Spotlight on Global Jihad (April 7-22, 2020)

Highlights of the events

• In the Idlib region, the ceasefire was generally maintained. It appears that the Syrian army, the rebel organizations and Turkey are now on standby due to the fear of an outbreak of COVID-19 in the region. To date, no COVID-19 cases have been reported in the Idlib region, but unreported morbidity should not be ruled out, in the absence of functioning health services and an effective screening system. In any case, the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham is taking preventive action within its ranks. ISIS carried out intensive activity in the Euphrates Valley. Its activity consisted mainly of planting IEDs and targeted killings. In southern Syria, including the Syrian Golan Heights, ISIS recently increased its activity, which took the form of ambushes and shooting attacks.
• In Iraq, ISIS has increased its activity significantly, taking advantage of the spread of COVID-19 (1,584 patients to date) and the reduction in the scope of activity of the US-led International Coalition. ISIS’s infographics on its activity in April indicate that more than half of the attacks in its various provinces were carried out in Iraq. The Iraqi minister of defense warned of an increase in ISIS’s activity, taking advantage of the situation created by the COVID-19 epidemic.
• The most significant attacks in ISIS’s other provinces in Africa and Asia:
  • Nigeria: ISIS’s West Africa Province continued its intensive activity against the Nigerian army in the northeast of the country and on the coast of Lake Chad (attacking army camps, activating IEDs, and firing mortar shells).
  • Mozambique: ISIS’s Central Africa Province has recently intensified its activity in the northeast of the country. In addition to increasing its military activity (attacking army camps and apparently also shooting down a helicopter), ISIS operatives are attempting to take control of villages in order to establish a civilian governance of sorts in the region.
  • The Maldives: ISIS claimed responsibility (for the first time) for setting fire to five boats belonging to the Maldives Police and officials of the ruling party. The Maldives is a popular international tourist destination. Tourism, on which the country’s economy is based, has suffered a severe blow due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ISIS is apparently attempting to take advantage of the crisis in order to gain a foothold in the islands.
• Afghanistan: the resurgence of ISIS’s Khorasan Province continues, after it had suffered a blow which led to several months of inactivity. On April 9, 2020, ISIS operatives (again) fired three rockets at Bagram Airbase north of Kabul, where US army troops are stationed.
• In conclusion: ISIS is intensifying its activity in the various provinces taking advantage of the COVID-19 crisis. The most prominent activity is in ISIS’s Iraq Province, followed by Syria (the Euphrates Valley) and Nigeria. In addition, resurgence is evident in Central Africa and, for the first time, there was an attack in the Maldives. Most of the activity consisted of routine attacks (activating IEDs, shooting attacks, targeted killings, and attacks against military camps). However, in the future, as ISIS gains in strength and confidence, it is liable to carry out more sophisticated showcase attacks as well.

The Idlib region

The ceasefire in the Idlib region has generally been maintained. Thus, it seems that the Syrian army and the rebel organizations are now in a waiting position, first and foremost due to the fear of a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 in the Idlib region. So far, no COVID-19 cases have been reported in the area.

UAV airstrikes by Iranian-affiliated militias

• On April 16, 2020, UAVs of Iranian-affiliated militias carried out several airstrikes against vehicles of rebel organizations supported by Turkey (the National Liberation Front). The airstrikes were carried out in the northeastern Al-Ghab Plain and near the Syrian-Turkish border. Several rebel operatives were killed and wounded. One aircraft was reportedly shot down by the rebel organizations (Khotwa, April 16, 2020).

Preventive activity of the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham against COVID-19

• On April 19, 2020, the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham released a video showing how countries around the world are coping with COVID-19 and the steps taken in the Idlib region (mainly in the town of Sarmada, about 30 km north of Idlib). As part of its preventive activity, studies and prayers in the mosques were banned; there were training sessions on protection from the virus and people were instructed to maintain social distancing. In addition, international organizations carried out disinfection activity, and rooms were prepared to hospitalize patients (Ibaa, April 19, 2020).

