Countries - The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

Spotlight on Global Jihad (October 21-27, 2021)

Afghanistan: ISIS operatives continue to carry out attacks against Taliban forces and Shiite civilians. Syria: The downtrend in ISIS’s activity continues. Russian Air Force planes carried out airstrikes against ISIS targets in the desert region. In Iraq, ISIS’s activity was also limited. The Sinai Peninsula: Three fighters from the Tarabin tribe, which is part of the tribal union supporting the Egyptian army against ISIS, were killed in the explosion of a mine apparently planted by ISIS operatives. Africa: ISIS continued to attack military forces and Christian civilians, mainly in Nigeria, Mozambique and the Congo. The battle for hearts and minds: with the approach of Christmas and New Year’s Day, ISIS-affiliated accounts on TikTok have begun posting content encouraging ISIS operatives and supporters to carry out terrorist attacks in Western countries. Read more...

Spotlight on Iran (November 4, 2021 – November 18, 2021)

The Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria, Javad Ghafari, concluded his deployment to Syria and conducted a last round of visits to bases of the Shia militias operating in Syria. Following a visit of the head of the Iranian Organization for Pilgrimage to Damascus, Iran and Syria agreed to resume the pilgrimage visits of Iranian citizens to Shia holy sites in Syria, which was halted following the outbreak of COVID-19. Senior Iranian officials condemned the attempted assassination of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kazimi, carried out on the night of November 7, and denied any Iranian involvement in the event. Read more...

Spotlight on Iran (October 21, 2021 – November 4, 2021)

American officials assessed that Iran is behind the October 20th drone attack on the military base in al-Tanf, southern Syria, which serves the International Coalition led by the United States. A Syrian opposition website reported the opening of five new offices of the pro-Iranian militia al-Hashemiyoun in the Deir Ezzor region. The head of the Iranian Trade Development Organization announced that Iran and Syria will sign a free trade agreement between them at the end of November. The Iranian ambassador to Baghdad announced in late October that from now on, Iranian citizens will no longer require a visa when entering Iraq via airports. On October 27, Tehran witnessed a summit of ministers of foreign affairs of the countries neighboring on Afghanistan as well as Russia. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (November 11-17, 2021)

Afghanistan: An IED exploded at a mosque in the town of Traili in Nangarhar Province. At least 15 people were wounded, and at least three of them died. Syria: This week there was an increase in the volume of ISIS’s activity in Syria. Africa: This week there was an increase in the volume of ISIS’s activity in Africa. Iraq: There has been a decrease in ISIS’s activity this week. Britain: A man was killed in an explosion in a taxi in the city of Liverpool. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (November 4 – 10, 2021)

Afghanistan: Afghanistan continues to be the main focus of ISIS's activities. In American intelligence assessment, ISIS is determined to intensify its activities in Syria and Iraq. Syria: ISIS's activities continue to decline. Iraq: ISIS's attacks continue but with relatively low intensity. Africa: A new commander was appointed for ISIS's West Africa Province after his two predecessors were killed. The battle for hearts and minds: The lead article in al-Nabā’, ISIS's weekly magazine, was devoted to jihad, its significance as the fight against the "infidels" and the personal duty of every Muslim to wage it. Read more...

Tension on Israel’s Northern Border – Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel for the first time since the Second Lebanon War (2006)

On two separate occasions this past week rockets were fired from south Lebanon at Israel. On August 4, 2021, three rockets were fired at the region of Qiryat Shemonah, Israel's northernmost city. In response Israel fired artillery at the launch sites. The rocket fire this past week was the outcome of the increasing tension along the Israel-Lebanon border. Read more...

Escalation in the Gaza Strip – Operation Guardian of the Walls (Updated to 12:00 noon, May 20, 2021)

Operation Guardian of the Walls entered its eleventh day. With reports of an upcoming ceasefire rocket and mortar fire continues, although slightly smaller in number. During the 24 hours between 0700, May 19 and May 20, 2021, 270 rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip. So far, since the beginning of Operation Guardian of the Walls, 3,153 rockets have been fired at Israel. About 90% of those attacking populated areas were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system. Most of the rockets fired during the past 24 hours had ranges of about 40 kilometers (25 miles) and targeted the southern Israeli coastal cities of Ashqelon and Ashdod, and the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip border. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (October 28 – November 3, 2021)

Afghanistan: The most prominent incident of the week was a combined attack carried out by ISIS operatives at the Taliban-run military hospital in the capital Kabul. Syria: The downtrend in ISIS’s activity in the various provinces continues. Iraq: In general, the number of attacks carried out by ISIS operatives has continued to drop. Africa: In general, the downtrend in ISIS’s activity in the various provinces in Africa continues. The battle for hearts and minds: The lead article in this week’s issue of ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly calls on the foreign fighters ("the immigrants") in Syria to join the ranks of ISIS. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (October 21-27, 2021)

