Category: The Islamic State

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: October 9

Posted on by libyaanalysis
IS in Action Throughout last week the Sirte Protection Force (SPF) was on a state of alert following reports of the presence of IS fighters near Sirte. Several days before, the SPF posted photos of their manned checkpoints on the outskirts of the city. Other Jihadi Actors On 8 October, the spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA), Ahmed Mesmari, stated that the Libyan National Army (LNA) had captured former Egyptian Special Forces officer turned Egyptian jihadist, Hisham al-Ashmawy, in the al-Maghar neighborhood of Derna. Al-Ashmawy was captured with a suicide vest on, which he had failed to detonate. Photos published by the LNA show al-Ashmawy bloodied and receiving treatment following his arrest. Following his capture, Egyptian security officials have called for his extradition. Described by some security officials as Egypt’s most wanted man, Al-Ashmawy (also known as Abu Omar Al-Muhajir) joined the Egyptian Armed forces in the 1990s and became a member of the Egyptian Special Forces in 1996, before eventually being expelled from the military for his radicalization. He then joined a north Sinai militant group, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis. However, when this group pledged its allegiance to IS in July 2014, Ashmawy split from the group and established his own group that became linked with al-Qaeda. Al-Ashmawy led the al-Qaeda front groups al-Mourabitoun and later Jama’at Ansar al-Islam. Al-Ashmawy is thought to have been using Derna as a safe haven from which to springboard into Egypt to launch attacks. Al-Ashmawy is accused of several attacks in Egypt including an assassination attempt on then Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim in 2013 and killing a leading Egyptian public prosecutor by car bombing in 2015. Al-Ashmawy was captured along with the wife and sons of Omar Rifai Sorour, the alleged Mufti of the Derna Mujahedeen Shura Council who was killed in June of this year. He was also arrested with Bahaa Ali and Merai Abdefattah Khalil Zoghbi. Zoghbi is listed by the UN Security Council and Interpol as a member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), al-Qaeda, and Ansar al-Islam. The jihadist is said to have escaped from Italy to Turkey in 2009 where he was provided political asylum. He is thought to have returned to Libya in 2011, fighting with LIFG members amongst the Rafa’a al-Sahti Brigade that would eventually become part of Ansar al-Sharia in Libya. 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

New video message from The Islamic State: "And Sit In Wait For Them At Every Place – Wilāyat al-‘Irāq, Kirkūk”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

The title of this release is in reference to Qur’anic 9:5. Here it is in full: “And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.”
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To inquire about a translation for this video message for a fee email: [email protected]

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: "al-Nabā’ #150"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts see: #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.
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #150
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To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New statement from the Islamic Emirate of Aghanistan’s Zabīh Allah Mujāhid: "Invaders Once Again Bomb Mujāhidīn To Support Dā'ish in Nangarhar"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

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Since past several days, Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate have been carrying out operations against Daesh insurgents in Wazir Tangi area of Khowgyani district in Nangarhar province, during which several areas have been purged from Daesh evildoers, forcing them to flee and providing the residents to breathe a sigh of relief.
Seeing defeat of Daesh, American invaders, who always supported Daesh by preventing Mujahideen to take effective measure against them, have yet again carried out drone strikes on Mujahideen positions, martyring around 20 Mujahideen.
Despite American bombardments, Mujahideen have retained the liberated territories and are continuing operations against Daesh.
This comes after American invaders also bombarded Mujahideen positions in order to avoid Daesh’s complete eradication from Qush Tepa district of Jowzjan province some time ago and later rescued them under their supervision via Kabul regime’s helicopters.
Similarly, whenever America realized that Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate are engaged in effective offensive against Daesh in eastern region of the country, they bombarded Mujahideen positions, asserting that American invaders are standing behind Daesh mischief.
Spokesman of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Zabihullah Mujahid
23/01/1440 Hijri Lunar
11/07/1397 Hijri Solar 03/10/2018 Gregorian
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Source: Telegram

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: October 2

Posted on by libyaanalysis
IS in Action On 30 September, the Sirte Protection Force stated that IS fighters have been observed along the coast road between Wadi al-Ahmar and Umm al-Qandil, 90 and 110 km east of Sirte respectively. Security forces have allegedly been dispatched to patrol for the group south of the Wadi al-Ahmar region. Other Jihadi Actors On 25 September, an attempt to assassinate the Dean of the Derna Municipality, Abdel-Moneim al-Ghaithi, was thwarted following the identification and dismantling of an Improvised Explosive Devise close to his room in the Pearl Hotel. Derna Protection Force (DPF) remnants are suspected of being responsible for the incident. On 26 September, the Libyan National Army (LNA) stopped a woman at a checkpoint near Zawiyat al-Urqub in Derna after she was founded to be carrying weapons, money and other documents for DPF remnants in the city. 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

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: "al-Nabā’ #149"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts see: #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.
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #149
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To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New audio message from The Islamic State’s Abū al-Ḥasan al-Muhājir: "The Mujāhidīn's Assault on the Tower of the Polytheists"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin


Audio:
Abū al-Ḥasan al-Muhājir — The Mujāhidīn’s Assault on the Tower of the Polytheists

English translation:
Abū al-Ḥasan al-Muhājir — The Mujāhidīn’s Assault on the Tower of the Polytheists (En)
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To inquire about a translation for this audio message for a fee email: [email protected]