Main events of the past week
- Syria: In the Idlib region, exchanges of artillery fire continued between the Syrian army and the forces supporting it, and the rebel forces. HTS detained a senior figure in the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Din Organization (Guardians of the Religion Organization), as part of the struggle between the two organizations. In the desert region (Al-Badia), ISIS operatives ambushed and killed five Syrian soldiers near Sukhnah. In the Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region, ISIS continued its terrorist activity against the Kurdish SDF fighters.
- Iraq: This week, the Iraqi security forces continued their counterterrorism activity against ISIS operatives. A number of ISIS operatives were killed in the attack, including senior figures. Several soldiers were killed in clashes with ISIS operatives in the Al-Tarmiyah region, including two commanders in the Iraqi army and the Popular Mobilization. NATO defense ministers announced that they would send an additional 3,500 troops to Iraq to train Iraqi forces to fight against ISIS.
- Africa: The intensive activity of ISIS operatives in Africa continues, with an emphasis on Nigeria. In addition, attacks were carried out in Niger and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (where the Italian ambassador was killed; no organization has claimed responsibility but ISIS praised the operation).
- Afghanistan: ISIS claimed responsibility for an exchange of fire in Jalalabad on February 15, 2021, between fighters of an Afghan elite unit and ISIS operatives. According to ISIS, 20 fighters of the Afghan elite unit were killed or wounded in the incident.
- Tunisia: ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly published a report on its activity in Tunisia (which has not yet been declared an official ISIS province). The article mentions an incident in which four soldiers were killed near Jebel Mghaila, near the border with Algeria. The weekly also notes that ISIS operatives killed a “spy” who worked for the Tunisian army about two months ago.
The Syrian arena
The Idlib region
HTS detains senior Hurras al-Din operative
- HTS operatives detained Abu Abdallah al-Suri, a senior operative in the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Din Organization (Guardians of the Religion Organization). Al-Suri is the son of Abu Firas al-Suri, the Nusra Front spokesman killed in April 2016 in an International Coalition airstrike (npasyria.com, February 20, 2021). On the same day, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 10 Hurras al-Din operatives, mostly foreign fighters, had been detained by HTS (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, February 20, 2021).
Artillery fire
- During the week, exchanges of artillery fire continued between the rebel forces, headed by HTS, and the Syrian army and the forces supporting it, in the region south and southeast of the rebel enclave in Idlib (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, February 17-21, 2021).
The desert region (Al-Badia)
- In the desert region, the Syrian army and the forces supporting it operated against ISIS. On February 17, 2021, Syrian army forces with Russian Air Force support killed four ISIS operatives in moving vehicles equipped with machine guns in the desert region, in the Homs Governorate, close to the border with the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. During their activity, they also found an ISIS hiding place containing weapons, ammunition, explosives, and medications (Russia Al-Youm, February 17, 2021; Sputnik, February 17, 2021). On February 18-20, 2021, Russian fighter jets carried out over 100 airstrikes against ISIS targets. About 20 ISIS operatives were reportedly killed (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, February 18-20, 2021).
- On its part, ISIS carried out several activities against the Syrian forces[1]:
- On February 19, 2021, an IED was activated against Syrian soldiers in the Salamiyah desert region, about 30 km southeast of Hama. One soldier was killed.
- On February 16, 2021, Syrian soldiers were ambushed and targeted by machine gun fire near Al-Sukhnah, about 60 km northeast of Palmyra. Five soldiers were killed (Telegram, February 16, 2021).
The Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region
- In the Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region, ISIS continued its attacks, mainly against the Kurdish SDF forces. A noteworthy incident occurred on February 21, 2021: ISIS operatives activated an IED in the SDF headquarters in Shahil, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen. The building was completely destroyed. There were no casualties. According to local sources, the building has recently been evacuated and used as a clinic (www.jesrpress.com, February 22, 2021). Another incident occurred on February 20, 2021: four fighters belonging to an IRGC-handled militia were killed in an attack carried out by “persons unknown” (apparently, ISIS operatives) against an observation post east of Deir ez-Zor (@DeirEzzor24 Twitter account, February 20, 2021).
- Following are additional noteworthy incidents[2]:
- On February 22, 2021, an SDF intelligence operative was targeted by gunfire in Shahil, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed. On the same day, an IED was activated against an SDF oil tanker in the area of the Omar oilfield, about 10 km east of Al-Mayadeen. It was put out of commission.
- On February 18, 2021, an SDF fighter was targeted by gunfire in the Sabha area, in Deir ez-Zor’s eastern rural area. He was killed. On that same day, an SDF vehicle was targeted by machine gun fire in the Shahil area. A commander was killed, several fighters were wounded, and the vehicle was put out of commission. In addition, an SDF intelligence operative was targeted by gunfire about 20 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed.
- On February 17, 2021, an SDF fighter was targeted by machine gun fire in the Hajin area, about 50 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed.
Hama region[3]
- Two noteworthy incidents this week (February 17 and 19, 2021): IEDs were activated against Syrian army vehicles in the Salamiyah desert, about 30 km southeast of Hama. Soldiers were killed or wounded, and the vehicles were destroyed.
Al-Hasakah region
- Two noteworthy incidents this week (February 16 and 18, 2021): SDF fighters were targeted by machine gun fire in the Markada area, about 9 km south of Al-Hasakah. One fighter was killed and another was wounded.
