Eye on ISIS in Libya

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: April 3

Posted on April 4, 2018 by libyaanalysis

On 29 March, IS undertook a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) attack on the southern entrance to Ajdabiya killing 5 people, wounding 6 and damaging at least 6 vehicles. A fuel tanker passing by at the same time allegedly compounded the explosion. The following day IS’s media arm claimed responsibility for the attack, identifying the suicide bomber as Abu Qodamah al-Sayeh.
On 30 March, internal security forces undertook a raid on a farmhouse on the outskirts of Ajdabiya, arresting two people thought to be members of an IS sleeper cell and discovering a large cache of explosives, ammunition, firearms, and materials for producing IEDs.
On 2 April, Presidential Council (PC) spokesperson Mohammed al-Sallack announced the launch of a new military operation dubbed Asifat al-Wattan (The Nation’s Storm) with the aim of ending IS’s militant presence in Libya. Ordered by PC President Fayez al-Serraj – who is the commander in chief of the Government of National Accord (GNA) aligned army – the operation will be undertaken by the Anti-Terror Force. The operation has been announced as covering from the 60km checkpoint in eastern Misrata through to the outskirts of Bani Walid, Tarhouna, Misallata, Khoms and Zliten. No other details have been given at this time.

Other Jihadi Actors On 1 April, in a media statement, Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Khalifa Haftar warned that the time given to the Derna Mujahedeen Shura Council (DMSC) – who occupies and controls the city of Derna – to disarm and lay down their weapons has expired, suggesting that major clashes in Derna could start at any time. A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here.

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: March 20

Posted on March 21, 2018 by libyaanalysis

Other Jihadi Actors

On 18 March, the LNA released details of the arrest of 16 alleged “terrorists” in the Kufra region of southern Libya carrying Syrian and Sudanese passports. The LNA claim they are “Jabhat Nusra” veterans of Syria that reached Libya through Sudan via Turkey in order to join al-Qaeda elements in the Sirte area. A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here.

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: March 13

Posted on March 14, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 11 March, the Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesperson announced that the Sirte Operations Room had killed three IS leaders fleeing Derna. The spokesperson added that IS elements were reported to be moving in the areas south of Sirte, Bani Walid, and Sidra. On 8 March, a suicide vehicle borne improved explosive device (SVBIED) attacked a checkpoint south east of Ajdabiya controlled by the LNA’s 152 infantry brigade. Two Sudanese civilians and one LNA fighter were reportedly wounded. On 10 March, IS claimed responsibility for the attack. Other Jihadi Actors On 11 March, it was reported that Saudi Arabia had handed over to the Libyan National Army (LNA) two alleged al-Qaeda members accused of abducting five Egyptian diplomats in Tripoli in 2014. The two suspects, Mahmoud bin Rajab and Muhammad al-Khadraoui, were arrested in June 2017 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The LNA has said they will be investigated and put on trial. A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here.

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: March 6

Posted on March 7, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 28 February, US law enforcement officials stated that twenty year old Bernard Raymond Augustine from Keyes in the US, accused of trying to enter Libya to join IS, had been arrested. Augustine had been returned to the US from Tunisia after being first arrested in Tunisia in 2016. Augustine is said to have told US customs that he intended to travel to Tunisia for a vacation. The American has been charge with attempting to provide material to support terrorism, with a search of his computer allegedly containing messages he had sent praising the group. A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here.

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: February 27

Posted on February 27, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 21 February, at 9:15 in the morning, an IS Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) drove into the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) 127 infantry battalion at a checkpoint near Waddan in the Jufra district. The attack destroyed two vehicles and killing three LNA fighters, wounding two more. IS’s official news agency Amaq claimed responsibility for the attack and stated that they had killed 15 “apostate militia of Haftar”. IS’s Cyrenaican Libyan Branch, Wiliaya Barqa, also claimed responsibility for the attack and released the name of the suicide bomber – Abu Muhammad al-Muhajir. A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here.

Eye on Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: 20 February 2018

Posted on February 20, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 18 February, Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui is reported to have stated in an address at the Munich Security Conference in Germany that IS will attempt to return to Libya following its defeat in Iraq and Syria. In his speech, Jhniaoui called for the need for cooperative international counter-terrorism efforts, arguing “to win our battle against terrorism, it has to be under the name of “war of thoughts,” which will eradicate extremist thinking that attempts to attract young people to ideological distortions, in addition to fighting poverty and unemployment.” Other Jihadi ActorsAn LNA offensive against the Derna Mujahedeen Shura Council (DMSC), which controls Derna, appears imminent. The Libyan National Army (LNA) continues to deploy large ground forces to Derna from Benghazi, Ajdabiya, and other areas to prepare for the assault.

A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here. To read their explanation of the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here.

To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here. To subscribe to receive this report weekly into your inbox, sign up on the subscribe page.

