Spotlight on Global Jihad (November 14 – 20, 2019)

Main events

• ISIS continues focusing its activity on the Syrian arena, especially in the al-Mayadeen region in the Euphrates Valley, carrying out IED attacks, shooting attacks, and targeted killings. The organization continued its attacks on tankers carrying crude oil from the Kurdish-controlled areas to regions under Syrian control. In addition, a Syrian army convoy was attacked in the Palmyra-al-Sukhnah desert and a number of Syrian soldiers were hit (two were taken captive and executed). ISIS documented the event.
• This past week the activity of the ISIS province in Iraq returned to full-scale attacks after a significant decline in the intensity of its activity during the past month. ISIS’s modus operandi included IED attacks against vehicles on roads and shooting attacks at the Iraqi security forces. The Iraqi regime continued its preventive activities against ISIS despite the fact that it is focusing most of its attention on the wave of protests in Baghdad and in the southern provinces.
• The ISIS provinces outside of Syria and Iraq continue their ongoing attacks. In the northern Sinai Peninsula ISIS continued targeting Egyptian army vehicles and patrols; in northeast Nigeria ISIS attacks continued while the Nigerian air force hit ISIS operatives near the border with Chad; in northeast Mozambique ISIS operatives attacked so-called “agents” of the army; in Somalia an ISIS attempt to assassinate the police chief with an IED failed. In Afghanistan ISIS continues its attacks on security forces affiliated with the regime and in Yemen ISIS finished two courses, one in preparing IEDs and the other in carrying out sniper fire.
• Almost a month after the targeted killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by an American elite force, ISIS apparently functions as usual, both on the military-operational level and on the media level (which focuses on a campaign for swearing allegiance to the new ISIS leader). ISIS’s military activity continues to focus on Syria and Iraq, its two core provinces, but its provinces in Africa and Asia continue their ongoing activities.

Idlib Region

Overview

In the Idlib region unilateral ceasefires continue, declared by the Syrian army. However, sporadic exchanges of fire between the Syrian army and the jihadist rebel organizations continued, accompanied by Syrian and Russian airstrikes. This past week the main events were an attempt to detonate a car bomb near Syrian army posts at the northern entrance of Khan Sheikhoun (south of Idlib) and a series of attacks carried out by organizations affiliated with al-Qaeda.

Detonating a car bomb in Khan Sheikhoun prevented

• On November 13, 2019, a terrorist operative attempted to detonate a car bomb in front of Syrian posts at the northern entrance to Khan Sheikhoun (on the Damascus-Aleppo road). The car was destroyed by the Syrian army. The terrorist belonged to the Headquarters for the Liberation of al-Sham (Sana and Syrian TV, November 13, 2019). Syrian soldiers shot at the car and destroyed it. The terrorist tried to escape but was killed (Sama TV from Damascus, November 13, 2019).

Other clashes in the Idlib region

• The “Awake the Faithful” operations room, a framework of several organizations affiliated with al-Qaeda, among them the “Guardians of the Faith,” fired artillery and mortar shells at bases and positions of the Syrian army south and southwest of Idlib (Telegram, November 14, 2019). In addition the Headquarters for the Liberation of al-Sham announced that its operatives had fired rockets and mortar shells at the Syrian army in the rural area east and southeast of Idlib (Abaa, November 17, 2019). On November 19, 2019, rebel organizations fired rockets at the Syrian army in the rural area east of Idlib (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, November 19, 2019).

Airstrikes

• This past week Russian fighter jets and Syrian army helicopters carried out several airstrikes. On November 15, 2019, the Headquarters for the Liberation of al-Sham announced that Russian fighter jets had carried out attacks on the village of Arinbah, about 30 miles south of Idlib. On November 16, 2019, the Headquarters for the Liberation of al-Sham announced that Syrian helicopters had dropped barrel bombs on the region of Kabanah (Abaa, November 15 and 16, 2019). On November 19, 2019, Syrian fighter jets attacked targets in the rural area south and east of Idlib (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, November 20, 2019).

   
Right: Dust cloud rises after Russian fighter jets attack in Arinbah, south of Idlib (Abaa, November 15, 2019). Left: A Syrian helicopter drops a barrel bomb on hills in the Kabanah region (Abaa, November 16, 2019).

