Main events of the past week
- This week, ISIS’s activity in the various provinces continued at a “routine” level:
- Syria: Tension returned to the rebel enclave in Idlib after the Syrian army intensified its artillery fire, possibly in preparation for a ground attack. In the Idlib region, the establishment of a new organization subordinate to the HTS was announced. The new organization is called the Al-Qa’qa’ Army (Jaysh al-Qa’qa’). In the desert area (Al-Badia): The Syrian army and the forces supporting it suffered heavy losses while searching for ISIS operatives.
- Iraq: ISIS has stepped up its activity in what it calls its economic war. As part of this activity, ISIS operatives targeted high-voltage pylons and refineries. ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly published an infographic on the economic war in Iraq, describing the recent destruction of and damage to 16 high-voltage pylons supplying electricity to the various provinces in Iraq.
- Sinai: In the Sinai Province, ISIS has stepped up its activity against the Egyptian army. An intelligence officer with the rank of major (ra’ed) was killed in an IED explosion in Jabal al-Halal, in central Sinai.
- Afghanistan: ISIS’s activity in Afghanistan continues. In Afghanistan as well, IEDs were activated against high-voltage pylons this week as part of ISIS’s economic war against the regime.
- Africa: The downtrend in ISIS’s activity in Africa continues. Nigeria: ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian police headquarters, a Red Cross post, and a Nigerian army camp. The Democratic Republic of the Congo: ISIS’s Central Africa Province claimed responsibility for the killing of two pro-government militia fighters. Libya: Haftar’s army launched an operation to locate “terrorists” (i.e., ISIS operatives) in the southwestern part of the country. This is in light of the recent attacks carried out by ISIS against Haftar’s army.
- The battle for hearts and minds: On June 21, 2021, ISIS’s Al-Furqan Media Foundation released an audiotape of the speech by ISIS Spokesman Abu Hamza al-Qurashi. The tape, which is about 38 minutes long, is entitled “You are the Sublime Ones if you believe.” The tape includes words of encouragement to ISIS’s fighters around the world, calling on them to intensify their activity while addressing each and every province. The tape also mentions the campaign in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians (Telegram, June 22, 2021).
The Syrian arena
Syrian governorates (freeworldmaps.net)
The Idlib region
- This week, the Syrian army intensified its artillery fire at the rebel enclave in Idlib. On June 18, 2021, it fired over 100 rockets at the enclave (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights). The rockets may have been fired in preparation for a ground attack.
- Another organization reportedly joined the ranks of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated HTS in the rebel enclave in Idlib, after its leader had pledged allegiance to it. It is called the Al-Qa’qa’ Army (Jaysh al-Qa’qa’) and is headed by Abu al-Mu’tassem Billah Zabadani. According to the organization, it numbers about 40,000 fighters. Various sources question the accuracy of that figure, claiming that it is exaggerated (SyriaTV, June 17, 2021).
The desert region (Al-Badia)
- During the week, the Syrian army and the forces supporting it worked mainly to locate ISIS operatives who are still present in the region. This activity took place with the support of the Russian Air Force, which carried out dozens of offensive sorties against ISIS targets (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, June 21, 2021; Zaman Al-Wasl, June 20, 2021).
- The Syrian army and the forces supporting it sustained casualties in a series of attacks carried out by ISIS against them:
- Five Syrian soldiers were killed in the explosion of an IED activated against a vehicle in the Al-Sukhnah region, about 100 km southwest of Deir ez-Zor. In addition, ISIS operatives set fire to a Syrian army bulldozer (Telegram, June 20, 2021).
- A total of 10 Syrian soldiers were killed or wounded in exchanges of fire with ISIS operatives in the Shula region and the Kabajib region, southwest of Deir ez-Zor (Zaman Al-Wasl, June 20, 2021).
- A total of 12 Syrian soldiers were killed in an attack by ISIS operatives in the rural area of the city of Palmyra. Contact was lost with four other soldiers. They were probably abducted by ISIS (Al-Araby al-Jadeed, June 19, 2021).
