Spotlight on Global Jihad (October 29- November 4, 2020)

Main events of the past week

• The main event of the week was a shooting attack in the Vienna city center, carried out by a young ISIS supporter of Albanian descent who grew up in Austria. Four people were reportedly killed in the attack and 23 were wounded, seven of them seriously (so far, these figures have not yet been verified). ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. In the ITIC’s assessment, this was a local initiative which was not orchestrated or handled from Syria or Iraq.
• In addition, two terrorist attacks were carried out in France this week, as part of the wave of jihadi terrorism following the beheading of a history teacher. In Nice, a stabbing attack was carried out in a Catholic cathedral (three dead); and in Lyon, a shooting attack was carried out against a priest (who was mortally wounded). The attacks in France are ISIS-inspired attacks carried out by local jihadi operatives, without any organization issuing a claim of responsibility. French President Macron declared that France and its values are subject to an Islamic terrorist attack.
• Concurrently with the wave of jihadi terrorist attacks, ISIS is conducting a media campaign calling its supporters to carry out terrorist attacks against Western countries in general and France in particular. As part of this campaign, ISIS supporters were called on to carry out attacks in every possible way: using bombs, knives, bullets, vehicles “and even kicking or punching.” ISIS also called on its supporters to target French companies operating in Muslim countries and to threaten France’s interests in those countries.
• Routine attacks continued in ISIS’s various provinces in its core countries (Iraq and Syria) and throughout Africa and Asia. Noteworthy attacks:
  • In Syria, a pilot with the rank of brigadier general (amid ) was killed while en route to the T-4 airbase. The attack took place in a desert region west of Palmyra. No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it was probably carried out by ISIS.
  • In Iraq, the attacks in the various provinces took the form of activating IEDs, sniper fire and small arms fire. Worth noting is an attack by an ISIS squad that set up a roadblock on the Baghdad-Amman international highway and killed a Tribal Mobilization commander.
  • In Nigeria, attacks against the Nigerian army and civilians continued in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. Dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed.
  • In Mozambique, battles were waged between local security forces and ISIS in the northeast of the country. Many dozens of ISIS operatives were reportedly killed. On the other hand, ISIS operatives took over one of the villages in the region and killed and captured several Mozambican soldiers.
  • In Afghanistan, two ISIS operatives carried out an attack at Kabul University. Dozens of people were killed or wounded. ISIS operatives recently carried out two deadly multi-casualty attacks against Shiite civilians in Kabul.

ISIS’s attacks around the globe

Summary of ISIS’s Raids of Response to the Call campaign

ISIS released an infographic summarizing the Raids of Response to the Call terror campaign, carried out on October 20-27, 2020. According to the infographic, ISIS carried out 75 attacks, most of them in Iraq (48). The most noteworthy (suicide bombing attacks) were in Afghanistan. Attacks were also carried out in ISIS’s other provinces: West Africa (9); Khorasan, i.e., Afghanistan (6); Syria (5); Central Africa (2); Somalia (2); East Asia (2); and Pakistan (1) (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, October 29, 2020).

• A total of 340 people were killed and wounded in the campaign attacks. The largest number of casualties was in Afghanistan (156), where two multi-casualty suicide bombing attacks were carried out. The other casualties were in West Africa (70); Iraq (69); Central Africa (15); Syria (14); East Asia (8); Somalia (6); and Pakistan (1) (Telegram, October 29, 2020).

Wave of jihadi terrorist attacks in France and Austria

France

Following the beheading of history teacher Samuel Paty (October 16, 2020) in a suburb near Paris, two jihadi attacks were carried out this week in other cities in France: in Nice, a stabbing attack was carried out in a Catholic cathedral; and in Lyon, a shooting attack was carried out against a priest while he was closing the door of the church where he works. In the heart of Vienna, a shooting attack was carried out by an ISIS supporter. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in Vienna which, in the ITIC’s assessment, was carried out on the initiative of a local jihadi operative, without remote handling from Syria or Iraq. In all three cases in France, the attacks were carried out by local jihadists, without any organization issuing a claim of responsibility. In the ITIC’s assessment, this is a wave of jihadi attacks that are being carried in the wake of the beheading of the history teacher and the propaganda campaign being carried out by Islamic countries and jihad organizations against France and its values and against the West in general. ISIS is taking part in this propaganda attack and is striving, in the ITIC’s assessment, to generate a wave of ISIS-inspired attacks in Western countries. Its media outlets have called on its operatives to continue carrying out attacks against Western countries, and especially against France (see below).

