The number of casualties in Iraq (122) was the greatest in all provinces. The Sahel region (south of Sahara), West Africa and East Asia are leading among the other provinces.

Suicide bombing attack in Kirkuk

On April 22, 2020, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the building of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Directorate of Kirkuk, in the southeastern part of the city. Two security guards were wounded (Al-Sumaria, April 28, 2020). ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that a suicide bomber had blown himself up with an explosive vest among Iraqi intelligence forces in the Qadisiyah neighborhood in Kirkuk. According to ISIS, Iraqi intelligence operatives were killed and wounded in the attack (Telegram, April 28, 2020).

Iraqi security personnel standing near body parts of the suicide bomber (blurred in the original), close to the entrance to the building of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Directorate in Kirkuk (azzaman@azzamannews, Twitter account of an international Arab daily operating from Iraq, April 28, 2020).

Other attacks carried out by ISIS

Diyala Province

On April 27, 2020, an Iraqi police compound was targeted by sniper fire about 15 km northeast of Baqubah. Two policemen were severely wounded (Telegram, April 28, 2020).
On April 25, 2020, an Iraqi police compound was targeted by sniper fire about 20 km northeast of Baqubah. Two policemen were wounded (Telegram, April 26, 2020).
On April 24, 2020, a member of the SWAT forces (the Iraqi counterterrorism unit) was targeted by sniper fire about 20 km northeast of Baqubah. He was wounded (Telegram, April 24, 2020).
On April 23, 2020, a Tribal Mobilization compound was targeted by sniper fire about 40 km northeast of Baqubah. Several Tribal Mobilization fighters were killed and another fighter was wounded (Telegram, April 24, 2020).
On April 22, 2020, a compound of the Iraqi Interior Ministry commando was targeted by sniper fire about 60 km north of Baqubah. One fighter was wounded (Telegram, April 23, 2020).
On April 22, 2020, Iraqi soldiers were targeted by light arms fire about 100 km northeast of Baqubah. One soldier was killed and seven others, including an officer, were wounded (Telegram, April 22, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, an Iraqi army camp was targeted by light arms fire about 60 km north of Baqubah. One soldier was wounded (Telegram, April 22, 2020).

Al-Anbar Province

On April 26, 2020, ISIS operatives broke into the home of an Iraqi government official in the city of Rutba. He was shot to death and one of his escorts was wounded (Telegram, April 27, 2020).
On April 26, 2020, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 30 km northwest of Baghdad. The passengers, including a brigade commander, were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 27, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, a person referred to as an Iraqi intelligence agent was taken prisoner by ISIS operatives about 90 km west of Baghdad. He was interrogated and then executed (Telegram, April 22, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, ISIS operatives ambushed an Iraqi army convoy about 160 km west of Ramadi. Nine soldiers were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, April 22, 2020).

Salah al-Din Province

On April 21, 2020, ISIS operatives fired machine guns at an Iraqi police compound about 60 km north of Baghdad. Two soldiers were killed and several others were wounded (Telegram, April 22, 2020).

Kirkuk Province

On April 25, 2020, ISIS operatives fired light weapons at a Popular Mobilization compound about 20 km west of Kirkuk. A Popular Mobilization fighter was killed (Telegram, April 26, 2020).
On April 23, 2020, an IED was activated and machine guns were fired at two Iraqi army vehicles about 90 km east of Tikrit. One soldier was killed (Telegram, April 25, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, an Iraqi police compound about 40 km southwest of Kirkuk was targeted by machine gun fire. Two policemen were killed (Telegram, April 22, 2020).

Nineveh Province

On April 22, 2020, several IEDs were activated against a Tribal Mobilization convoy about 90 km southwest of Mosul. Three fighters were killed and four others were wounded (Telegram, April 23, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle about 70 km south of Mosul. Two fighters were killed (Telegram, April 23, 2020).

Babel Province

On April 22, 2020, ISIS operatives ambushed a vehicle carrying Popular Mobilization fighters about 40 km south of Baghdad. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 22, 2020).

Erbil Province

On April 24, 2020, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army truck south of Makhmur, about 60 km southwest of Erbil. The truck was damaged (Telegram, April 25, 2020).