- On June 20, 2021, a local source reported that four ISIS operatives had managed to escape from a prison of one of the IRGC-affiliated militias in the Al-Sukhnah region. Following their escape, a state of alert was declared in the area (Al-Hal, June 20, 2021).
Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region[1]
- On June 19, 2021, an SDF intelligence operative was abducted in the Diban region, about 3 km east of Al-Mayadeen. After being interrogated, he was executed. The ISIS operatives seized his motorcycle and documents.
- On June 19, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in the Hajin region, about 50 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. Two SDF fighters who were on board were wounded.
- On June 16, 2021, IEDs were activated in the house of a man referred to by ISIS as a sorcerer in the Basira region, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen. The house was destroyed.
- On June 16, 2021, an IED was activated against a Syrian army convoy east of Aqirbat, about 40 km east of Salamiyah. Two trucks were destroyed and the passengers on board were killed or wounded.
Al-Raqqah region
- On June 20, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle west of Tabqa. The passengers on board were wounded.
- On June 20, 2021, local sources reported the death of two fighters of the Al-Quds Brigade (a militia supporting the Syrian regime, consisting of Palestinian fighters). They had been killed in the explosion of an IED which was apparently activated by ISIS against their vehicle in the Mi’dan region, about 50 km southeast of Al-Raqqah (Zaman al-Wasl, June 20, 2021).
The Iraqi arena
Provinces of Iraq (Wikipedia)
- This week as well, ISIS operated in the various provinces of Iraq, but a significant decrease is evident in the number of attacks. Many attacks targeted high-voltage pylons as part of what ISIS refers to as the economic war. The Iraqi security forces continued their counterterrorism measures against ISIS. Following are details of various attacks mainly based on ISIS’s claims of responsibility[2].
Kirkuk Province
- On June 18, 2021, ISIS attacked Shiite residents in the Daquq region in south Kirkuk. During the attack, ISIS operatives set fire to two vehicles and transformers, and destroyed a well.
ISIS operatives setting fire to property of Shiite residents (Telegram, June 19, 2021)
Salah al-Din Province
- On June 21, 2021, IEDs were activated against a house of a Tribal Mobilization fighter east of Al-Alam, about 10 km north of Tikrit. It was destroyed (Telegram, June 22, 2021).
- On June 21, 2021, a rocket was fired at the Baiji refineries. According to ISIS, a definite hit on the site was observed (Telegram, June 22, 2021). The Iraqi government did not issue any statement.
The rocket being launched at the refineries (Telegram, June 22, 2021)
- On June 18, 2021, an IED was activated against a Popular Mobilization vehicle in the region of the Hamrin Mountains, about 50 km north of Tikrit. Two fighters were killed.
- On June 18, 2021, an IED was activated against two high-voltage pylons in the Mashahida region, about 20 km north of Baghdad. The two pylons collapsed.
- On June 18, 2021, an IED was activated against a Popular Mobilization vehicle east of Tikrit. The passengers on board were killed or wounded.
Al-Anbar Province
- On June 20, 2021, an Iraqi army camp was targeted by gunfire east of Al-Rutba, in western Iraq, near the border with Syria. Part of the camp went up in flames.
- On June 18, 2021, an Iraqi army camp east of Al-Rutba was attacked and sustained damage (apparently, no soldiers were there during the time of the attack).
Babel Province
- On June 21, 2021, Kamal Shafiq al-Jabouri, the commander of the Jabour tribal militia that collaborates with the Iraqi authorities, was targeted by gunfire while riding a car south of Baghdad. He was wounded, and one of his escorts was killed.
Diyala Province
- On June 21, 2021, ISIS operatives abducted two Tribal Mobilization fighters north of Al-Miqdadiya, about 40 km northeast of Baqubah. They were interrogated and then executed (Telegram, June 22, 2021).
- On June 20, 2021, a Tribal Mobilization camp was targeted by gunfire in Albu Bakr, about 60 km north of Baqubah. Seven fighters were killed. At the same time, an IED was activated in the area in the house of a Tribal Mobilization commander, killing him (Telegram, June 21, 2021).