Stabbing attack in Nice

• On October 29, 2020, a terrorist carried out a stabbing attack at a Catholic cathedral in Nice while shouting “Allahu Akbar.” Two women and a man were killed during a prayer service. One of the victims, a 70-year-old woman, was beheaded. The perpetrator was shot by police. He was wounded and evacuated to the hospital. The suspected attacker is Brahim Aouissaoui, a 21-year-old immigrant from Tunisia, who came to France by train from Italy on October 27, 2020. Six other people were detained for questioning in Nice on suspicion of involvement in the attack. The Tunisian authorities announced that Tunisia is also investigating the attack. Following the attack, French President Macron announced that France and its values were subject to an Islamic terrorist attack.

Shooting attack in Lyon

• On October 31, 2020, a shooting attack was carried out against a Greek Orthodox priest in the Lyon city center while he was locking the door of the church where he works. Police forces arriving at the scene saw a man fleeing. According to a Lyon police source, the priest was shot twice and mortally wounded. The city prosecutor’s office did not provide information about the murdered man or about the murder suspect.

Austria

Shooting attack in Vienna (initial overview)

On November 2, 2020, a shooting attack was carried out in the Vienna city center. The attack began at around 22:00, when a young man opened fire on passersby at a number of different sites and later at police officers. The terrorist was shot and killed by police (according to the initial reports, the shooting was carried out by a number of terrorists, but it was apparently carried out by a single terrorist). The scene of the shooting was near the Vienna’s main synagogue and several other Jewish institutions, but they were apparently not the target of the attack. The shooting was carried out by the terrorist on crowded main streets, apparently in order to cause as many fatalities as possible. Four people were killed (an older man and woman, a passerby, and a waitress). In addition, 23 people were wounded, seven of them seriously (according to another version, 17 people were wounded). In addition to his weapon, the terrorist was reportedly wearing a dummy explosive belt^[1].

 
Right: The terrorist during the shooting spree in the heart of Vienna (The Truth@samir51974454 Twitter account, November 3, 2020). Left: People fleeing for their lives during the shooting spree (Liana ANT Twitter account, November 3, 2020)

Initial information about the perpetrator

• According to the initial information, the perpetrator of the attack was Kujtim Fejzulai, a young man of Albanian descent who grew up in Vienna (his ISIS codename was Abu Dujana al-Albani). He was born in Mödling, in south Vienna, and in his youth expressed great interest in political Islam. In September 2018, he was caught trying to cross the border from Turkey into Syria to join ISIS and was deported from Turkey to Austria. According to the Austrian press, he was one of 90 Austrian Islamists who wanted to go to Syria to join ISIS at the time.
• On April 25, 2019, Kujtim Fejzulai was sentenced in Austria to 22 months in prison. He was released on December 5, 2019, under a law pertaining to the rights of 18-20 year olds. He was released on condition that he be under the constant supervision of the probation service and participate in a de-radicalization workshop (held in collaboration with the Austrian Justice Ministry). According to the Austrian Interior Minister, he deceived the workshop facilitators by hiding the early signs of his radicalization (The Guardian, November 3, 2020)^[2].
• The perpetrator pledged allegiance to ISIS’s leader. He filmed the pledge of allegiance and posted it on his Instagram account, apparently shortly before the attack (see below). He may have been assisted by ISIS supporters in Austria and abroad: 14 suspects associated with him were detained for questioning during manhunts in and near Vienna. In addition, Swiss police in the city of Winterthur, near Zurich, have reportedly arrested two men who may have been involved in the attack (The Guardian, November 3, 2020).

