Spotlight on Global Jihad (December 26, 2019 – January 1, 2020)

Highlights of the events

• The Syrian army’s attack against the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and other rebel organizations, which began on December 20, 2019, subsided this week and came to a (temporary) end on December 26, 2019. Syrian army forces are now deployed on the outskirts of the city of Maarat Nu’man, south of Idlib, and are preparing to take it over. In the ITIC’s assessment, the reasons behind the Syrian army’s failure to advance were the stormy weather and possibly also Russian intervention as a result of political activity on the part of Turkey, which felt that its interests were compromised by the Syrian army’s advance toward Idlib.
• As a result of the Syrian army’s advance, which was supported by Syrian and Russian airstrikes, residents of Maarat Nu’man and the surrounding rural areas have fled en masse (according to the UN, more than 235,000 civilians have fled from the Idlib region since December 12, 2019). Turkish President Erdoğan announced that Turkey would not be able to cope with a new wave of refugees, warning European countries that they would feel the effects of the influx of refugees if the violence in northwestern Turkey is not stopped.
• In the Euphrates Valley, ISIS continued its activity, which consisted mainly of attacks against vehicles on main roads (IEDs, light arms fire), attacking SDF checkpoints, and targeted killings of SDF fighters. Prominent attacks this week included two incidents of rockets being fired at military bases of the Coalition forces in the Al-Omar oil field and east of Al-Mayadeen.
• ISIS continues its intensive activity in Iraq, mainly in the Diyala, Kirkuk and Salah al-Din provinces. Prominent forms of attacks this week included the activation of IEDs against vehicles of the Iraqi security forces; sniper fire; and targeted killings. Although the main focus of the Iraqi regime’s attention is the demonstrations in Baghdad and southern Iraq, the Iraqi security forces continue their counterterrorism activities against ISIS.
• The “campaign of revenge” for the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the organization’s spokesman Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir, which began on December 22, 2019, came to an end a week later. Most of the attacks were carried out in Syria and Iraq, ISIS’s core countries, but there was also an increase in ISIS’s activity in Nigeria and Burkina Faso. In total, there were about 100 attacks as part of the campaign, in the “routine” format, with no unusual showcase attacks.
• ISIS also carried out intensive activity this week in its provinces overseas, most notably in Borno State in northern Nigeria. Noteworthy attacks this week included attacks against a camp of the African Coalition, attacks on vehicles and on a Nigerian army convoy, and attacks on Christian residents.

Idlib region

Overview

The Syrian attack against the rebel organizations in the rural area of Maarat Nu’man, which started on December 20, 2019, subsided this week and came to a (temporary) end on December 26, 2019, at noon. It appears that the advance of the Syrian army stopped owing to the stormy weather and maybe also due to Russian intervention as a result of political activity on the part of Turkey, which sensed that its interests were compromised due to the Syrian army achievements in the Idlib region. The Syrian army is now deployed at a distance of 9 km from Maarat Nu’man. In the ITIC’s assessment, the Syrian army intends to take over the city and prepare for the takeover of Idlib, the rebel stronghold. The Turkish presidential spokesman announced that Turkey was expecting a ceasefire that would halt all the attacks in Idlib.

• After the attack stopped, on December 28, 2019, the Syrian army repelled a rebel counterattack about 10 km east and south of Maarat Nu’man. According to the Syrian regime, the Syrian army blew up two car bombs and confronted operatives of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and the other rebel organizations. The organizations reportedly sustained many fatalities and had to retreat towards Maarat Nu’man (SANA, December 28, 2019). On December 29, 2019, another counterattack was mounted against the Syrian army by the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and the other rebel organizations, but with no significant results (Edlib Media Center, December 29, 2019).

• On December 29, 2019, there were no ground attacks and no Syrian or Russian fighter jets were to be seen in the skies of the area. However, exchanges of artillery and heavy machine gun fire continued between the Syrian army and the rebel organizations in the rural area east and southeast of Idlib (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 29, 2019). When the weather improved, on December 30, 2019, Syrian helicopters dropped barrel bombs, and Syrian fighter jets attacked targets in Maarat Nu’man and its rural area. In addition, Russian fighter jets resumed their airstrikes in the rural area south of Aleppo (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 30, 2019).

