Category: The Islamic State

Eye On Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: May 8

Posted on by libyaanalysis
IS in Action On 2 May, Islamic State (IS) fighters attacked the High National Election Commission Office (HNEC) building in the Ghout al-Shaal area of Tripoli at 10:10 local time. Following a brief shootout with security guards, two assailants detonated explosive vests. As many as 16 people were killed and more than 19 were injured. Soon after the incident IS claimed responsibility for the attack and identified the attackers as Abu Ayoub and Abu Tawfik. On 5 May, IS’s al-Naba’ online newsletter claimed that fighters from the group undertook two attacks on the Libyan National Army in the Wahat province, in late April. On 8 May, IS undertook an SVBIED attack on an LNA controlled checkpoint near Bin Jawwad, 70 km from Ras Lanuf, killing two and injuring four. Other Jihadi Actors On 1 May, factions in Misrata eulogised the former leader of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council (BRSC), Wissam Bin Hamid, after news of his death was officially announced by his family. He was reportedly killed on 10 December 10, 2016. 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-Isis-Logo-001

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: "al-Nabā’ #130"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts see: #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 #130
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To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

Check out my new ‘Policy Watch’ for the Washington Institute: "The Islamic State Targets Tunisia Ahead of Elections"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin


Tunisia’s first-ever municipal elections, scheduled for May 6, are an important milestone in the quest to implement democratic institutions and give locals more agency in making decisions about their needs—two goals that, unsurprisingly, run counter to the vision, interests, and ideology of Salafi-jihadist groups in the region. The Islamic State (IS) has signaled that it hopes to disrupt the vote, focusing official propaganda on Tunisia for the first time since summer 2016.
Over the past two years, the group’s activity in Tunisia has been significantly constrained, but low-profile attacks have continued in the interior governorate of Kasserine. The elections represent a high-stakes opportunity to encourage and empower residents of this forgotten area, so the government would be wise to focus on securing not only higher-profile targets in the capital and coastal regions, but also polling sites in the interior. Such efforts could further legitimize the democratic process, showing skeptical locals that the central authorities are slowly but steadily reaching out to them on governance and other issues.
Click here to the read the rest.

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #129"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts see: #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 #129
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To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New video message from The Islamic State: "Then Is It the Judgement of [the Time of] Ignorance They Desire? – Wilāyat al-Furāt"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

The title of this release is in reference to Qur’anic verse 5:50. Here it is in full: “Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than God in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith].”
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To inquire about a translation for this video message for a fee email: [email protected]

New audio message from The Islamic State’s Abū al-Ḥasan al-Muhājir: "So From Their Guidance Take An Example"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

The title of this release is in reference to Qur’anic verse 6:90. Here it is in full: “Those are the ones whom God has guided, so from their guidance take an example. Say, ‘I ask of you for this message no payment. It is not but a reminder for the worlds.'”
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Abū al-Ḥasan al-Muhājir — So From Their Guidance Take An Example

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

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #128"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior parts see: #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 #128
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To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]