IED being planted against an Iraqi army truck south of Makhmur
(Telegram, April 25, 2020)

Right: Iraqi army truck before the IED was activated against it. Left: The IED being activated (Telegram, April 25, 2020)

On April 21, 2020, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle about 70 km south of Mosul. Three fighters were killed and three others were wounded (Telegram, April 23, 2020).

Counterterrorist activities by the Iraqi security forces

Iraqi army summary of the results of the counterterrorist activity

According to an announcement by the Iraqi army’s military information unit, from the beginning of the year to April 15, 2020, the Iraqi security forces killed 135 “terrorist operatives” (i.e., ISIS operatives) in 1,060 counterterrorism operations throughout the country. In these operations, 506 mortar shells were found, 637 workshops for manufacturing IEDs were demolished, 18 vehicles were seized and 7 vehicles were destroyed. In addition, the forces destroyed 279 bases and tunnels that had been used by terrorist operatives (Al-Sumaria, April 21, 2020).

Counterterrorism activity during the past week

Al-Anbar Province

On April 26, 2020, the Iraqi security forces, with the assistance of local tribes, thwarted an attack by ISIS operatives north of Rutba. One of the local tribal sheikhs was wounded (Al-Sumaria, April 26, 2020).

Diyala Province

On April 27, 2020, a Popular Mobilization force halted an ISIS attack about 80 km northeast of Baqubah (al-hashed.net, April 27, 2020).
On April 25, 2020, the Iraqi security forces killed seven ISIS operatives and wounded another operative in the Lake Hamrin area, about 60 km northeast of Baqubah (Al-Sumaria, April 25, 2020).

Salah al-Din Province

On April 27, 2020, the Iraqi security forces located and destroyed ISIS “guesthouses” about 60 km north of Baqubah (al-hashed.net, April 27, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, the Iraqi security forces thwarted an attack by ISIS operatives on the Alas oil field, about 40 km northeast of Tikrit (Al-Sumaria, April 21, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, the Iraqi security forces killed 14 ISIS operatives and demolished their guesthouse about 20 km southeast of Tikrit (Al-Sumaria, April 21, 2020).

The Sinai Peninsula

On April 28, 2020, an Egyptian soldier was targeted by sniper fire west of Rafah. He was killed (Telegram, April 29, 2020).
On April 27, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army vehicle west of Rafah. The passengers were killed (Telegram, April 27, 2020).
On April 24, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army minesweeping vehicle in the area of Rafah. The vehicle was part of a convoy traveling along the highway near the coast. The vehicle was damaged (Telegram, April 25, 2020).

Right: Egyptian army minesweeping vehicle in Rafah before an IED was activated against it. Left: The IED being activated (Telegram, April 25, 2020)

On April 21, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army patrol east of Bir al-Abd (about 50 km west of Al-Arish). Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 22, 2020).

Activity of ISIS’s other provinces

Africa

Nigeria

This week as well, ISIS’s West Africa Province continued its intensive activity, mainly in Borno State:
- On April 27, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army camp near the border between Nigeria and Chad (the Lake Chad region). Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 27, 2020).
- On April 26, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army camp about 15 km west of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 27, 2020).
- On April 24, 2020, ISIS operatives ambushed Nigerian soldiers near the city of Baga in Borno State (about 20 km southwest of the border between Nigeria and Chad). Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 26, 2020). ISIS published photos from the scene of the attack, showing bodies of Nigerian policemen killed in the attack. ISIS also published a photo of a Nigerian police officer with the rank of Confirmed Inspector, who was taken prisoner by ISIS operatives during the attack (Telegram, April 24, 2020).

Nigerian police officer taken prisoner by ISIS
(Telegram, April 24, 2020)

On April 23, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian police checkpoint about 15 km west of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Six policemen were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, April 23, 2020).
On April 21, 2020, an IED was activated against a Nigerian army vehicle about 50 km south of Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State. The passengers were killed (Telegram, April 22, 2020).