Report on the arrival of Syrian army reinforcements to the area southwest of Aleppo

• A website affiliated with the rebel organizations reported that on December 30, 2019, Syrian army reinforcements including tanks and artillery had arrived in the area of the village of Al-Hader, about 20 km southwest of Aleppo. The force deployed along the confrontation line with the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham and other rebel organizations (Khotwa, December 30, 2019). The reinforcements may indicate Syrian army preparations for the continuation of the offensive intended to take over Idlib, the rebel stronghold.

Civilians flee en masse from the fighting zones

• On December 27, 2019, the UN announced that according to current assessments, since December 12, 2019, over 235,000 civilians, including at least 140,000 children, had fled south Idlib. There are virtually no more civilians left in Maarat Nu’man and its environs. Most of them fled northward to safe zones [mainly in the vicinity of the Turkish border]. These displaced persons join over 400,000 displaced persons (who fled the Idlib region) during the past six months. In the Idlib region, there are currently over three million people, over half of whom are displaced persons (unocha.org, website of the UN Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, December 27, 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 5,415 people have been killed in the Idlib region. Fatalities included 2,148 rebel organization operatives, including 1,438 operatives of the jihadi organizations. Fatalities also included 1,911 soldiers and operatives of the Syrian army and the forces supporting it, and 1,356 civilians (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, December 30, 2019).

Turkish position on the Syrian army’s advance towards Idlib

Turkey is now facing a series of constraints as a result of the (Russian-supported) Syrian advance towards Idlib. In the Idlib region, there are now 12 Turkish supervision posts, most of which are surrounded by the Syrian army. Some of the rebel organizations fighting in the Idlib region are operating under Turkish sponsorship. A large part of the residents in the Idlib region regard Turkey as their protector against the Syrian army’s advance. In addition, Turkey finds itself forced to deal with civilians fleeing en masse from the fighting zones, which is expected to increase as the Syrian army continues its advance. Some of the refugees are making their way towards the Turkish border, forcing Turkey to take care of additional refugees (Reuters, December 27, 2019). In light of the above, President Erdoğan announced on December 22, 2019, that Turkey would not be able to cope with another wave of refugees. He warned that if violence in northwestern Syria did not stop, European countries would feel the impact of the influx of refugees (Reuters, December 23, 2019).

Talks between Turkey and Russia on developments in the Idlib region

• On December 23, 2019, a Turkish delegation visited Moscow to hold talks with Russian diplomats on the developments in Syria. According to an announcement by Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, following the talks, Turkey expects Russia to act immediately to stop the attacks in the Idlib region. He also noted that Turkey asked Russia to establish a ceasefire in the area (Reuters, December 26, 2019). On December 24, 2019, Ibrahim Kalin announced that Turkey was expecting a ceasefire that would put a stop to all the attacks in Idlib (TRT World, December 24, 2019).

Turkey: Turkish supervision posts in the Idlib region will respond if attacked

• On December 29, 2019, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced that the Turkish army would absolutely not evacuate the 12 supervision posts operating “heroically” in the Idlib region. According to Akar, their mission is to make sure that a ceasefire exists in the Idlib region. The Turkish defense minister added that the soldiers posted at these supervision posts had received orders to respond without delay if they were attacked or harassed (Anatolia News Agency, December 29, 2019).

Solidarity demonstrations in Turkey

• On December 28, 2019, demonstrations took place in several Turkish cities in solidarity with the residents of the Idlib [region]. Demonstrators demanded to stop the attacks on the Idlib region and the operation of the Syrian army. They carried signs that read, #Our children’s blood is spilled# and #Idlib is burning#. In a demonstration that took place in front of the Russian Consulate in Istanbul, protesters chanted, “Syria is free, Russia should leave” (Khotwa, December 28, 2019).