Northeastern Syria

ISIS continues its high-intensity activity in the Euphrates Valley. The main forms of activity were planting of IEDs on traffic routes, targeted killings, and attacks against SDF positions.

The area of Al-Mayadeen and Albukamal

• On April 2, 2020, two SDF intelligence operatives were targeted by machine gun fire in the village of Darnaj, about 14 km southeast Al-Mayadeen. They were both wounded (Telegram, April 21, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF truck on the road leading to the oilfields of Al-Tanak (about 40 southeast of Al-Mayadeen) and Al-Omar (about 50 km southeast of Deir ez-Zor). Three passengers were killed (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an SDF vehicle was targeted by machine gun fire about 50 km northeast of Deir ez-Zor. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an SDF fighter was targeted by machine gun fire in the village of Mahaimida, about 10 km north of Deir ez-Zor. He was killed (Telegram, April 17, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an SDF intelligence operative was targeted by machine gun fire in the village of Diban, about 5 km east of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed (Telegram, April 17, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in the village of Al-Hisan, about 4 km north of Deir ez-Zor. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 17, 2020).
• On April 16, 2020, an IED was activated in a building of the SDF forces in the village of Al-Jaradi, about 20 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. The building was damaged (Telegram, April 17, 2020).
• On April 15, 2020, an SDF intelligence operative was shot and killed in the village of Shahil, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen (Telegram, April 16, 2020).
• On April 14, 2020, several IEDs were activated in a building intended to be used as an SDF headquarters in the village of Hawaij, about 5 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. The building was damaged (Telegram, April 14, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, an SDF intelligence commander was targeted by machine gun fire in the village of Shahil, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed (Telegram, April 13, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in the village of Al-Basira, about 14 km north of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 14, 2020).
• On April 6, 2020, ISIS operatives captured a man affiliated with the Syrian regime in the village of Shahil, about 10 km north of Al-Mayadeen. He was interrogated and then executed (Telegram, April 7, 2020).
• On April 6, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle on the Al-Tiyanah road, about 5 km east of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 8, 2020).

Al-Hasakah area

• On April 15, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle south of Al-Hasakah. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 16, 2020).
• On April 11, 2020, two SDF intelligence operatives were shot at about 30 km south of Al-Hasakah. One of them was killed and the other wounded (Telegram, April 12, 2020).

Al-Raqqah area

• On April 18, 2020, an IED was activated in the house of an SDF intelligence operative in the western part of Al-Raqqah. He was wounded (Telegram, April 18, 2020).

Southern Syria

Recently, an increase has been evident in the activity of ISIS’s Hawran Province in the areas of Daraa and the Syrian Golan Heights. The main forms of activity were ambushes and shooting at Syrian army personnel and figures affiliated with the Syrian regime.

The Syrian Golan Heights

• On April 7, 2020, Salwan al-Jundi, the secretary of the Ba’ath Party in the city of Nawa (about 16 km east of the Syrian-Israeli border), was targeted by machine gun fire. He was killed in front of the party headquarters. The assassination occurred on the anniversary of the establishment of the Ba’ath Party (Telegram, April 7, 2020; ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly, April 9, 2020).

Daraa area

• On April 18, 2020, near the town of Al-Harak (22 km east of Daraa), ISIS ambushed and fired machine guns at a vehicle carrying Brigadier General Hamed Makhlouf, commander of the Syrian Army’s 52nd Brigade, and Colonel Mahmoud Habib, who serves in the brigade. They were both killed (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 16, 2020, two Syrian soldiers were targeted by machine gun fire about 20 km northeast of Daraa. They were both killed (Telegram, April 16, 2020).
• On April 16, 2020, a vehicle carrying Syrian soldiers was targeted by machine gun fire near Azra’, about 25 km northeast of Daraa. An officer and four soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 16, 2020).