Summary of the losses

• Since the beginning of the Syrian army’s ground attack in May 2019, 4,503 people have been killed in the Idlib region. Among them were 1,799 rebel organization operatives, 1,173 who belonged to jihadist organizations. In addition, 1,552 Syrian army soldiers and their supporting forces and 1,152 civilians were killed (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, November 16, 2019).

The Euphrates Valley

ISIS continues carrying out intensive attacks in the Euphrates Valley, focusing on the al-Mayadeen region. Most of the attacks were directed against SDF fighters and their supporters. The main modus operandi of the attacks were detonating IEDs, shooting attacks and targeted killings. Attacks also continued on oil tankers transferring crude oil from the regions controlled by the Kurds to the regions under Syrian regime control.

• November 13, 2019: An intelligence agent of the SDF forces was shot and killed in the village of al-Hawayej, about 2.5 miles northeast of al-Mayadeen (Telegram, November 13, 2019).
• November 13, 2019: A rocket was fired at a concentration of SDF forces in the region of Dibian, about 3 miles east of al-Mayadeen. Three SDF fighters were killed (Telegram, November 13, 2019).
• November 14, 2019: Machineguns and rockets were fired at an SDF roadblock in Dibian, about 3 miles east of al-Mayadeen. Several SDF fighters were wounded (Telegram, November 15, 2019).
• November 14, 2019: Two SDF fighters were taken prisoner in the region of Darnaj, about 9 miles southeast of al-Mayadeen. One fighter was executed (November 14, 2019).
• November 14, 2019: Two Syrian army soldiers were taken prisoner in the region of Darnaj, about 9 miles southeast of al-Mayadeen. One was executed (Telegram, November 15, 2019; Akhbar al-Muslimin, November 16, 2019).
• November 16, 2019: Two IEDs were detonated to attack a crude oil tanker and SDF vehicles on the al-Omar oil field road, about 30 miles southeast of Deir al-Zor. The tanker and vehicles were damaged and passengers were wounded (Telegram, November 17, 2019. The attack was carried out in a region different from where previous attacks were carried out (on the road east of al-Raqqa).
• November 16, 2019: An SDF intelligence agent was shot and killed in the village of al-Hawayej, about 2.5 miles northeast of al-Mayadeen (Telegram, November 16, 2019).
• November 16, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack a Syrian army vehicle in the al-Mayadeen region. An officer and three soldiers were killed (Telegram, November 17, 2019).
• November 17, 2019: An SDF truck was set on fire in al-Raqqa (Telegram, November 18, 2019).
• November 18, 2019: An SDF intelligence agent was shot and killed in the village of Dibian, about 3 miles east of al-Mayadeen (Telegram, November 19, 2019).
• November 18, 2019: Shots were fired at a Kurdish woman who heads a commune in al-Hariji, about 30 miles northeast of Deir al-Zor. She was seriously wounded (Telegram, November 19, 2019).

Eastern Syria (the Palmyra-al-Sukhnah region)

Syrian army convoy attacked

• ISIS reported that on November 16, 2019, its operatives ambushed a Syrian army convoy of ten vehicles west of al-Sukhnah. An IED was also detonated nearby. Two soldiers were taken prisoner and executed, and several other soldiers were wounded. Syrian fighter jets attacked ISIS operatives at the site of the ambush (Telegram, November 17, 2019. The media affiliated with the Syrian regime did not report the attack.

   
Right: An ISIS sniper shoots at the Syrian army convoy. Left: An ISIS operative fires an anti-aircraft gun at the convoy (Telegram, November 17, 2019).