The Euphrates Valley

ISIS continued its intensive activity in the Euphrates Valley. The main forms of attacks this week were shooting and activating IEDs against vehicles; attacks against SDF checkpoints and bases; and targeted killings of SDF fighters and intelligence operatives. This week, rockets were fired at Coalition military bases in the Al-Omar oil field and east of Al-Mayadeen.

The area of Al-Mayadeen and Albukamal

• Following are ISIS’s main activities (mainly according to the organization’s claims of responsibility):
  • On December 23, 2019, buses carrying Syrian officers and soldiers were ambushed in the Al-Mayadeen Desert. Seven Syrian officers were killed and other soldiers were wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 24, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle 20 km north of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 24, 2019, an SDF checkpoint was targeted by machine gun fire about 40 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. Two SDF fighters were killed (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 25, 2019, an SDF operative was targeted by machine gun fire 4 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 25, 2019, a vehicle carrying Syrian soldiers was ambushed about 30 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. Two soldiers were killed and another was wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 27, 2019, SDF fighters were targeted by machine gun fire and RPG rockets about 20 km north of Al-Mayadeen. Two SDF fighters were killed (Telegram, December 28, 2019).
  • On December 30, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle 20 km north of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, December 30, 2019).
  • On December 30, 2019, two IEDs were activated against two Syrian army APCs in the Al-Mayadeen Desert. Both APCs were put out of commission (Telegram, December 31, 2019).
  • On December 30, 2019, an IED was activated against a Syrian army vehicle in the Al-Mayadeen Desert. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, December 31, 2019).
  • On December 31, 2019, a vehicle carrying SDF fighters was targeted by machine gun fire about 20 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. Three SDF fighters were killed and another was wounded (Telegram, December 31, 2019).

Launching rockets at a US army base east of Al-Mayadeen

• On December 27, 2019, eight Grad rockets were fired at an International Coalition base in the Al-Omar oil field, about 20 km east of Al-Mayadeen. According to ISIS’s statement, the base includes a helipad, soldiers’ and officers’ quarters, security and military command posts, and prisons of the International Coalition and SDF forces (Telegram, December 27, 2019). An American UAV reportedly fired missiles at the operatives who launched the rockets and most of them were killed (Khotwa, December 27, 2019).

Al-Raqqah and Al-Tabqa area

• On December 24, 2019, hand grenades were thrown at an SDF vehicle about 20 km southwest of Al-Raqqah. Four SDF fighters were wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 25, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle north of Al-Raqqah. Three SDF fighters were killed or wounded. When another vehicle arrived to assist them, another IED was activated against it. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 25 and 26, 2019, hand grenades were thrown at the houses of chiefs of communes in three villages about 20 km southwest of Al-Raqqah (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 26, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle south of Al-Raqqah. Two passengers were wounded (Telegram, December 27, 2019).
• On December 27, 2019, a vehicle of an SDF commander was set on fire about 20 km northwest of Al-Raqqah. It was destroyed (Telegram, December 27, 2019).
• On December 27, 2019, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle north of Al-Raqqah. Three passengers were wounded (Telegram, December 27, 2019).
• On December 29, 2019, an SDF command post near Al-Raqqah was attacked. Three SDF fighters were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, December 30, 2019).

Al-Hasakah area

• On December 25, 2019, an SDF truck was targeted by machine gun fire about 80 km south of Al-Hasakah. Two SDF fighters were killed and another was wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).

Grad rockets fired at a US army base south of Al-Hasakah

• On the evening of December 25, 2019, nine Grad rockets were fired at an International Coalition military base where US soldiers are staying. The base is situated south of Al-Shadadi. The rockets targeted a helipad, arms depots, a gas station, soldiers’ quarters, and offices (Telegram, December 26, 2019).

The Palmyra-Al-Sukhnah area

• On December 23, 2019, an IED was activated against a truck carrying Syrian soldiers in the Al-Sukhnah Desert. Eight soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. The truck was destroyed (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 28, 2019, an IED was activated against a Syrian army vehicle on the road leading to the T3 oil pumping station (about 40 km east of Palmyra). The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, December 30, 2019).