The Iraqi arena

In recent month, there has been a significant increase in the scope of ISIS’s activity in Iraq. The increase apparently stems from ISIS’s wish to take advantage of the spread of COVID-19^[1] and the reduced activity of the US and Coalition countries. ISIS’s activity in the past two weeks mainly took the form of ambushes, activating IEDs, sniper fire, targeted killings, launching rockets and mortar shells, and attacks against bases and facilities of the Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish forces.

Increase in the scope of ISIS’s activity in the Iraqi arena

• During April 2020, ISIS released two infographics summing up its activity in the various provinces around the world (“The Harvest of the Fighters”). The infographic of the activity on April 2-8, 2020 indicates that 60 attacks were carried out during this time. Half of ISIS’s activities were carried out in Iraq, even though the greatest number of casualties was in West Africa (Al-Naba’, quoted on Telegram, April 9, 2020).
• On April 16, 2020, ISIS released another infographic summing up the activity on April 9-15, 2020 in ISIS’s provinces around the world. A total of 49 attacks were carried out in this period, including 33 in Iraq (Al-Naba’, April 16, 2020).
• The increase in the scope of ISIS’s activity was reflected in a statement by Iraqi Defense Minister Najah al-Shammari. During his visit at the General Intelligence Directorate and the Military Intelligence Directorate, he noted that “recently, an increase has been evident in the number of attacks in most of the fighting zones.” Al-Shammari noted that they had to identify the reason for that in order not to allow ISIS to seize the current situation of the spread of COVID-19. He added that they had to join efforts in collecting and analyzing the intelligence in order to eliminate what remains of ISIS (Facebook page of the Iraqi Defense Ministry, April 13, 2020).

Highlights of the activity carried out by ISIS’s Iraq Province

Diyala Province

• On April 20, 2020, an Iraqi policeman was targeted by sniper fire near the University of Diyala, about 3 km south of Baqubah. The policeman was killed (Telegram, April 21, 2020).
• On April 20, 2020, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle north of Jalulah, about 80 km northeast of Baqubah. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 20, 2020).
• On April 19, 2020, an Iraqi army camp about 20 km northeast of Baghdad was targeted by sniper fire. One soldier was killed (Telegram, April 20, 2020).
• On April 18, 2020, an Iraqi police compound was targeted by sniper fire about 10 km north of Baqubah. One soldier was killed (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 18, 2020, ISIS operatives led Iraqi army soldiers to a booby-trapped house in the Al-Wasat region, about 40 km northeast of Baqubah. As the soldiers approached the house, several IEDs were activated against them. One soldier was killed and an officer and three of his escorts were wounded (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an IED was activated against a motorcycle carrying two members of the oil facilities security police, about 5 km south of Baqubah. Both policemen were killed (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an Iraqi army camp in the Baqubah region was targeted by sniper fire. Two soldiers were killed (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 16, 2020, a camp of the Iraqi Interior Ministry commando unit and the Iraqi Interior Ministry was targeted by sniper fire about 60 km north of Baqubah. One fighter was wounded (April 17, 2020).
• On April 15, 2020, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 20 km northeast of Baqubah. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 15, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, snipers fired and hand grenades were thrown at an Iraqi army patrol about 50 km north of Baqubah. Two soldiers were killed and another was wounded (Telegram, April 14, 2020).
• On April 12, 2020, a Tribal Mobilization commander was targeted by machine gun fire about 30 km northeast of Baqubah. The commander was killed (Telegram, April 13, 2020).
• On April 9, 2020, an IED was activated against Tribal Mobilization fighters north of Jalulah, about 70 km northeast of Baqubah. Two fighters were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, April 9, 2020).
• On April 8, 2020, an Iraqi army camp was targeted by sniper fire. The camp is located in the Al-Azim region, about 50 km north of Baqubah. One soldier was killed (Telegram, April 9, 2020).
• On April 7, 2020, a camp of the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters was targeted by sniper fire about 120 km northeast of Baqubah. Three fighters were killed (Telegram, April 8, 2020).

