Category: The Islamic State

The Islamic State, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Militancy Over the Past Decade

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Yesterday, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for its first attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In one of the claims, IS states that these attacks occurred within its so-called ‘Wilayat Wasat Ifriqiya’ (Mid/Central Africa). Wassim Nasr notes that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has talked about this ‘wilayah’ previously in his August 22, 2018 speech. Interestingly, in al-Baghdadi’s speech following the announcement of IS’s self-proclaimed Caliphate in July 2014, he mentions the Central African Republic, but not the Democratic Republic of Congo. CAR has been a topic jihadis in general have discussed more so than DRC historically.

As Caleb Weiss highlights however, there is a history of connections between IS and some militant groups in the country. Since this is such an under-covered phenomenon, I thought it would be useful to share resources related to this topic to help contextualize and better understand it based on content I have saved over the years. It is not a ton, but better than nothing. If anyone wants to add anything to the following dossier let me know and I will post it so there is a fuller picture. From oldest to most recent.

—

January 17, 2013:

Authorities on alert after al-Shabaab, Ugandan militants join forces

July 1, 2014:

U.S. imposes sanctions on Islamist group in Congo for targeting children

January 9, 2015:

The Rise of ADF-NALU in Central Africa and Its Connections with al-Shabaab – The Jamestown Foundation

February 19, 2015:

New insights on Congo’s Islamist rebels – The Washington Post

May 11, 2015:

Congo seeks extradition of Islamist rebel chief from Tanzania – Reuters

September 27, 2016:

Jihadis in Congo? Probably not

December 26, 2016:

Rebels Blamed for Killing 25 With Machetes in Congo

December 8, 2017:

Islamist attack kills at least 15 UN peacekeepers and five soldiers in DRC – The Guardian

February 23, 2018:

Congo Army gruesomely destroys base of Islamist rebel group – Business Insider

May 24, 2018:

AU confirms ISIS infiltration in countries, including Somalia – Shabelle

July 31, 2018:

The Islamic State in East Africa

November 2, 2018:

Violence and Viruses_ How a Poorly Armed Insurgency in the Congo Poses a Global Threat – Jamestown

November 14, 2018:

Inside the ADF Rebellion A Glimpse into the Life and Operations of a Secretive Jihadi Armed Group

November 15, 2018:

Financier of Islamic State paid money to rebel group in eastern Congo: report – Reuters

November 24, 2018:

U.S. says receives credible terrorist threat against facilities in Congo – Reuters

December 3, 2018:

Threat from Islamic State-Affiliated Group Reason DRC US Embassy Closed

December 4, 2018:

The tentative ties between the Allied Democratic Forces and ISIS

December 7, 2018:

Militants kill at least 18 civilians in Congo’s Ebola zone – Reuters

February 9, 2019:

Trends in the Spread of Radical Islam in Africa: The Case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Modern Diplomacy

April 18, 2019:

Islamic State claims attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – FDD’s Long War Journal

Islamic State claims:

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #178″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts see: #177, #176, #175, #174, #173, #172, #171, #170, #169, #168, #167, #166, #165, #164, #163, #162, #161, #160, #159, #158, #157, #156, #155, #154, #153, #152, #151, #150, #149, #148, #147, #146, #145, #144, #143, #142, #141, #140, #139, #138, #137, #136, #135, #134, #133, #132, #131, #130, #129, #128, #127, #126, #125, #124, #123, #122, #121, #120, #119, #118, #117, #116, #115, #114, #113, #112, #111, #110, #109, #108, #107, #106, #105, #104, #103, #102, #101, #100, #99, #98, #97, #96, #95, #94, #93, #92, #91, #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, and #1.

—

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #178

______________

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

New statement from Anṣār al-Sharī’ah in the Arabian Peninsula: “About Our Brothers the Prisoners of the Kharijites”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

__________-__________-_______________small

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الأربعاء 12/ شعبان(8)/1440هــ الموافق 17/ ابريل(4)2019م

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه؛ أما بعد:

لقد حدثت خلال الفترة الماضية معارك بين أنصار الشريعة وبين تنظيم الدولة وقد كان السبب فيها هو أن تنظيم الدولة قام بأسر مجموعة من أنصار الشريعة وهم في طريقهم إلى الجبهة لمقاتلة الحوثيين بحجة أن إخواننا من ” ما يسمى بالحكومة الشرعية ” وحسب مانشره تنظيم الدولة حينها أنهم لم يعرفوا أن هؤلاء من أنصار الشريعة، وحينها تواصل الإخوة مع “تنظيم الدولة” ليفرجوا عن أسرانا عبر بعض الوسطاء فرفضوا الإفراج عنهم، وكعادتهم في التهديد والوعيد وأنهم ينتظرون أمرا من قيادتهم بتصفيتهم وغيرها مما لا يخفى على كل متابع ومطلع على أسلوب هؤلاء القوم في التعامل مع خصومهم.

وحينها اندلعت معارك مع تنظيم الدولة أدت إلى قتل وأسر عدد منهم، وخلال الفترة الماضية ونحن نسعى في فكاك أسرانا بكل الوسائل المشروعة.

وإننا اليوم ندعوا تنظيم الدولة إلى الإفراج عن أسرانا الذين لم يشاركوا في هذه الحرب أصلا، ونحن مستعدون للافراج عن أسراهم الذين شاركوا في الحرب إلى أي وسيط يرضى به الطرفين.