Southern Syria (Hawran Province)

• Following are ISIS’s main activities in the past week (based on its claims of responsibility):
  • On December 24, 2019, a Syrian soldier was shot and killed north of Daraa (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 25, 2019, an IED was activated against a vehicle carrying Syrian soldiers about 10 km northeast of the tri-border area of Syria, Jordan, and Israel. Two soldiers were wounded (Telegram, December 26, 2019).

Summary of four months of activity of the Hawran Province

This week, ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly published an infographic summing up about four months of activity of the Hawran Province (from August 31, 2019, to December 26, 2019). According to the infographic, the ISIS Province carried out 26 attacks in this period, in which 51 people were killed and wounded (including eight officers and commanders of the Syrian army and four Russian soldiers). The attacks took the form of activating IEDs (11 attacks); targeted killings (7); raids and attacks (6); and other actions (2) (Akhbar al-Muslimeen, December 27, 2019). The scope of the attacks suggests an awakening in the Hawran Province activities over the last months.

The Iraqi arena

ISIS activity

ISIS continued its intensive activity in Iraq, mainly in the Diyala, Kirkuk and Salah al-Din provinces. Prominent forms of attacks this week included the activation of IEDs against vehicles of the Iraqi security forces; sniper fire; and targeted killings.

• Following are the highlights of ISIS’s activity (according to its claims of responsibility):

Diyala Province

• On December 25, 2019, an Iraqi soldier was targeted by sniper fire about 10 km south of Baqubah. He was killed (Telegram, December 26, 2019).
• On December 27, 2019, an IED was detonated against a vehicle carrying a policeman in central Baqubah. The policeman was killed (Telegram, December 28, 2019).
• On December 27, 2019, at least one Iraqi soldier was killed and several others were wounded by machine gun fire about 30 km southwest of Baqubah. Some of the wounded were members of a force that arrived on the scene to offer assistance (Telegram, December 28, 2019).
• On December 27, 2019, a camp of the Iraqi Interior Ministry’s commando unit was targeted by sniper fire about 70 km north of Baqubah. Two fighters were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, December 29, 2019).
• On December 28, 2019, an IED was activated against the vehicle of a policeman on the southeastern outskirts of Baqubah. The policeman was wounded (Telegram, December 29, 2019).
• On December 29, 2019, an Iraqi army compound about 40 km east of Baqubah was targeted by sniper fire. Two soldiers were wounded (Telegram, December 31, 2019).
• On December 30, 2019, an Iraqi army compound about 40 km east of Baqubah was targeted by sniper fire. One soldier was killed (Telegram, December 31, 2019).
• On December 30, 2019, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 40 km east of Baqubah. Several soldiers were wounded (Telegram, December 31, 2019).

Salah al-Din Province

• On December 23, 2019, the homes of two local policemen about 60 km north of Baghdad were targeted by hand grenades and machine gun fire. When a vehicle arrived at the scene, an IED was activated against it. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 24, 2019, the house of an intelligence operative of the National Security Service about 70 km north of Baghdad was targeted by gunfire. The intelligence operative was killed. After that, the homes of two “agents” in the same area were broken into. The two “agents” were wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 26, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a Popular Mobilization camp about 20 km southeast of Samarra. Two Popular Mobilization fighters were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, December 28, 2019).
• On December 27, 2019, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle between Baiji and Haditha. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, December 29, 2019).
• On December 28, 2019, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle about 50 km northeast of Baiji. Two passengers were killed (Telegram, December 28, 2019).
• On November 30, 2019, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle in the village of Al-Mashak, about 20 km north of Baiji. A Tribal Mobilization fighter was wounded (Telegram, December 31, 2019).
• On December 30, 2019, an IED was activated against Iraqi soldiers about 10 km southwest of Al-Shirqat. An officer and soldier were killed and several others were wounded (Telegram, December 31, 2019).