Al-Anbar Province

There has recently been an increase in ISIS’s activity in the Al-Anbar Province in western Iraq. ISIS published an infographic about its operations in the province since the beginning of 2020 (January 3 – April 16, 2020). According to the infographic, ISIS carried out 41 attacks, killing and wounding 128 Iraqi soldiers and Popular Mobilization operatives. The most common type of attack was planting IEDs (13 attacks), followed by raids (7), sniper fire (7), ambushes (6), rocket fire (5), and other types of attack (3) (Al-Naba’, April 16, 2020).

• On April 18, 2020, several mortar shells were fired at an Iraqi army headquarters near the city of Rutba, some 280 km west of Ramadi. Several soldiers were wounded (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 15, 2020, an IED was activated against an employee of the Interior Ministry in the city of Rutba, about 280 km west of Ramadi, in the western Al-Anbar Province. He was wounded (Telegram, April 16, 2020).
• On April 15, 2020, several IEDs were activated against an Iraqi army and Popular Mobilization convoy south of the city of Hit. An officer and 10 soldiers and fighters were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 16, 2020).
• On April 15, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked an Iraqi army camp northeast of Fallujah, about 45 km west of Baghdad. Three soldiers were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, April 17, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, two rockets were fired at an Iraqi army headquarters near Hit, about 135 km northwest of Baghdad. Several soldiers were wounded (Telegram, April 14, 2020).
• On April 12, 2020, ISIS operatives ambushed an Iraqi army and Popular Mobilization convoy near Rutba. Several soldiers were wounded (Telegram, April 13, 2020).
• On April 10, 2020, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 60 km west of Ramadi. An officer and three soldiers were killed (Telegram, April 10, 2020).

Kirkuk Province

• On April 21, 2020, a bus carrying Iraqi policemen about 45 km southwest of Kirkuk was targeted by machine gun fire. Two policemen were killed and others were wounded (Telegram, April 21, 2020).
• On April 20, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked an Iraqi police compound in the Daquq area, about 30 km south of Kirkuk. One policeman was killed and three others were wounded (Telegram, April 21, 2020).
• On April 19, 2020, ISIS operatives fired light weapons at an Iraqi police compound about 40 km west of Kirkuk. Three policemen were wounded and the others fled (Telegram, April 20, 2020).

    
Right: Iraqi police compound attacked by ISIS southwest of Kirkuk. Left: ISIS operative firing an RPG rocket at the compound (Telegram, April 20, 2020)

• On April 19, 2020, an Iraqi police compound about 15 km southwest of Kirkuk was targeted by machine gun fire. One policeman was killed. Another IED was activated in the same area against a vehicle. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, April 20, 2020).
• On April 19, 2020, an Iraqi police compound about 20 km southwest of Kirkuk was targeted by machine gun fire. One policeman was killed (Telegram, April 20, 2020).
• On April 18, 2020, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle about 40 km southwest of Kirkuk. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 16, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a compound of the Oil Facility Security Police about 30 km south of Kirkuk. Two policemen were killed (Telegram, April 17, 2020).
• On April 14, 2020, ISIS operatives ambushed an Oil Facility Security Police convoy near the Baiji-Kirkuk highway. An IED was activated during the attack. Five policemen were killed and several others were wounded (Telegram, April 14, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, an IED was activated against an Iraqi army vehicle about 80 km west of Kirkuk. The passengers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 14, 2020).
• On April 12, 2020, an Iraqi police compound about 50 km west of Kirkuk was targeted by machine gun fire. Two policemen were killed and three others were wounded (Telegram, April 13, 2020).
• On April 11, 2020, two Popular Mobilization camps were targeted by machine gun fire. The camps are located at an airport about 70 km south of Kirkuk. Four fighters were killed. In addition, and IED was activated against a Popular Mobilization force that was on the way to the scene of the attack. One fighter was killed and seven others were wounded (Telegram, April 11, 2020).
• On April 11, 2020, a sticky bomb was activated against an Iraqi police vehicle in the city of Kirkuk. An officer was wounded and one of his escorts was killed (Telegram, April 11, 2020).
• On April 11, 2020, an Iraqi police compound was targeted by machine gun fire. The compound is located near Al-Dabaa Airport, about 35 km southwest of Kirkuk. Two policemen were killed and another was wounded (Telegram, April 12, 2020).
• On April 9, 2020, an Iraqi police vehicle was shot at about 40 km southwest of Kirkuk. The two policemen in the vehicle tried to flee. One of them was killed (Telegram, April 10, 2020).