Northeastern Syria (deep within the area of Kurdish control)

• This past week ISIS continued intensive activity deep within the area controlled by the Kurds. The modus operandi of the attacks was detonating IEDs, shooting attacks and targeted killings. Their main activities were the following (according to ISIS reports):
  • November 12, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack SDF vehicles about 37 miles northeast of al-Hasakeh. The passengers were either killed or wounded (Telegram, November 13, 2019).
  • November 13, 2019: Two SDF fighters were shot and killed about 2.5 miles south of al-Hasakeh (Telegram, November 13, 2019).
  • November 14, 2019: An SDF commander and fighter were shot and killed south of al-Hasakeh (Telegram, November 15, 2019).
  • November 16, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack SDF vehicles about 9 miles south of al-Hasakeh. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, November 17, 2019).
  • November 16, 2019: Two SDF fighters were shot and killed south of al-Hasakeh (Telegram, November 17, 2019).
  • November 17, 2019: A motorcycle bomb was denotated to attack two SDF vehicles east of al-Hasakeh. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram and A’maq, November 17, 2019).

Release of ISIS operatives’ families from the al-Houl DP camp

• SDF forces released 77 family members of ISIS operatives from the al-Houl DP camp, where the wives and children of ISIS operatives are being held. They were released after the receipt of a guarantee from one of the tribal dignitaries apparently from in the region east of the Euphrates River (Twitter account of 3bo_m3zn, November 18, 2019).

The release of ISIS operatives through guarantees from tribal leaders is familiar from the past.^[1] From the Kurdish perspective it was meant to improve relations with the local Sunni Arab tribes, which are a strong source of local influence. The guarantees provided by the dignitaries for the release of the operatives were a kind of “pledge” that the operatives or their families would not return to operating for ISIS.

Southern Syria

• November 15, 2019: A IED was detonated to attack a concentration of Syrian army forces near a roadblock in al-Sahawah, about 12 miles east of Daraa. A number of soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, November 13-15, 2019).

Main Events in Iraq

ISIS’s terrorist and guerrilla activity

This past week the activity of the ISIS province in Iraq was fully restored after a significant decline in the scope of its attacks during the past month. Its attacks focused on detonating IEDs and shooting attacks. The main activities for which ISIS claimed responsibility were the following:

The Kirkuk Province

• November 11, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack an Iraqi federal police vehicle about 25 miles southwest of Kirkuk. The passengers were killed or wounded. In addition, an IED was detonated to attack a force arriving to support the policemen who had been attacked (Telegram, November 13, 2019).

The Diyala Province

• November 13, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack a vehicle carrying a joint patrol of fighters of the popular mobilization and tribal mobilization about nine miles northeast of Baqubah. Five fighters were wounded (Telegram, November 15, 2019).
• November 14, 2019: A concentration of Iraqi fighters was attacked by small arms fire about 30 miles east of Baqubah. At least two soldiers were killed and others were wounded (Telegram, November 16, 2019).

The Nineveh Province

• November 11, 2019: ISIS claimed that an American reconnaissance UAV was downed northeast of the Makhoul region, about 45 miles southeast of Mosul (Telegram, November 13, 2019).

• November 15, 2019: Two vehicles of a tribal mobilization fighter were set on fire about 25 miles south of Mosul (Telegram, November 16, 2019).

The Salah al-Din Province

• November 13, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack a vehicle of popular mobilization operatives about 35 miles south of Kirkuk. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, November 15, 2019).
• November 14, 2019: Two Iraqi soldiers were shot and killed about 18 miles north of Baghdad (Telegram, November 15, 2019).

Swearing allegiance to ISIS’s new leader in various regions in Iraq

    
Left: ISIS operatives in the Dijla (Tigris) region swear allegiance. Right: ISIS operatives in the north Baghdad area swear allegiance (Telegram, November 14, 2019).

   
Right: ISIS operatives in the Salah al-Din region swear allegiance. Left: ISIS operatives in the Diyala region swear allegiance (Telegram, November 17, 2019).

Preventive and counterterrorist activities of the Iraqi security forces

Despite the fact that the Iraqi regime is focusing most of its attention on the wave of protests in Baghdad and the southern provinces, the Iraqi security forces continue carrying out preventive and counterterrorist activities against ISIS operatives in northern Iraq (especially the Kirkuk Province), in western Iraq and in the area north of Baghdad. Their main activities were the following:

Kirkuk Province

• November 16, 2019: About 35 miles west of Kirkuk a force of Iraqi police located a cache of IEDs and various other weapons, which they destroyed (Iraqi News Agency, November 16, 2018).