ISIS’s claim of responsibility

• The day after the attack, on November 3, 2020, ISIS issued several statements, including a claim of responsibility for the attack. The claim of responsibility included several details about the attack. Following are the highlights of ISIS’s statements:
• Abu Dujana al-Albani, who was killed in the attack, is a “soldier of the Caliphate” who fired small arms and a pistol and stabbed Christians (originally “Crusaders”) in Vienna on November 2. According to ISIS, the perpetrator killed and wounded about 30 people, including a [police] officer and policemen (Telegram, November 3, 2020).
• According to an additional claim of responsibility issued by ISIS’s news agency, the perpetrator used an assault rifle and a handgun. He exchanged fire with Austrian police who arrived at the scene and was shot dead (Amaq News Agency, as posted on Telegram, November 3, 2020).

• The Amaq News Agency released a short (44 seconds) video showing Abu Dujana al-Albani pledging allegiance to ISIS’s leader (“the Caliph of the Muslims, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi”). Abu Dujana is shown holding an assault rifle, a pistol and a machete. He ends his remarks with an ISIS slogan: “The State of Islam remains intact, with the help of Allah […].” Abu Dujana’s Arabic sounds fluent, which is not characteristic of a young man who grew up in Austria (video distributed by the Amaq News Agency, Telegram, November 3, 2020)^[3].

The Syrian arena

The Idlib region

In the Idlib region this week, there has been an increase in the intensity of the exchanges of artillery fire between the Syrian army and the rebel organizations, mainly HTS. In addition, UAV airstrikes against rebel organizations in the Idlib region continued.

UAV airstrikes near Idlib

• On October 31, 2020, UAVs reportedly carried out three airstrikes about 8 km north of Idlib. According to one of the reports, the attacking aircraft were Iranian (Khotwa, October 31, 2020). According to another report, it was the Syrian army (Ibaa, November 2, 2020). The target of the airstrikes is unclear. According to some of the reports, civilians harvesting olives were hit (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, October 31, 2020).

ISIS’s activity^[4]

The region of Deir ez-Zor and Al-Mayadeen

• On November 3, 2020, an SDF intelligence operative was targeted by machine gun fire about 30 km northeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed.
• On October 31, 2020, an SDF intelligence operative was captured by ISIS about 45 km south of Al-Mayadeen. He was shot to death.
• On October 31, 2020, there was an attack (implicitly by ISIS) against positions of the Palestinian Al-Quds Brigade about 30 km southwest of Deir ez-Zor. Four fighters were wounded (Al-Badia 24 Twitter account, October 31, 2020).
• On October 31, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle on the road leading to the Al-Omar oilfield, about 14 km north of Al-Mayadeen. The passengers were killed or wounded.
• On October 31, 2020, ISIS operatives captured an SDF fighter about 20 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen. He was shot to death.
• On October 29, 2020, an SDF commander’s vehicle was targeted by machine gun fire about 20 km north of Al-Mayadeen. He was killed. One of the members of the local council who was with him was wounded.
• On October 29, 2020, an SDF commander was targeted by gunfire about 25 km north of Albukamal. He was wounded.
• On October 28, 2020, an SDF intelligence operative was targeted by gunfire about 10 km north of Albukamal. He was killed.
• On October 28, 2020, an IED was activated against an SDF truck about 10 km northeast of Albukamal. The passengers were killed or wounded.
• On October 28, 2020, an SDF truck was targeted by machine gun fire about 14 km north of Al-Mayadeen. Three fighters were wounded.

The desert region (Palmyra-Sukhnah region)

• On October 29, 2020, the vehicle of Manhal Aziz Saleh, a Syrian Air Force pilot with the rank of brigadier general (amid), was targeted by gunfire. He was killed. The attack was carried out while the pilot was driving on the Homs road in the desert region east of Homs, on his way to the T-4 airbase (about 60 km west of Palmyra) (Al-Badia 24 Twitter account, October 31, 2020). So far, no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it was probably carried out by ISIS.