   
Right: Iraqi police vehicle being shot at. Left: Two Iraqi policemen attempting to flee
(Telegram, April 11, 2020)

Nineveh Province

• On April 7, 2020, ISIS operatives captured a Tribal Mobilization fighter southwest of Tal Afar, about 50 km west of Mosul. He was interrogated and then executed (Telegram, April 9, 2020).

Salah al-Din Province

• On April 19, 2020, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle near Tikrit. Two fighters were killed (Telegram, April 20, 2020).
• On April 18, 2020, ISIS ambushed and fired light weapons at an Iraqi army armored vehicle about 25 km north of Baghdad. Five soldiers were killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, April 19, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, a Tribal Mobilization camp about 70 km north of Baghdad was attacked by machine gun fire and hand grenades. Several fighters were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 13, 2020).
• On April 8, 2020, An IED was activated against fighters of the Shiite Bader militia north of Tikrit. Three fighters were wounded (Telegram, April 9, 2020).

Erbil Province

• On April 19, 2020, ISIS operatives ambushed an Iraqi army foot patrol about 60 km southwest of Erbil. Two soldiers were killed (Telegram, April 20, 2020).

Babel Province

• On April 14, 2020, an operative of the Iraqi National Security Agency was taken prisoner by ISIS operatives about 30 km north of Baghdad. He was interrogated and then executed (Telegram, April 15, 2020).
• On April 14, 2020, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle near the Al-Shirqat junction, about 100 km west of Kirkuk. The passengers were wounded (Telegram, April 16, 2020).
• On April 12, 2020, two Shiites were taken prisoner by ISIS southeast of Baghdad. They were shot to death (Telegram, April 14, 2020).

Counterterrorist activities by the Iraqi security forces

Nineveh Province

• On April 17, 2020, an Iraqi National Security force captured a senior ISIS commander. At the time when the Nineveh Province was under ISIS’s control, he was one of the officers in charge of recruitment activity, he took part in executions of civilians and in attacks that led to the deaths of many people (Al-Sumaria, April 17, 2020).
• On April 12, 2020, a force of the Operational Headquarters in the western Nineveh Province located and deactivated a store of ISIS weapons and ammunition (SecMedCell Facebook page, which belongs to the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office, April 12, 2020).

Diyala Province

• On April 16, 2020, a force (from the 5th Division) of the Iraqi army set up an ambush about 14 km southeast of Baqubah. One [ISIS] operative was killed and another was wounded (Al-Sumaria, April 16, 2020).

Al-Anbar Province

• On April 16, 2020, a Popular Mobilization force located and burned down an ISIS guesthouse in the desert (al-hashed.net, April 16, 2020).

Kirkuk Province

• On April 19, 2020, Iraqi security forces detained an ISIS operative in the Daquq region. The detainee was in charge of ISIS’s logistical assistance in the Kirkuk Province (Iraqi News Agency, April 19, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, Iraqi army forces operating about 30 km south of Kirkuk located a cave used as a hiding place by ISIS operatives. The Iraqi Air Force carried out airstrikes against the cave. International Coalition aircraft also provided air support. A total of 23 ISIS operatives were killed and the hiding place was destroyed. One soldier was killed and four others were wounded (SecMedCell Facebook page, April 13, 2020).

