Category: Syria

Check out my new ‘Policy Watch’ for the Washington Institute: “A Year Since Baghuz, the Islamic State Is Neither Defeated nor Resurging (Yet)”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

A lot has happened for the Islamic State since it lost its last sliver of territory in Baghuz, Syria, a year ago this week. Most notable was the death of its first self-declared caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a U.S. Special Forces raid in Barisha, Syria, last October. IS subsequently announced his successor as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi, and thus far, there have been no signs of any disruption in its activities as a result of this transition. Indeed, despite the U.S. government’s boisterous pronouncements that IS was defeated after the fall of Baghuz, the organization remains active.

Yet it is also too early to state that IS has rebounded. Rather, it is surviving and waiting for the right moments to take advantage—and not necessarily in the same manner it did in 2004-2006 (when it first became relevant) or 2012-2014 (when it resurfaced after major defeats in Iraq). Even so, many of the underlying sectarian and governance dynamics that led to its reemergence eight years ago persist in both Iraq and Syria.

Click here to read the rest.

New video message from Hay’at Taḥrīr al-Shām’s Shaykh Yaḥyā Bin Ṭāhar al-Firghālī: “Sharī’ah Guidelines For Dealing With Coronavirus From the M4 Highway”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

_______________

To inquire about a translation for this video message for a fee email: [email protected]

New issue of Hay’at Taḥrīr al-Shām’s newsletter: “Ibā’ #91″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior issues see: #90, #89, #88, #87, #86, #85, #84, #83, #82, #81, #80, #79, #78, #77, #76, #75, #74, #73, #72, #71, #70, #69, #68, #67, #66, #65, #64, #63, #62, #61, #60, #59, #58, #57, #56, #55, #54, #53, #52, #51, #50, #49, #48, #47, #46, #45, #44, #43, #42, #41, #40, #39, #38, #37, #36, #35, #34, #33, #32, #31, #30, #29, #28, #27, #26, #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, #1, and #0.

—

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Hay’at Taḥrīr al-Shām — Ibā’ Newsletter #91

_________________

To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New video message from Hay’at Taḥrīr al-Shām’s Shaykh Yaḥyā Bin Ṭāhar al-Firghālī: “The Road to the Caliphate: History of the Jihādist Movements from the Muslim Brotherhood to the Shāmī Jihād, The Fifth Generation, Episode #1″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts in this video series see the forth generation here: #6, #5, #4, #3, #2 and #1; third generation here: #5, #4, #3, #2 and #1; the second generation here: #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1; and the first generation here: #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1.

—

_______________

To inquire about a translation for this video message for a fee email: [email protected]

New release from Aḥmad al-Yūsuf: “Response to the Recent Speech of Dr. ‘Abd Allah bin Muḥammad al-Muḥaysinī on the Subject of the Joint Russian-Turkish Patrols

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Aḥmad al-Yūsuf — Response to the Recent Speech of Dr. ‘Abd Allah bin Muḥammad al-Muḥaysinī on the Subject of the Joint Russian-Turkish Patrols

_________________

Source: Telegram

To inquire about a translation for this release for a fee email: [email protected]

Check out my new article for the Global Network on Extremism & Technology: “How Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia’s Message Framing Primed Its Members To Become Recruits For The Islamic State”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

There are a number of reasons why Tunisians joined the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria, and Libya. One underappreciated aspect of this is the way Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia’s (AST) messaging primed members of the group and others in society that were exposed to, attended, or followed online AST activities and events. In my new book, Your Sons Are At Your Service: Tunisia’s Missionaries of Jihad, I describe this process, which I will examine in brief here. In particular, I will explore AST’s motivational framing, which “functions as prods to action.” The major themes AST crafted in its narrative was related to brotherhood, the defense of Islam, the creation of an Islamic state, and remaining as an entity.

Click here to read the rest.

New release from Shaykh Abū ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Gharbī: “What Is Required of the Mujāhid Brother in Syria Today .. ?”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Shaykh Abū ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Gharbī — What Is Required of the Mujāhid Brother in Syria Today .. ?

__________________

Source: Telegram

To inquire about a translation for this release for a fee email: [email protected]

New release from Dr. ‘Abd Allah bin Muḥammad al-Muḥaysinī: “Closing of the Mosques Because of the Coronavirus”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Dr. ‘Abd Allah bin Muḥammad al-Muḥaysinī — Closing of the Mosques Because of the Coronavirus

_______________

Source: Telegram

To inquire about a translation for this release for a fee email: [email protected]

New release from Wi-Kāllat Thabāt al-Ikhbariyyah: “Interview With the Media Office of Jabhat Anṣār al-Dīn About the Recent Initiative”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Wi-Kāllat Thabāt al-Ikhbariyyah — Interview With the Media Office of Jabhat Anṣār al-Dīn About the Recent Initiative

________________

Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this release for a fee email: [email protected]

New statement from the ‘Incite the Believers’ Operations Room: “The Astana Path and the Bitter Harvest”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: ‘Incite the Believers’ Operations Room — The Astana Path and the Bitter Harvest

_________________

Source: Telegram

To inquire about a translation for this statement for a fee email: [email protected]