Nineveh Province

• On December 24, 2019, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 40 km southeast of Mosul. Two soldiers were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, December 26, 2019).
• On December 26, 2019, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 70 km south of Mosul. Two soldiers were killed and three others were wounded (Telegram, December 28, 2019).

Kirkuk Province

• On December 24, 2019, a Tribal Mobilization vehicle was targeted by machine gun fire about 80 km west of Kirkuk. Two operatives were killed (Telegram, December 26, 2019).
• On December 24, 2019, an IED was activated against a Popular Mobilization vehicle about 80 km west of Kirkuk. One operative was killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, December 26, 2019).
• On December 24, 2019, IEDs were activated against two vehicles carrying members of the Iraqi Federal Police on the road between Tikrit and Kirkuk. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 25, 2019, an Oil Facility Security Police compound in the Khabbaz oil field, about 30 km northwest of Kirkuk, was targeted by machine gun fire. Five policemen were killed (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 25, 2019, an IED was activated against the vehicle of an Iraqi intelligence operative south of Al-Shirqat, about 100 km west of Kirkuk. The intelligence operative was wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).

Erbil Province

• On December 24, 2019, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 50 km southwest of Erbil. Two soldiers killed and three others were wounded (Telegram, December 26, 2019).
• On December 24, 2019, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle west of Makhmur (about 50 km southwest of Erbil). An officer and two soldiers were wounded (Telegram, December 26, 2019).

Counterterrorist activities by the Iraqi security forces

The Will to Win security operation continues

• On December 30, 2019, the Iraqi army began the eighth phase of Operation The Will to Win. The operation focuses on locating and attacking ISIS targets in the Salah al-Din, Kirkuk and Diyala provinces (ISIS’s main activity centers). According to reports, in the operation in the Salah al-Din Province, five suicide bombers were killed, four ISIS guesthouses (containing, two-way radios, clothing and food) were located and destroyed, and two tunnels used by ISIS were demolished (Facebook page of the Iraqi Defense Ministry, December 30, 2019).

    
Right: Iraqi army forces in the Salah al-Din Province (Facebook account of the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, December 30, 2019). Left: Iraqi Special Forces boarding a helicopter at the Habbaniyah airport to carry out security activity as part of the eighth phase of Operation The Will to Win (Facebook page of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office, December 30, 2019)

Security activity in the Kirkuk and Nineveh provinces

• On December 30, 2019, Iraqi security forces located a workshop for making car bombs, two car bombs and other equipment in the area of Al-Zarka, 80 km south of Kirkuk (Iraqi News Agency, December 30, 2019).
• On December 31, 2019, Iraqi security forces apprehended an ISIS operative in the Al-Intisar neighborhood in southeast Mosul. The operative was in charge of making car bombs and IEDs at the time when ISIS controlled the city (Al-Sumaria, December 31, 2019).

Security cooperation against ISIS

• According to Iraqi army Joint Operations Command Spokesman Tahsin al-Khafaji’s interview with Iraqi news website Almaalomah, security cooperation between Iraq, Iran, Russia and Syria continues and is taking place at the highest levels in order to maintain stability along the Iraq-Syria border and prevent ISIS from establishing a presence in the region. The Iraqi officer also said that the Intelligence Exchange Center between the four countries continues to operate in Baghdad (Fars News, December 24, 2019).

The Sinai Peninsula

• On December 22, 2019, ISIS operatives fired mortar shells at an Egyptian army checkpoint in Al-Mahdiya, south of Rafah (Shahed Sinaa Facebook page, December 22, 2019).
• On December 26, 2019, “armed men” (probably ISIS operatives) carried out an attack south of Sheikh Zuweid. During the attack, two people were abducted (Shahed Sinaa – Al-Rasmia Facebook page, December 26, 2019). To date, no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it was apparently carried out by ISIS.
• On December 28, 2019, Egyptian soldiers were targeted by sniper fire at a checkpoint east of Sheikh Zuweid. Two soldiers were killed (Telegram, December 30, 2019).
• On December 30, 2019, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army foot patrol about 30 km west of central Al-Arish (Shahed Sinaa – Al-Rasmia Facebook page, December 30, 2019).
• On December 31, 2019, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army bulldozer east of Sheikh Zuweid. The passengers on the bulldozer were killed (Telegram, December 31, 2019).