ونحمل تنظيم الدولة المسؤولية الكاملة عن سلامة أسرانا، ونحذرهم من أي تصرف غير مسؤول تجاه الأسرى.

وإننا نعاهد الله ونعاهد إخواننا المسلمين والمجاهدين ونخص منهم أسرانا في كل مكان (سواء عند الحوثيين أو عند المرتدين أو عند الخوارج ) نعاهدهم أننا سنسعى في فكاكهم ماكان فينا عين تطرف وقلب ينبض، وأن كل يد امتدت إليهم بسوء ستدفع ثمن ذلك عاجلا أم آجلا.. والحرب سجال والأيام دول.

اللهم فك أسرانا في كل مكان، اللهم أنزل عليهم من الصبر أضعاف مانزل بهم من البلاء، اللهم إنا نستودعك أسرانا يامن لا تضيع ودائعك، اللهم الطف بهم وفرج عنهم ماهم فيه.

والله غالب على أمره ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون.

أنصار الشريعة

_______________

Source: Telegram

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

New release from Anas Khaṭāb: “A Look At The Psychological Motivations Of Extremists”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Anas Khaṭāb — A Look At The Psychological Motivations Of Extremists

_______________

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

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #177″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts see: #176, #175, #174, #173, #172, #171, #170, #169, #168, #167, #166, #165, #164, #163, #162, #161, #160, #159, #158, #157, #156, #155, #154, #153, #152, #151, #150, #149, #148, #147, #146, #145, #144, #143, #142, #141, #140, #139, #138, #137, #136, #135, #134, #133, #132, #131, #130, #129, #128, #127, #126, #125, #124, #123, #122, #121, #120, #119, #118, #117, #116, #115, #114, #113, #112, #111, #110, #109, #108, #107, #106, #105, #104, #103, #102, #101, #100, #99, #98, #97, #96, #95, #94, #93, #92, #91, #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, and #1.

—

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #177

_______________

Source: Telegram

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

An Analysis of the Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed Military Database

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

The Islamic State Archives

Introduction

It is with great pleasure that I commence this project of the Islamic State Archives in collaboration with Aaron Zelin by presenting an internal database of military personnel for the Islamic State’s southern Syria affiliate Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed(“The Army of Khalid bin al-Waleed”- JKBW).

As an introduction for readers, JKBW was formed in May 2016 as a merger between three Syrian jihadi groups: Liwa Shuhada’ al-Yarmouk (“The Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade”), Harakat al-Muthanna al-Islamiya (“The Islamic al-Muthanna Movement”) and Jama’at al-Mujahideen (“The Group of Mujahideen”). The “Khalid bin al-Waleed” aspect of JKBW’s name refers to the Muslim conqueror Khalid bin al-Waleed, who defeated the Byzantines at the Battle of the Yarmouk, a key engagement that resulted in the Muslim conquest of the Levant in the 7th century CE.

The group’s name becomes understandable when one notes that the formation of JKBW took place in the Yarmouk Basin region…

View original post 2,044 more words

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: April 9

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin
IS in Action

On 9 April, IS claimed responsibility for an attack on the town of Fuqaha, in the southern Jufra region. Arriving in as many as 15 vehicles, IS cut off communications to the town, burnt down several houses and executed the head of the municipal guard. Three civilians who had been released from captivity in Ghaduwwa were killed in the incident. In their claim of responsibility, IS said the attack was a part of the “battle of revenge for al-Sham.”

On 1 April, the Misrata Security Directorate reported that its Bomb Disposal Unit had disposed of four tonnes of unexploded ordinances (UXOs) planted by IS in east Sirte in 2016. On 28 March, the Mayor of Sirte, Mukhtar al-Madani, met with representatives of the Danish De-mining Group (DDG) to establish teams to inspect former conflict zones associated with the 2016 IS conflict in order to detected UXOs. On 28 March, a Libyan news media outlet published the testimony of a civilian kidnapped by IS fighters late last year and held captive in a ‘prison’ on a farm in the Ghaduwwa area before being rescued by security forces. The individual recounts being taken in vehicles through the Harouj area and stopping throughout the journey to bury mines. The captive identified the leader of the IS group that kidnapped them as being a ‘Yemeni emir’ who has vowed to launch more raids on Fuqaha. On 25 March, the Sabratha Security Directorate reported it had arrested a suspected IS member. The individual is to be prosecuted but no other information is available at this time.

Other Jihadi Actors

On 9 April, unconfirmed reports suggest Abrek Maazak, also known as “Abrek the Egyptian,” has been released from prison and is participating in the clashes in Tripoli. Maazak is a founding member of Ajdabiya Revolutionaries Shura Council, an Islamist brigade formerly linked with Ansar Al-Sharia and the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council. Maazak had been arrested, along with Saadi Abdullah Abukzim al-Noufali, in October 2017 by Misrata security forces. On 29 March, two al-Qaeda members from Derna were reported to have been arrested in Misrata. The individuals are said to have participated in fighting in Syria with Katibat al-Batar.

A weekly update of IS’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 IS in Libya this week, click here, and to read about the developments within the anti-IS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here. To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on IS in Libya report, click here.

Eye-on-Isis-Logo-001