Afghanistan: This week there was a relative decrease in the scope of ISIS’s terrorist activity. Syria: The decrease in ISIS attacks continues. Iraq: This week, the downtrend in ISIS’s activity continued. Africa: ISIS’s activity continued, mainly against military targets in African countries (Nigeria, The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda). Financing terrorism: According to a report published by The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), since 2020 ISIS and Al-Qaeda have stepped up their online activity aimed at recruiting operatives and fundraising. The battle for hearts and minds: This week’s lead article in Al-Naba’ weekly was devoted to the importance of jihad in the sense of fighting against the infidels. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (March 5-11, 2020)

On March 5, 2020, an agreement was signed in Moscow between Russia and Turkey, which is intended to end the fighting in the Idlib region. In the ITIC’s assessment, this is a shaky ceasefire (like its predecessors). In the Euphrates Valley, ISIS’s intensive attacks continued, mainly in the form of activating IEDs. In Iraq, ISIS’s activity consisted mainly of activating IEDs, sniper fire and targeted killings. With regard to noteworthy ISIS activity abroad, the Khorasan Province recently resumed its activity and carried out two showcase attacks in the capital Kabul Read more...

News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (March 4 – 10, 2020)

This past week the Gaza Strip was relatively quiet. A stabbing attack was attempted at the Nablus Gate in the Old City in Jerusalem. A spokesman for the Palestinian Authority (PA) government announced that so far 26 people infected with the coronavirus have been identified, most of them in Bethlehem. In Judea and Samaria Palestinians continue throwing stones at Israel vehicles driving on the roads Read more...

Senior ISIS Sinai Province Figure Surrenders Event and Implications

On the night of September 10, 2021, Muhammad Sa'ad Kamel al-Sa'idi, aka Abu Hamza al-Qadi ("the judge") surrendered to a tribal militia cooperating with the Egyptian army after promises that he and his family would not be harmed. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (February 6-12, 2020)

This week, the Syrian army, with Russian air support, continued its attack on the Idlib region and managed to take over the city of Saraqib The Syrian army is now preparing to take over the city of Idlib. Violent friction continues between the Syrian army and Turkish forces in the area where the Syrian forces operate. The Syrian General Staff announced that the Turkish attacks would not prevent the Syrian army from continuing its military operation in the Idlib area and Aleppo. This week saw decrease in its activity in the Iraqi arena. Outside of these two “core countries,” ISIS’s Sinai Province carried out intensive activity. Read more...

Wave of orchestrated ISIS terrorist retaliation attacks around the globe: overview and assessment

During four days, between April 8 and 11, 2019, the various ISIS provinces in Syria, Iraq and around the globe carried out a wave attacks in retaliation for the blow ISIS suffered in Syria. ISIS reported that eight of its provinces carried out more than 92 attacks in more than 80 areas. The attacks were accompanied by a media campaign and claims of responsibility entitled "Battle of vengeance for blessed [Province of] Sham" [Syria]. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (19-27 September 2017)

The Islamic State is disintegrating in Syria and Iraq. Its territorial areas of control Iraq are falling to the two anti-ISIS coalition forces one after another, although in some important strongholds ISIS operatives continue stubborn fighting. Read more...

ISIS spokesman releases an audiotape calling on the operatives to intensify their attacks, lashing out against Iran, Turkey and the leaders of the Arab states, and expressing support for the Palestinians but not for Hamas

ISIS Spokesman Abu Hamza al-Qurashi. The tape, which lasts about 38 minutes, is entitled “You are the sublime ones if you believe.” It mainly contains words of encouragement to ISIS’s fighters around the world, calls on them to intensify their activity and asks them to choose more substantial targets for their attacks (Telegram, June 22, 2021). Read more...

Analysis of the new statement of ISIS spokesman following the normalization agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain

On October 18, 2020, ISIS’s Al-Furqan Media Foundation released an audiotape of the organization’s spokesman Abu Hamza Al-Qurashi. The title of the tape is a verse from the Quran – “So narrate to them stories of the past, so perhaps they will reflect ”. In the 32-minute tape, the spokesman calls for the overthrow of the “tyrannical” rulers in Arab countries, following the normalization agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain. Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (October 14-20, 2021)

Afghanistan: ISIS operatives once again carried out an attack on a Shiite mosque in the Kandahar Province during Friday prayers. More than 60 people were killed in the attack and a similar number were wounded. In Syria, relatively low ISIS activity was recorded this week. In Iraq as well, the number of attacks continued to drop. Britain: A British MP was stabbed to death during an election rally at a church. British security officials determined that this was a terrorist attack. The battle for hearts and minds: This week’s lead article in ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly was devoted to an argument with those who oppose the war against the Shiites (implicitly the Taliban). Read more...

Spotlight on Global Jihad (September 14 – October 6, 2021)

Afghanistan: ISIS’s Khorasan Province significantly increased its activity against the Taliban in Afghanistan over the past three weeks. During the period under review, there was a relative decrease in ISIS’s activity in most of the provinces, apart from Iraq: Syria: ISIS’s activity focused on the Syrian Desert region, mainly against the Syrian army and the forces supporting it. Iraq: ISIS’s activity continued, mainly against the Iraqi security forces and the forces supporting them. Most of the activity focused on the Diyala Province. The Sinai Peninsula: The head of ISIS’s Sharia activity in the Sinai Peninsula and his family turned themselves in to the tribal militias in Sinai, which support the Egyptian army. Read more...