Counterterrorism and preventive activity

Turkey

• On December 30, 2019, Turkish “security sources” announced that the Turkish police had arrested 100 people throughout the country, suspected of being affiliated with ISIS (Anatolia, December 30, 2019).
• On December 29, 2019, Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu announced that “since the beginning of the year [2019], we have sent 778 foreign terrorist operatives back to their countries of origin.” Soylu did not say whether all of them were affiliated with ISIS. On November 4, 2019, the Interior Minister announced that around 1,200 foreign ISIS operatives were being held in Turkish prisons. In addition, nearly 300 people, including relatives of ISIS operatives, were held in an area under the control of the Turkish army in northern Syria (interview with CNN Turkey as quoted by Anatolia, December 29, 2019).

The activity of ISIS’s provinces in Africa

Nigeria

• This week, ISIS’s intensive activity continued in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. Following are attacks for which ISIS claimed responsibility:
  • On December 23, 2019, three ISIS operatives blew themselves up with explosive vests in a camp of the African Coalition (against ISIS) in the town of Monguno, about 50 km east of the border with Cameroon (near Lake Chad). According to ISIS, members of the African Coalition were killed and wounded (Telegram, December 27, 2019). The claim of responsibility was issued four days later. This could be an indication of problems with ISIS’s communications system in the region.
  • On December 24, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army vehicle. Seven soldiers in the vehicle were killed (Telegram, December 27, 2019).
  • On December 24, 2019, operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province fired machine guns at the homes of Christian residents in one of the villages in Borno State. Eight residents were killed and two others were taken prisoner (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 24, 2019, an attack was carried out against a Nigerian army compound some 90 km northeast of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Five soldiers were killed. In addition, weapons, ammunition and military equipment were seized (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 25, 2019, ISIS operatives ambushed a convoy on the highway leading to Maiduguri, killing four Nigerian soldiers (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
  • On December 26, 2019, ISIS’s Amaq News Agency released a video documenting the execution of 11 Nigerian Christians. According to ISIS, the Christians were taken prisoner in the past few weeks (Telegram, December 26, 2019).
  • On November 27 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army camp in Borno State. During the attack, soldiers were killed and wounded, and a tank and an armored vehicle were destroyed. ISIS operatives seized weapons and ammunition, and set the camp on fire (Telegram, December 28, 2019).
  • On November 27 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army camp in Borno State. Seven soldiers were killed in the exchange of fire. In addition, ISIS operatives seized weapons and ammunition (Telegram, December 28, 2019).

Chad

• On December 23, 2019, three Christian residents were targeted by machine gun fire on the border between Nigeria and Chad. All three were killed (Telegram, December 25, 2019).
• On December 24, 2019, a Chadian army checkpoint on the border between Nigeria and Chad was attacked. Several soldiers were wounded (Telegram, December 25, 2019).

Burkina Faso

• On December 24, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked and took over a Burkina Faso army base in the north of the country, about 60 km from the border with Mali. During the attack, a terrorist driving a car bomb drove to the center of the base and blew up the car. This was followed by several hours of intensive exchanges of fire. ISIS operatives killed at least seven soldiers, wounded others, and destroyed several military vehicles. They eventually took over the base, setting fire to the soldiers’ quarters and seizing large quantities of weapons and ammunition (Telegram, December 27, 2019).

Somalia

• On December 27, 2019, ISIS operatives fired at Somali soldiers in an open market in the city of Mogadishu. One soldier was killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, December 27, 2019).
• On December 28, 2019, ISIS operatives shot and killed a Somali soldier in an open market in the city of Mogadishu (Telegram, December 28, 2019).

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