 
Manhal Aziz Saleh, a Syrian Air Force pilot with the rank of brigadier general, who was killed en route to the T-4 airbase (left: Al-Badia 24 Twitter account, October 31, 2020; right: jesrpress.com, a news website operating from Paris, affiliated with the rebels, October 30, 2020)

• On November 2, 2020, clashes took place between the Palestinian Al-Quds Brigade and ISIS operatives in the Al-Sukhnah Desert, about 60 km northeast of Palmyra. Two fighters were killed and others were wounded (Al-Badia 24 Twitter account, November 2, 2020).
• On October 31, 2020, a vehicle carrying Syrian soldiers was targeted by machine gun fire north of Al-Sukhnah, about 60 km northeast of Palmyra. Two soldiers were killed.

Al-Hasakah region

Attempt on the life of the head of the Deir ez-Zor military council

• On the evening of October 31, 2020, an IED was activated in the city of Al-Hasakah, in the area controlled by the Kurds, against a vehicle carrying Ahmad al-Khbeil (Abu Khawlah), head of the Deir ez-Zor military council, a local body operating under SDF sponsorship. There were no casualties (Enab Baladi, a Syrian news website affiliated with the rebel organizations, November 1, 2020). So far, no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it was probably carried out by ISIS.
• On November 31, 2020, an SDF commander was targeted by machine gun fire about 80 km south of Al-Hasakah. He was killed.

 The Iraqi arena

ISIS attacks^[5]

Diyala Province

• On October 31, 2020, a boat with Tribal Mobilization fighters on Lake Hamrin was targeted by machine gun fire about 60 km northeast of Baqubah. One fighter was killed and another was wounded.
• On October 30, 2020, a sticky bomb was activated against a vehicle carrying two commanders of the Popular Mobilization about 40 km northeast of Baqubah. One commander was killed and the other was wounded.
• On October 29, 2020, two Popular Mobilization fighters were targeted by sniper fire west of Khanaqin, about 100 km northeast of Baqubah. One fighter was killed and the other was wounded.
• On October 28, 2020, an IED was activated against a Popular Mobilization vehicle about 5 km south of Baqubah. The passengers were wounded.
• On October 28, 2020, an IED was activated against the vehicle of a Tribal Mobilization fighter about 60 km north of Baqubah. He was wounded.

Al-Anbar Province

• On November 2, 2020, an ISIS squad set up a roadblock on the Baghdad-Amman international highway west of Ramadi. A Tribal Mobilization commander was captured and then executed.
• On October 27, 2020, Iraqi soldiers in the area of Hit were targeted by sniper fire. Two soldiers were killed and another was wounded.

Kirkuk Province

• On October 26, 2020, an oil facility police officer was targeted by sniper fire near the Khabbaz oilfield (about 30 km northwest of Kirkuk). He was killed.

Counterterrorism activities by the Iraqi security forces

Diyala Province

• On November 1, 2020, the Iraqi security forces, with Iraqi air support, carried out a large-scale security operation about 40 km northeast of Baqubah. They captured several ISIS operatives and also located IEDs and hiding places (Facebook page of the Iraqi Defense Ministry, November 1, 2020).

Nineveh Province

• On October 31, 2020, an Iraqi army force located an ISIS arms depot inside a tunnel about 80 km west of Mosul. They found IEDs, weapons and ammunition (Facebook page of the Iraqi Defense Ministry, October 31, 2020).

   
Mortar shells and other ammunition located by the Iraqi army west of Mosul (Facebook page of the Iraqi Defense Ministry, October 31, 2020)

Kirkuk Province

• On October 31, 2020, teams of the Iraqi police intelligence carried out two operations about 40 km southwest of Kirkuk. An ISIS operative was killed and another was wounded. Several ISIS hiding places were located, with IEDs, explosives, an explosive belt, four motorcycles, and military equipment (Al-Sumaria, October 31, 2020).
• On October 30, 2020, the Iraqi security forces located an ISIS hiding place about 30 km south of Kirkuk. They found IEDs and rockets (Facebook page of the Iraqi Defense Ministry, October 30, 2020).