The Sinai Peninsula

ISIS’s Sinai Province continued to carry out “routine” attacks against the Egyptian army, mainly in the form of planting IEDs.

• On April 21, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army foot patrol east of Sheikh Zuweid. Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 21, 2020).
• On April 18, 2020, an IED was activated against two Egyptian army vehicles south of Bir al-Abd. The passengers of both vehicles were killed (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army vehicle west of Bir al-Abd (about 45 km west of Al-Arish). The passengers were wounded (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army vehicle south of Bir al-Abd, about 45 km west of Al-Arish. The passengers were killed (Telegram, April 15, 2020).
• On April 12, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army vehicle west of Rafah. The vehicle was damaged (Telegram, April 12, 2020).
• On April 10, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army minesweeping vehicle near the Fallujah checkpoint, west of Rafah. The vehicle was damaged (Telegram, April 11, 2020).
• On April 10, 2020, RPG rockets were fired at an Egyptian army checkpoint east of Sheikh Zuweid. According to ISIS, accurate hits of the target were observed (Telegram, April 11, 2020).

Activity of ISIS’s other provinces

Africa

Nigeria

Over the past two weeks, ISIS carried out intensive activity against the Nigerian army in Borno and Yobe states in the northeast of the country. The activity consisted of attacking army camps, firing mortar shells and activating IEDs. ISIS operatives also attacked a base of the multinational task force coordinating the activity of the countries bordering on Lake Chad. Following are the details of the events, according to ISIS’s claims of responsibility:

• On April 20, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province attacked a Nigerian army camp in the city of Geidam, in Yobe State. Two soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. In addition, weapons and ammunition were seized (Telegram, April 21, 2020).
• On April 18, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a Nigerian army headquarters about 20 km south of Damaturu, in Yobe State. Two Nigerian soldiers were killed (Telegram, April 19, 2020).
• On April 17, 2020, six IEDs were activated against a Nigerian army convoy, about 50 km south of Damaturu, capital of Yobe State. The passengers in three vehicles were killed (Telegram, April 18, 2020).
• On April 15, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province attacked a Nigerian army camp in Borno State. Six soldiers were killed and others were wounded. In addition, weapons and ammunition were seized (Telegram, April 15, 2020).
• On April 8, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province attacked a Nigerian army camp in Borno State. Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 8, 2020).
• On April 7, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province attacked a base of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). This force coordinates the operations of the military units of the four countries located on the coast of Lake Chad – Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 9, 2020).

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

• On April 15, 2020, ISIS’s Central Africa Province exchanged fire with the Congolese army force in the area of Beni in the northeastern part of the country (about 50 km from the border with Uganda). Three soldiers were killed (Telegram, April 16, 2020).
• On April 13, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s Central Africa Province exchanged fire with Congolese soldiers in the area of Beni. Two soldiers were killed (Telegram, April 15, 2020).

Chad

• On April 17, 2020, two boats were targeted by machine gun fire on Lake Chad, in the Chad-Nigeria-Cameroon tri-border area. Four soldiers were killed and another was taken prisoner (Telegram, April 19, 2020).
• On April 14, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province attacked a Nigerian army headquarters in Lake Chad area. Several soldiers were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 15, 2020).

Mozambique

ISIS’s activity in northeastern Mozambique

ISIS recently increased its activity in the Cabo Delgado region, in northeast Mozambique. In early April 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a Mozambican army camp and seized control of two villages in the region. This region appears to have become a preferred target for ISIS, which is attempting to take control of the region in order to establish a form of governance.