• November 16, 2019: A force of the Iraqi ministry of the interior killed two ISIS commanders southwest of Kirkuk. Large amounts of weapons were also seized (Iraqi News Agency, November 16, 2018)

The al-Anbar Province

• November 17, 2019: Popular mobilization forces securing the al-Qa’im-Akashat road, which leads to the Iraq-Syria border, recently prevented infiltrations of ISIS operatives whose objective was to take control of that important road (al-hashed.net, November 17, 2019).
• November 18, 2019: A force of the Iraqi anti-terrorism apparatus operating in the region of the Makhoul mountains (about 9 miles north of Baiji) located and destroyed six ISIS hiding places, where they found weapons, equipment and documents (al-Sumaria, November 18, 2019).

The Nineveh Province

• November 18, 2019: A popular mobilization force trapped a number of ISIS families who escaped from the al-Houl DP camp in Syria. They crossed the border into Iraq with the help of smugglers. The families were transferred to the Iraqi security forces (al-hashed.net, November 18, 2019).
• November 18, 2019: Iraqi security forces operating in the western part of the al-Anbar Province located and destroyed about 90 IEDs that belonged to ISIS (Iraqi News Agency, November 18, 2018).
• November 19, 2019: Iraqi security forces operating in the southern Sinjar region (about 60 miles west of Mosul) located IEDs and rockets belonging to ISIS (al-Sumaria, November 19, 2019).

The Salah al-Din Province

• November 18, 2019: The popular mobilization began a security operation north of al-Baqubah. ISIS hiding places and several IEDs were located (al-hashed.net, November 18, 2019).

The Sinai Peninsula

• In the northern Sinai Peninsula ISIS’s ongoing attacks continued, mainly against vehicles and Egyptian army patrols. In addition, mortar shells were fired at a roadblock and a concentration of Egyptian army forces. The main attacks were the following (according to ISIS claims of responsibility):
  • November 11, 2019: Two rockets were fired at an Egyptian army foot patrol in western Rafah. A number of soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, November 12, 2019).
  • November 16, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack an Egyptian army tank east of Bir al-Abed. The soldiers in the tank were either killed or wounded (Telegram, November 16, 2019).
  • November 17, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack an Egyptian army vehicle south of the al-Sheikh Zuweid crossing. A lieutenant colonel and two soldiers were killed. Four other soldiers were wounded (Telegram, November 17, 2019).
  • November 17, 2019: A number of mortar shells were fired at an Egyptian army roadblock west of Rafah. The roadblock was hit (Telegram, November 18, 2019).
  • November 18, 2019: A number of mortar shells were fired at Egyptian army forces southwest of al-Sheikh Zuweid. The forces were hit (Telegram, November 18, 2019).

Counterterrorism and Preventive Activity

Ukraine: Senior Chechen ISIS commander apprehended

• The Ukrainian security service Sluzhba bezpeky Ukrayiny (SBU) announced that a joint operation carried out in collaboration with Georgia’s ministry of the interior and the CIA had led to the apprehension of a senior ISIS operative. The operative, who was nicknamed al-Baraa the Chechen, is a Georgian citizen who went to Syria and joined ISIS in 2015. He was a deputy of Abu Omar the Chechen, a senior jihadist operative who, like al-Baraa the Chechen, was born in the region of the Pakisi Mountains (Reuters, Russia Today, November 15, 2019). According to reports al-Baraa’s real name is Cezar Tokhosashvili (Deutsche Welle, November 15, 2019).
• Abu Omar the Chechen joined the jihadists in Syria and till the end of 2013 commanded a unit called the “immigrants’ army,” which was affiliated with the Jabhat al-Nusra. At the beginning of 2014, Abu Omar the Chechen defected to ISIS and was appointed commander of ISIS’s northern region of Syria. His activities later extended eastward as far as the region of Deir al-Zor. He was head of the headquarters of the military council of the Islamic State (and American sources nicknamed him ISIS’s “minister of war”) .On July 13, 2016, ISIS’s A’maq news agency formally announced the death of Abu Omar the Chechen in battle in the area of Mosul (A’maq, July 13, 2016). Previously, at the beginning of March 2016, the American army announced that Abu Omar the Chechen had been killed in an airstrike in the city of Shaddadi, south of al-Hasakeh, which fell to the Kurdish forces.