The Iraqi arena
Provinces of Iraq (Wikipedia)
Increase in ISIS’s activity in Iraq
- Sirwan Barzani, the commander of the Kurdish Peshmerga Forces in Iraq, said in an interview that over 7,000 ISIS operatives in Iraqi had seized this period of the COVID-19 pandemic to reorganize and prepare for another wave of attacks. Barzani also noted that due to the spread of the pandemic, the Coalition forces stopped their training and Britain resumed its airstrikes against ISIS only last month, for the first time in three months (Shafaq News, February 18, 2021). Iraqi military sources reported that last week, about 100 ISIS operatives crossed the border from Syria to Iraq (RUDAW, February 20, 2021).
Strengthening Iraqi capability to fight against ISIS
- Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi, the commander of the Popular Mobilization militia, met with Iraqi President Barham Saleh. They discussed the Popular Mobilization’s recent activities to restore security in the provinces of Kirkuk and west Nineveh and on the border between Iraq and Syria. They also discussed the Popular Mobilization’s responsibility to increase the anti-terror struggle and the need to prevent ISIS infiltration through the borders (Twitter account of the Popular Mobilization’s Information Office, February 17, 2021).
- At the same time, NATO defense ministers reportedly announced that they would send an additional 3,500 troops to Iraq in order to train the Iraqi forces to fight against ISIS. If NATO indeed sends reinforcements, the number of NATO troops in Iraq will increase from 500 to 4,000 (Anatolia News Agency, February 18, 2021).
ISIS’s attacks in the various provinces in Iraq[4]
Salah al-Din Province
- The clashes in the province this week reached their peak in a confrontation between ISIS operatives and forces of the Iraqi army and Popular Mobilization in the Tarmiyah region, about 40 km north of Baghdad. ISIS operatives fired at a Popular Mobilization force and even managed to encircle the troops. The Popular Mobilization fighters called for the assistance of other Iraqi army and Popular Mobilization forces, including air support. The rescue forces were also attacked by the ISIS operatives. The exchange of fire between the sides lasted about four hours. At least five Iraqi soldiers and Popular Mobilization fighters were killed, and six were wounded. The casualties include two commanders: A Popular Mobilization foj commander (a foj is similar to a regiment) and an Iraqi army deputy foj commander. In addition, the pilot of a helicopter that landed at the site to evacuate the fighters was wounded. The ISIS operatives seized Iraqi army weapons and ammunition (Telegram, February 21, 2021).
Iraqi army weapons seized by ISIS operatives (Amaq, from Telegram, February 21, 2021)
- On February 22, 2021, ISIS operatives fired machine guns at an Iraqi army camp in the Mashahida area, about 30 km north of Baghdad. One soldier was wounded, and a thermal camera was destroyed.
- On February 17, 2021, an Iraqi army compound west of Tuz Khormato, about 100 km northeast of Samarra, was targeted by machine gun fire and RPG rockets. Two soldiers were killed.
Diyala Province
- On February 19, 2021, an Iraqi policeman was targeted by machine gun fire in the Waqf area, northwest of Baqubah. He was critically wounded.
- On February 18, 2021, two RPG rockets were fired at the police building in Jalula, about 75 km northeast of Baqubah. There were no casualties, but the building was damaged.
- On February 17, 2021, Popular Mobilization fighters north of Khanaqin were targeted by machine gun fire. Three fighters were killed and five others were wounded.
Nineveh Province
- On February 18, 2021, an IED was activated against a vehicle of the oil facilities security guards south of Mosul. The vehicle was destroyed.
Counterterrorism measures in Iraq
Salah al-Din Province
- Based on preliminary intelligence about a meeting of senior ISIS operatives in the Tarmiyah area, about 40 km north of Baghdad, an Iraqi army force with Tribal Mobilization support operated at the site. Six senior ISIS operatives who planned to carry out terrorist attacks in Baghdad were killed. They included the military and administrative commander in charge of North Baghdad and ISIS’s operative in charge of media activities in the Fallujah area (Facebook page of the Baghdad Operations Command, February 20, 2021).
Bodies of ISIS operatives who planned to carry out attacks in Baghdad (Facebook page of the Baghdad Operations Command, February 20, 2021)
- On February 17, 2021, Coalition aircraft attacked and killed two ISIS operatives (Al-Araby al-Jadeed, based on Iraqi security sources, February 17, 2021).
Al-Anbar Province
- On February 20, 2021, an Iraqi police force detained three ISIS operatives (Al-Sumaria, February 20, 2021).
Kirkuk Province
- Col. Wayne Marto, spokesman for the International Coalition, reported that Coalition jets had conducted a number of airstrikes in Wadi al-Shai, in the southern part of the Kirkuk Province. According to Col. Marto, several ISIS operatives were killed and a number of caves were destroyed (RUDAW, February 22, 2021). A terrorism expert closely associated with Iraqi intelligence sources said that among the ISIS operatives killed were Abu Ali al-Tunisi, ISIS’s operative in charge of development and manufacture in the Iraq Province; an operative in charge of ISIS’s media relations; ISIS’s operative in charge of guest houses; and the commander of the Wadi al-Shai area (@fadhil_abu_ragh Twitter account, February 22, 2021).
Sinai Peninsula