• On April 7, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s Central Africa Province attacked a Mozambican army camp in the Cabo Delgado region in northeastern Mozambique (about 100 km southeast of the border between Mozambique and Tanzania). According to ISIS, four Mozambican soldiers were killed and others were wounded. In addition, weapons, ammunition and military equipment were seized. Following the attack, ISIS operatives took control of the town (Telegram, April 7, 2020). According to local reports, this is not a single village but an area where there are four villages (southerntimesafrica.com, April 9, 2020).
• On that same day (April 7, 2020), ISIS operatives took control of another village in the same region, whose population is predominantly Christian. ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly published a picture of its operatives in the village, after all the Christian residents had fled. According to Al-Naba’, the operatives seized a large quantity of provisions and shared them with the local Muslim residents (Al-Naba’, April 16, 2020).

Possible downing of a South African helicopter

• There are private contractors from South Africa in Mozambique who are taking part in the fighting against terrorists. On April 10, 2020, a Gazelle helicopter belonging to South African contractors crashed, and may have been shot down. The helicopter, along with another helicopter, had been ferrying Mozambican police (Defense Web, Africa’s leading security news portal, which operates out of South Africa, April 15, 2020).
• On April 20, 2020, ISIS’s Amaq News Agency released a video which it claims was taken on April 8, 2020. The video shows operatives of ISIS’s Central Africa Province allegedly downing a helicopter during an exchange of fire with the Mozambican army in the Cabo Delgado region in northeastern Mozambique (Telegram, 20 April 2020).

    
Operatives of ISIS’s Central Africa Province next to the wreckage of the helicopter
(Telegram, April 20, 2020)

ISIS’s establishment in Mozambique: an overview

• In an article by Egyptian Islamic Movement researcher Hisham al-Naggar, the author claims that ISIS is changing its tactics in preparation for an imminent announcement of the establishment of the Central Africa branch. The author calls it “the actual establishment of the Central Africa Province” (Al-Arab, a pan-Arab newspaper published in London, April 14, 2020). Following are the highlights of the article:
  • Who are ISIS’s operatives in Mozambique? They are local operatives who were initially called Al-Shabab, the same name as the Somali Salafist-jihadi operatives affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Since then, they have been known in Mozambique as Ahl al-Sunna wal Jama’ah (members of the Sunni community) or Harakat al-Sunna wal Jama’ah (movement of members of the Sunni community). They are affiliated with ISIS although they don’t use ISIS’s terminology (which, in the ITIC’s assessment, emphasizes the local nature of the operatives). These operatives pledged allegiance to ISIS in June 2018 and have been operating under ISIS’s Central Africa Province ever since.
  • ISIS is changing its offensive tactics in Mozambique, taking advantage of the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic: In March 2020, ISIS began to change its offensive tactics in Mozambique in order to expand in the region, taking advantage of the global preoccupation with the COVID-19 epidemic. Until then, ISIS in Mozambique concentrated on attacking government institutions, destroying army camps, seizing weapons and abducting people for ransom. Starting in March 2020, ISIS began to attack cities, towns and strategic facilities in the country (for example, the attack on the strategic Port of Kisanga in the Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique).
  • Obtaining support of the residents in advance of the announcement of the establishment of a branch/emirate in Central Africa in the near future: at the same time, ISIS has begun to elicit the support of local residents in Mozambique by meeting their need for food and supplying them with weapons. It should be noted that the establishment of a formal branch/emirate of ISIS in Central Africa, with Mozambique as its hub, has encountered difficulties up to now, due to resistance from local residents, who have shied away from ISIS’s brutal acts. ISIS operatives are now seeking the tacit support of the impoverished Muslim residents, who suffer from discrimination and constitute a minority in the country. In addition, ISIS operatives are also seeking support from other financially robust groups in order to help them take over strategic areas such as the northern Mozambique region, with its large reserves of oil and natural gas.
  • The local competition between Al-Qaeda and ISIS: Al-Qaeda has shared interests with the Ahl al-Sunna wal Jama’ah operatives in Mozambique, even without any ideological and organizational connection between them. However, the change in ISIS’s strategy in Mozambique is liable to lead to a clash between it and Al-Qaeda, given the struggle between them over the control of revenue sources and gaining the trust of local residents. Such competition between the two organizations exists elsewhere in Africa (for example, in the Sahel). Therefore, ISIS is striving to drive Al-Qaeda out of Mozambique as well, by reexamining the nature of its combat activity, establishing local infrastructure, gaining the support of local residents, and expanding its activity.