Chad

Article in ISIS’s weekly about the battles with the Chadian army and the African Coalition

The April 16, 2020 issue of ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly included an editorial entitled “Nerve-Racking Hours for the Tyrants of [the Countries of] West Africa.” Among other things, the article dealt with ISIS’s fight against the African Coalition in the Lake Chad region (The Chad-Cameron-Nigeria-Niger border region). The article was published in light of the announcement by Chad’s President Idriss Déby that he would refrain from sending his troops to fight outside his country. Following are the highlights of the editorial:
- ISIS’s version of the battles with Chadian soldiers and their implications for the African Coalition: According to the editorial, many Chadian soldiers and members of the militias that support the Chadian army were killed in the Lake Chad region. Therefore, the remarks by the president of Chad actually expressed the Chadian army’s helplessness in the battle against ISIS, despite his earlier boast about “major victories” over ISIS.
- The failure of the Chadian army in particular, and of the African Coalition soldiers in general, stems from deficient coordination between the soldiers of the coalition countries and their poor military capabilities in the war against ISIS (Note: ISIS uses the term African Coalition to refer to Chad, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, all of which attended the January 2020 summit (5G) with the French president).
- Expressing hope for disrupting the cooperation between the African Coalition and the International Coalition that are fighting against ISIS. According to the editorial, a few years ago, the US-led “Crusader” International Coalition fighting against ISIS fighters persuaded some of the “African tyrants” to take part in this fight, in exchange for arms, intelligence cooperation, and financial aid.
- These “tyrants” believed that they could defeat ISIS’s fighters “in one or two battles.” However, they soon found themselves “in the midst of a never-ending war” against ISIS fighters in their own countries. As a result, they began to complain about non-cooperation on the part of their counterparts, since they found themselves in a situation threatening the stability of their regime and in danger of being divested of all their resources. In light of the above, ISIS claims that the International Coalition does not know which country the necessary aid should be sent to.
- The editorial ends with the hope that the situation that has now been created (in view of the COVID-19 crisis) will force the International Coalition countries to focus on “resuscitating their economy and ensuring their internal stability,” instead of wasting their resources on the armies of “the tyrants and their militias” in Africa.

In the ITIC’s assessment, ISIS now expects the International Coalition to terminate or reduce its support for the African Coalition as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and internal disagreements among African countries. This may create a security vacuum that ISIS expects to enter.

Somalia

On April 27, 2020, a handgun was fired at a Somali policeman in the city of Bosaso on the shores of the Gulf of Aden (northeastern Somalia). He was killed (Telegram, April 28, 2020).
On April 25, 2020, an ISIS operative fired at a Somali policeman in the city of Bosaso. He was killed (Telegram, April 26, 2020).

Counterterrorism and preventive activity

Arrest in Spain of a senior ISIS operative who used to be a British rapper

On April 21, 2020, Spanish police arrested Abd al-Majid Abd al-Bari, an Egyptian-born British rapper who became a radical ISIS operative and a wanted man. British sources confirmed his identity. He was arrested along with two other men in an apartment in the coastal city of Almería, about 400 km southeast of the capital Madrid (The Guardian, April 21, 2020).
Abd al-Bari is the son of Adel Abd al-Bari, who was convicted of terrorist attacks against the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, resulting in the deaths of 213 people. In July 2013, the younger Abd al-Bari left his family and joined the ranks of ISIS in the city of Al-Raqqah, then ISIS’s “capital” in Syria. During his stay in Syria, he posted anti-Western posts on social media and photographed himself with the severed head of a human being (The Guardian, April 21, 2020).

Abd al-Majid Abd al-Bari when he was a rapper
(Al-Bawaba, April 21, 2020)

The battle for hearts and minds

The war of hearts and minds between ISIS and Al-Qaeda in ISIS’s Yemen Province

Concurrently with the fighting on the ground, a war of hearts and minds is being waged between ISIS and Al-Qaeda in Yemen. On April 30, 2020, ISIS’s Yemen Province released a video claiming that Al-Qaeda’s principles are in conflict with Islam. ISIS accuses Al-Qaeda of being an “infidel” organization and therefore calls for war against it. The video condemns the agreement between the US and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda is accused of remaining an ally of the “infidel” Taliban, which formed an alliance with the “Crusaders” (i.e., the USA) against the Muslims (Telegram, April 30, 2020).

Right: ISIS operative in Yemen claiming that Al-Qaeda’s principles contradict Islam and calling for war against Al-Qaeda. Left: Al-Qaeda being accused of remaining an ally of the “infidel” Taliban, which formed an alliance with the “Crusaders” (i.e., the USA) against the Muslims (Telegram, April 30, 2020)