   
Right: al-Baraa the Chechen, senior ISIS commander, apprehended by Ukraine (Twitter account of the UAE newspaper al-Khalij, November 15, 2019). Left: Abu Omar the Chechen (AlAan TV, October 11, 2014).

• In 2016, apparently following the death of Abu Omar the Chechen, al-Baraa the Chechen moved to Turkey and from there went to Ukraine on a forged passport. He lived in an apartment in the Kiev district and from there continued directing ISIS’s activity (Russia Today, November 15, 2019).

Turkey: British ISIS operative deported

• On November 15, 2019, a British ISIS operative named Hamzah Prvez, 26, from west London, was deported to Britain from Turkey. In April 2018 he was apprehended by SDF forces in the al-Baghouz region, which was ISIS stronghold in the Euphrates Valley (about 9/10 of a mile east of Albukamal). The Iraqi media reported that he was one of more than 400 British ISIS operatives who fought in the ranks of the organization and returned to Britain. Five hundred British ISIS operatives have been killed over the years. About 600 ISIS British ISIS operatives are still detained in Syria, along with their wives and children (al-Sumaria, November 16, 2019).

ISIS’s Global Activity

Africa

Nigeria

• On the night of November 13, 2019, Nigerian army fighter planes attacked ISIS targets in the Borno region (in the northwestern part of the country, near the Chad border), hitting ISIS vehicles. The attack was carried out following precise information which reached the Nigerian army about the movements of ISIS operatives in the region (ChannelsTV, November 14, 2019).
• November 15, 2019: ISIS announced its operatives had carried out two attack on a Nigerian army camp in the Borno region. Several soldiers were killed and wounded (Telegram, November 13, 2019).

Mozambique

• November 11, 2019: ISIS’s Central Africa Province announced that its operatives had fired machine guns at so-called “agents” of the Mozambique army in the Nangade region (in the northeastern part of the country) (Telegram, November 13, 2019).

Somalia

• November 17, 2019: An IED was detonated to attack a vehicle carrying the chief of the Somalia police, about 12 miles northwest of Mogadishu. The police chief and one of his bodyguards were wounded (Telegram, November 17, 2019).

Libya

    
ISIS operatives in the Barqa region in eastern Libya swear allegiance to ISIS’s new leader (Telegram, November 15, 2019).

Mali

• On November 1, 2019, ISIS operatives attacked a Mali army base in the Menaka region in the southeastern part of the country. ISIS claimed about 90 soldiers had been killed. On November 19, 2019, ISIS published pictures of the attack, for example:   

    
Right: ISIS operatives ride motorcycles to attack the Mali army base. Left: ISIS operatives at the Mali army base after they took control of it (Telegram, November 19, 2019).

   
APC’s and other Mali army vehicles seized by ISIS operative
(Telegram, November 19, 2019).

Afghanistan

Nangahar Province

• November 13, 2019: An officer of the Jalalabad prison was shot and killed (Telegram, November 14, 2019).

Kunar Province

• November 15, 2019: ISIS attacked a concentration of Afghan police forces. There was an exchange of fire. A number of policemen were killed or wounded (Telegram, November 16, 2019).

Yemen

• November 14, 2019: A Houthi fighter was shot and killed by a sniper in the Qifa region (Telegram, November 15, 2019).

ISIS course for preparing IEDs completed

• ISIS’s Yemen province in the region of al-Bayda (about 90 miles southeast of Sanaa) announced the end of a course taught to train operatives in the preparation of IEDs (Abaa, November 14, 2019).

   
Participants in ISIS course in the preparation of IEDs. ISIS snipers’ course completed
(Telegram, November 14, 2019).

• ISIS’s Yemen Province in the al-Bayda area announced the end of a course taught to train snipers (Telegram, November 14, 2019).

    
Right: The instructor teaching the participants. Left: The participants practice what they learned (Telegram, November 14, 2019).

^[1] For further information about the receipt of guarantees from local tribal dignitaries for the release of ISIS operatives, see "Spotlight on Global Jihad" for May 29, 2019). ↑

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