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: February 13

Posted on February 13, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 10 February, three Libyan National Army officers belonging to the 165th Brigade were injured in a VBIED attack on their position at the 90km checkpoint, 60 km east of Sidra at 9:25am local time. The driver of the vehicle is suspected of being an IS fighter. Two military vehicles were also destroyed in the attack. Other Jihadi Actors On 9 February, a double bombing occurred at Saad Ibn Ibada mosque in the Majouri district of Benghazi during Friday prayers. The attack killed 2 people and wounded at least 75 people. According to reports, the explosive devices had been placed in bags at the mosque doors and appear to have been activated remotely using a mobile phone. This attack follows a bombing at a mosque in the city in late January, which killed 35 people. A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here.

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: February 6

Posted on February 6, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 30 January, Indian media reported that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs had received information from Libyan authorities that an Indian national named Tabrez Tambe is being held in a Libyan jail as a prisoner of war. Tambe reportedly fled India in January 2016 to join IS in Libya. The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad allegedly sent a letter to the Libyan authorities seeking details of his detention but has received no reply. On 31 January, the Libyan National Army 12 unit in Brak al-Shatti, a town around 60km north of Sabha, claimed that two IS affiliates had been killed in clashes with the LNA and local residents. According to media reports, three men were scouting for food supplies in Brak, but when suspicion was aroused, they shot at an LNA fighter before being chased by another LNA fighter and some local residents. Two of the men were later found dead outside the city. On 2 February, two alleged IS fighters were killed and two Libyan LNA fighters were injured in clashes near the town of Maradah. On 3 February, three alleged IS fighters were killed in clashes near Waha Company’s Dahra oil field, located between Maradah and Zallah. Two LNA fighters died and another five were injured in the clashes. The LNA media office has stated the recent spate of incidences in the region result from an LNA campaign tracking IS fighters who fled Benghazi and participated in attacks against LNA posts in al-Fughaha in October last year. Other Jihadi Actors Last week, the Libyan National Army (LNA) deployed forces from Benghazi and nearby towns to take positions around Derna to prepare an offensive against the Derna Mujahadeen Shura Council (DMSC), which controls the city. The LNA has been besieging the city for several months. The LNA’s Omar al-Mukhtar Operation Room Commander Salem Rifadi asked all citizens to move away from possible targets, indicating that shelling and/or airstrikes may be used in the offensive on targets inside the city. A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here. To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here.

Eye on Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: 30 January 2018

Posted on January 30, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 27 January, a cooperative effort began between the al-Bunyan al-Marsous Security Directorate of Sirte and the Red Crescent of Misrata to recover the bodies of IS fighters buried in Sirte’s neighborhood 600 and 656. Three bodies were recovered with another six the following day. Neighborhood 600 saw some of the most intense clashes between IS fighters and al-Bunyan al-Marsous forces in 2016, when the former occupied the city. Other Jihadi Actors On 23 January, a dual bombing in Benghazi led to at least 40 deaths, with many of those critically injured in the initial attack subsequently dying from their wounds. The first bomb went off outside the Bayaat al-Radwan mosque in the central al-Salmani district, as worshippers were leaving evening prayers. Around 10 to 15 minutes later, after security and health officials had arrived on the scene, a second more powerful blast was reportedly detonated from a Mercedes parked on the opposite side of the street. The victims include both Libyan National Army (LNA) fighters and civilians. While no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, LNA affiliated groups have blamed jihadists. On 29 January, in Derna fighting escalated in the south of the city after the Derna Mujahedeen Shura Council reportedly abducted and executed three people who they accused of being LNA loyalists and militants preparing for subversion in the city.

To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here. To subscribe to receive this report weekly into your inbox, sign up on the subscribe page.

Eye on Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: 23 January 2018

Posted on January 23, 2018 by libyaanalysis

IS in Action On 15 January, Ghanaian security forces arrested three returnees from Libya for planning a terrorist-related attack. One of the suspects, Ishmael Ali Musa, is alleged to have connections to ISIS in Libya. The men were found to possess grenades, ammunition and explosives, thought smuggled into Ghana from Libya. The arrests are a part of joint military and police “intelligence-led operations” focusing on Ghanaian returnees with possible links to IS in Libya. On 19 January, the al-Bunyan al-Marsous Sirte Security Force deputy commander, Ali Rafida, announced they had been tracking IS fighters for three days in the valleys south of Sirte. Other Jihadi Actors On January 20 and 21, the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) 321 Battalion and the Derna Mujahedeen Shura Council (DMSC) were reportedly shelling each other in the southern districts of Derna. The 321 Battalion are also said to have been firing heavy artillery on the western entrance of the city. The escalation of fighting follows the DMSC advance into areas once controlled by the LNA.

To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here. To subscribe to receive this report weekly into your inbox, sign up on the subscribe page.

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