Babel Province

• On October 31, 2020, teams of the Military Intelligence captured a wanted ISIS operative about 15 km south of Baghdad. In the past, this operative fought against the Iraqi security forces and took part in killing residents and driving them out of the area (Al-Sumaria, November 1, 2020).

The Sinai Peninsula

Sheikh Zuweid region

• On November 2, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army bulldozer near a roadblock east of Sheikh Zuweid. It was destroyed.
• On November 1, 2020, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army mine sweeping vehicle near a roadblock southwest of Sheikh Zuweid. The vehicle was damaged.
• On October 30, 2020, it was reported that a Sheikh Zuweid resident was killed by armed operatives for allegedly collaborating with the army (Shahed Sinaa Facebook page, October 30, 2020).

ISIS’s activity around the globe^[6]

Africa

Nigeria

• On November 1, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a village about 120 km southwest of Maiduguri. A total of 11 people were killed. In addition, seven fighters of a civilian joint task force were killed. Nine women were abducted (AllAfrica, November 3, 2020). ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. ISIS reported that on November 1, 2020, ISIS operatives had attacked a Christian village and killed 10 of its residents. In addition, fighters of forces supporting the Nigerian army were targeted by machine gun fire. Two fighters were killed and others were wounded. ISIS operatives set fire to several houses and seized weapons and ammunition (Telegram, November 2, 2020).
• On November 2, 2020, an IED was activated against a Nigerian army vehicle on the road leading from the Nigerien-Nigerian border to Malam Fatori (about 200 km north of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State). Ten soldiers were killed.
• On October 30, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a command post of forces supporting the Nigerian army in Borno State, in northeastern Nigeria. Two fighters were killed and others were wounded. In addition, the operatives seized weapons and ammunition and set fire to several houses.
• On October 29, 2020, ISIS operatives fired machine guns at Nigerian soldiers about 200 km southwest of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Six soldiers were killed and others were wounded. In addition, arms and ammunition were seized.

Mozambique

Battles between the Mozambican security forces and ISIS

• Mozambican chief of police Bernardino Rafael announced that on October 26-29, 2020, the Mozambican security forces had killed 89 “Islamist terrorist operatives” (implicitly ISIS operatives) during operations carried out in the Cabo Delgado Province (where ISIS is active). The security forces attacked a compound of terrorist operatives (implicitly ISIS) in the city of Mocímboa da Praia, in northeastern Mozambique (October 29, 2020). A total of 19 “terrorist operatives” were caught by surprise and killed on the spot. In the attack against that compound, the Mozambican security forces destroyed six military camps, 15 vehicles, 20 motorcycles, and 3 tons of food supplies. The number of terrorist operatives killed in the Cabo Delgado Province in three days rose to 108 (allAfrica, October 30, 2020).

• On October 31, 2020, operatives of ISIS’s Central Africa Province attacked forces of the Mozambican army in the town of Muidumbe, in the Cabo Delgado region. ISIS reported that several soldiers were killed and several others were captured. ISIS operatives took control of the town and seized weapons and ammunition. It should be recalled that the town was captured and held by ISIS for several days in April 2020, after the Mozambican army retreated, but it managed to retake the town (Telegram, November 1, 2020).

Tanzania

• On October 29, 2020, ISIS operatives set fire to three Christian villages in the Mtwara area, in the southeast of Tanzania (near the border with Mozambique). The villages sustained damage. This is the second terrorist attack in the same area within two weeks. In the ITIC’s assessment, this is a spillover of ISIS’s activity in Mozambique into Tanzanian territory.

The Democratic Republic of Congo

19 Christians killed in a village in the Beni area

• On October 28, 2020, ISIS operatives attacked a Christian village in the Beni area, in northeastern Congo (about 7 km west of the border with Uganda). A total of 19 people were killed and others were wounded. In addition, the operatives set fire to 45 houses.