- On June 20, 2021, an IED was activated against a vehicle carrying a “spy” working with the Tribal Mobilization forces. The incident occurred west of Khanaqin. The passenger was wounded.
- On June 19, 2021, an Iraqi army vehicle was targeted by gunfire in Albu Jumaa, about 60 km north of Baqubah. No casualties were reported. The vehicle was put out of commission.
- On June 17, an IED was activated against a Popular Mobilization vehicle east of Al-Miqdadiya. Two Popular Mobilization fighters who were on board were wounded.
- On June 15, 2021, an Iraqi police base was attacked in the Al-Waqf region, northwest of Baqubah. One policeman was killed.
- On June 15, 2021, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle in the Khan Bani Saad region, about 20 km south of Baqubah. The passengers were also targeted by gunfire. Three soldiers were killed.
- On June 15, 2021, IEDs were activated against three high-voltage pylons in the Mirsad line (which leads from Iran to the Diyala Province). Two of the pylons collapsed and the third was damaged.
- On June 14, 2021, IEDs were activated against two high-voltage pylons on the outskirts of the Al-Azim region, about 60 km north of Baqubah. They were damaged.
ISIS’s “economic war” against Iraq
- This week, ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly published an infographic on the “economic war” waged by ISIS against the Iraqi government. According to the infographic, ISIS has destroyed and damaged 16 high-voltage pylons supplying electricity to the various provinces of Iraq, as follows: six in the Diyala Province, five in the Dijla (Tigris) Province, three in the Kirkuk Province, and two in the Nineveh Province. According to ISIS, Iraq’s electricity grid sustained substantial damage. Recently, there have been more and more ISIS attacks against civilian and government infrastructure throughout Iraq.
Details on the attacks as part of ISIS’s “economic war”
(Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, June 17, 2021)
Counterterrorism measures in Iraq
Baghdad Province
- Iraqi Armed Forces Spokesman Yahya Rasoul announced that the Counterterrorism Unit had detained five terrorist squad operatives (apparently belonging to ISIS). One of the detainees led the unit members to a cache of weapons, equipment, explosive charges and silencers which were intended to be used by the squad operatives to carry out an attack in south Baghdad (Al-Sumaria, June 21, 2021).
Kirkuk Province
- On June 19, 2021, the Iraqi security forces uncovered an ISIS sleeper cell in the Kirkuk Province, which consisted of 10 operatives. All cell members were detained. Their investigation revealed that some of them were fighters and others had provided logistic support or served as a supporting force in the Kirkuk region (Al-Sumaria, June 19, 2021).
Al-Anbar Province
- The Iraqi army launched an operation to locate ISIS operatives in the province. As part of the operation, the forces detained five ISIS operatives (Al-Sumaria, June 20, 2021).
The Sinai Peninsula
- This week’s issue of ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly noted that last week, about 10 Egyptian soldiers had been killed or wounded in various attacks carried out by ISIS’s Sinai Province. As part of the attacks, an Egyptian tank was put out of commission in the Sheikh Zuweid region and a vehicle of a tribal militia supporting the Egyptian army was put out of commission south of Rafah. According to ISIS, the militiamen on board the vehicle were killed (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, June 17, 2021). The attacks were carried out after a period of relative calm in the region.
- Medical sources in Sinai reported that Major (Ra’ed) Ahmad Sharaf, an Egyptian army intelligence officer, was killed in Jabal al-Halal, in central Sinai, after operatives of ISIS’s Sinai Province activated an IED against his car (Al-Araby al-Jadeed, June 20, 2021).
- Following are additional attacks carried out by ISIS during the last week, according to ISIS’s claims of responsibility on Telegram:
- On June 17, 2021, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army convoy near the Hamrawi roadblock in south Sheikh Zuweid. An Egyptian army tank was destroyed and an armored vehicle was put out of commission.
- On June 15 and 16, 2021, IEDs were activated against two Egyptian army bulldozers near Abu Shanar, west of Rafah.