Asia

The Philippines

• On April 16-17, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s East Asia Province exchanged fire with the Philippine army on Jolo Island, in the southern Philippines. A total of 16 soldiers were killed in the exchange of fire and others were wounded (Telegram, April 17, 2020).
• According to Philippine army sources, 11 soldiers were killed and 14 others were wounded. The same sources added that the fighting was waged against about 40 operatives of the ISIS-affiliated Abu Sayyaf organization (The New York Times, April 17, 2020).

The Maldives

ISIS’s first attack in the Maldives

• In the early morning of April 15, 2020, ISIS operatives fired incendiary bombs at five boats anchored at the Port of Mahibadhoo Island, in the northwestern Maldives. The boats were completely burnt. Three of the boats belonged to the Maldives Police and the government. Two other boats belonged to the country’s ruling party (Al-Naba’, April 16, 2020). Maldives Police confirmed that this was a planned attack, implying that similar attacks had been carried out against boats and government property.
• This is ISIS’s first claim of responsibility for an attack in the Maldives. About two months ago, on February 6, 2020, a stabbing attack was carried out by a local ISIS-affiliated network north of Male, the capital of the Maldives. A Chinese tourist and two foreign workers were stabbed – one Chinese and the other an Australian citizen. The attack was documented in a video posted on social media, but ISIS did not issue a formal claim of responsibility (Sky News, February 6, 2020).
• The Maldives is a popular international diving destination. Tourism, on which the Maldives economy is based, has suffered a severe blow due to COVID-19. ISIS may be attempting to take advantage of the difficult economic situation to gain a foothold in the region.

     
Right: The Maldives (Google Maps). Left: Boats going up in flames after being set alight by ISIS operatives (Al-Naba’, April 16, 2020)

Somalia

• On April 7, 2020, hand grenades were thrown at Somali policemen at the Bakaara open market junction in Mogadishu. Two policeman were killed and another was wounded (Telegram, April 7, 2020).

Yemen

• On April 15, 2020, Houthi rebels were targeted by sniper fire in Qifah (about 110 km southeast of Sana’a). A Houthi fighter was killed and two others were wounded (Telegram, April 16, 2020).

Afghanistan

• On April 9, 2020, ISIS operatives fired five rockets at Bagram Airbase, where US army troops are stationed. The military airbase is located about 40 km north of Kabul (Telegram, April 9, 2020). According to US sources, five rockets were fired at the base. Two rockets were intercepted and three landed outside the base. There were no casualties. This is another instance of rocket fire carried out by ISIS operatives against the biggest base of the US-led International Coalition forces in Afghanistan (www.stripes.com, April 9, 2020).

India

• On April 7, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s India Province fired machine guns and threw hand grenades at a group of Indian policemen in the Jabhara region of Kashmir. Two policemen were killed, including the local police commander. Other policemen were wounded (Telegram, April 7, 2020).

^[1] In Iraq, a total of 1,584 people were infected with COVID-19 by April 20, 2020. A total of 1,043 recovered and 82 died (Facebook page of the Iraqi Health Ministry, April 20, 2020). These are the official figures. It may be assumed that the real figures are much higher. Iraq took an important precaution when it closed the border with Iran on February 23, 2020, thereby preventing the spread of the epidemic in its territory on a larger scale (Al-Jazeera, February 23, 2020). ↑

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