Somalia

• On October 28, 2020, ISIS operatives fired machine guns and RPG rockets at a Somalian army roadblock about 20 km northwest of Mogadishu. One soldier was killed and two others were wounded.

Asia

Afghanistan

ISIS operatives attack Kabul University

• On the morning of November 2, 2020, three armed operatives entered Kabul University and made their way to the Law Faculty. At that time, hundreds of students and staff were on the campus. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry, the attack lasted for six hours. A total of 22 people were killed and 20 others were wounded. The three armed operatives were killed (Khaama Press, November 2, 2020).
• ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. According to ISIS, the attack was carried out by two Afghan operatives at a graduation ceremony of Afghan government judges and investigators at the university. The two fired small arms at the attendees and exchanged fire with the Afghan security forces until they were killed. According to ISIS, 80 people were killed or wounded (Telegram, November 2, 2020).

 
Right: Evacuating the wounded (Khaama Press, November 2, 2020). Left: The two operatives (Telegram, November 2, 2020)

• ISIS continued to carry out intensive activity in the city of Jalalabad and its environs:
  • On November 1, 2020, an IED was activated against a vehicle of forces supporting the Afghan army. Six fighters were killed or wounded.
  • On October 28, 2020, an IED was activated against an army vehicle northeast of Jalalabad. Three soldiers were killed or wounded.
  • On October 28, 2020, an IED was activated against a vehicle of the Afghan Special Forces. Five fighters were killed or wounded.

The battle for hearts and minds

ISIS call to target Western countries and French interests

• An editorial in ISIS’s Al-Naba’ weekly attacks Muslims who warn France but, as in the past, they will once again praise it and support its leaders. The editorial adds that Western countries will not change their policy towards Muslims as long as there is no significant threat to their interests and the lives of their residents.
• The author calls for targeting Europeans. Specifically, he calls for targeting large French companies operating in Muslim countries and threatening France’s interests in those countries. Only in this way, according to the author, will the (Western) governments and companies refrain from insulting Muslims and will even enact strict laws in this regard (Al-Naba’ weekly, according to Telegram, October 29, 2020).

Call to carry out terrorist attacks in Western countries, especially in France

• An ISIS-affiliated media outlet calling itself the “Cry of the Caliphate” posted a poster on Telegram calling for the resumption of terrorist attacks in the West, especially in France, as “revenge for [the insult to] the Prophet Muhammad.” He calls for carrying out the attacks in every possible way: using bombs, knives, bullets, vehicles and even kicking or punching (Telegram, October 31, 2020).

Call by ISIS supporter to boycott French products

• ISIS has joined a campaign by Islamist organizations calling for a boycott of French products. An ISIS supporter published two posters. One of them reads: “Boycott French products in support of our Prophet Muhammad, may the prayers of Allah be upon Him and His blessing for peace” with a barcode bearing the digits of France. The second poster has a list of leading French brands (Telegram, October 29, 2020).

^[1] Two terrorists who carried out stabbing attacks in London (inspired by ISIS) wore dummy explosive belts, apparently as a means of intimidation and deterrence (a stabbing attack on February 2, 2020 in south London, and a stabbing attack on the London Bridge on November 29, 2019). ↑
^[2] This raises questions about the effectiveness of the de-radicalization workshops. This issue should be examined by the authorities in the various countries. ↑
^[3] According to Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer, the perpetrator posted his photo with the weapons on his Instagram account before the attack (The Guardian, November 3, 2020). Since the perpetrator was shot dead during the attack, the pledge of allegiance was recorded before the attack, apparently around the time he posted the photo on Instagram. ISIS hastened to make propaganda use of the pledge of allegiance the day after the attack. ↑
^[4] According to ISIS’s claims of responsibility posted on Telegram ↑
^[5] According to ISIS’s claims of responsibility posted on Telegram ↑
^[6] According to ISIS’s claims of responsibility posted on Telegram ↑

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