( רמה כ ז מל ו תשר מה ו ד י ע י ן ( למ מ" מ( ןיעידומ תרומ מ כרמ ז מה י עד מל ו ד י ע י ן ו רטל ו רורלו ןיעידומ דימ ר

Spotlight on Global Jihad March 25 - April 7, 2021

Main events

The main event was the takeover of the city of Palma by operatives of ISIS’s Central Africa Province. Palma is a coastal city in northern Mozambique, situated near the biggest gas project in Africa, where foreign companies operate. After ISIS operatives held the city for 12 days, the Mozambican security forces managed to retake the city. In Somalia, ISIS operatives repulsed an attack by Somali government forces in the northeast of the country, killing and wounding more than 20 members of the attacking force. In other African countries, ISIS operatives continued to carry out attacks, mainly against military and security forces. : In the region, artillery exchanges continued between the Syrian army and the forces supporting it and the rebel forces. In the Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region, ISIS operatives continued to carry out attacks against the Kurdish forces and the Syrian army. One noteworthy attack was the detonation of an IED against a Syrian army convoy near Al- Sukhnah (about 100 km southeast of Deir ez-Zor). The IED blew up a truck carrying explosives, and the soldiers on board were killed or wounded. In the desert region (Al- Badia), ISIS continued its attacks against the Syrian army and the forces supporting it. One noteworthy attack was carried out on April 6, 2021, in the Al-Saan region, about 60 km northeast of the city of . Several people were killed in the attack. ISIS operatives also abducted 11 police officers and nine Syrian civilians. In Al-Hasakah, Syrian security forces detained ISIS operatives who had infiltrated into the Al-Hawl camp. Iraq: ISIS’s activity in the past two weeks focused on carrying out attacks against police and army posts in the Kirkuk Province. Attacks were also carried out against the Iraqi security forces in the Diyala and Salah al-Din provinces. In the Al-Anbar Province, ISIS operatives attacked an Iraqi army headquarters south of Rutba. According to ISIS, the headquarters sustained direct hits.

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The Sinai Peninsula: Over the past two weeks, ISIS operatives continued to carry out targeted attacks against the Egyptian security forces, as well as abducting civilians suspected of collaborating with the security forces. A video was released in Afghanistan showing a Taliban operative threatening American forces in Afghanistan. The Syrian arena

Syrian governorates (freeworldmaps.net)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that from March 24, 2019, the date of the announcement of victory over ISIS in Syria and Iraq, until March 24, 2021, a total of 1,362 Syrian soldiers and fighters of the forces supporting the Syrian army had been killed in ISIS attacks in Syria (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, March 24, 2021). The Idlib region This week as well, exchanges of artillery fire continued in the region south and southeast of the rebel enclave in Idlib between the rebel forces headed by HTS, and the Syrian army and the forces supporting it. The Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadeen region

ISIS operatives continued to carry out attacks in the region, mainly against SDF forces and government officials affiliated with them. Most of the attacks were carried out in and around , about 3 km east of Al-Mayadeen. Following are noteworthy attacks according to ISIS’s claims of responsibility:

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On April 5, 2021, an SDF roadblock in Diban was targeted by gunfire. Three SDF fighters were killed. On the same day, an IED was activated against a group of SDF fighters, wounding four of them. On April 1, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in Diban, putting it out of commission. No casualties were reported. On that same day, the SDF headquarters in the Tiana region, about 7 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen, was targeted by rockets and gunfire. Several SDF fighters were wounded, and the building was damaged. On March 27, 2021, a local council member in Hajin (about 50 km southeast of Al- Mayadeen) was targeted by gunfire. The council member and his wife, who is also employed in the local council, were wounded. An SDF intelligence operative in Sweidan, about 10 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen, was targeted by gunfire and killed. A fighter of a militia loyal to the Syrian army was targeted by gunfire in Diban and killed. On March 24, 2021, an IED was activated against an SDF vehicle in Diban. The SDF fighters on board were killed or wounded and the vehicle was destroyed. On March 23, 2021, an SDF roadblock between Tiana and Diban, about 5 km southeast of Al-Mayadeen, was targeted by rockets and gunfire. Several SDF fighters were wounded. The desert region (Al-Badia)

ISIS operatives continued to carry out attacks against the Syrian army in the region. A noteworthy attack occurred on April 6, 2021, in Al-Saan region, about 60 km northeast of Hama. Several people were killed in an attack carried out by ISIS operatives against the forces of the Syrian regime and their supporters. In addition, ISIS abducted 11 police officers and nine Syrian civilians (apparently, members of militias supporting the Syrian regime). At the same time, about 40 civilians were reported missing in the area. It is unclear whether they were also abducted by ISIS (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, April 6, 2021). Following are other attacks, based on ISIS’s claims of responsibility: On April 2, 2021, an IED was activated against a Syrian army vehicle east of , about 30 km southeast of Hama. The vehicle was destroyed and soldiers on board were killed or wounded. On March 26, 2021, an IED was activated against a Syrian army convoy near Al- Sukhnah, about 100 km southeast of Deir ez-Zor. This resulted in a truck carrying explosives blowing up with the soldiers on board being killed or wounded.

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The truck blown up by the IED (Al-Naba' weekly, Telegram, April 1, 2021) Counterterrorism activity by Russian fighter jets On April 3-6, 2021, Russian fighters carried out over 200 airstrikes against ISIS targets in the desert area. About 30 ISIS operatives were killed, and ISIS vehicles, caves and fortified buildings were hit (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, April 6, 2021). The Al-Raqqah region On April 5, 2021, the house of an SDF fighter north of Al-Raqqah was broken into. The fighter and his wife, who works in the militia, were killed. On April 2, 2021, several IEDs were activated during the funeral procession of an SDF fighter in the Karameh area, about 20 km southeast of Al-Raqqah. A total of 10 SDF fighters were killed or wounded. Another IED was activated against the car of a mukhtar (head of a neighborhood) affiliated with the SDF in Tabqa. The vehicle was destroyed. No details were reported on the mukhtar’s condition. Apparently, he escaped unscathed. The Al-Hasakah region The Kurdish forces (SDF) reported the arrest of 125 ISIS operatives in the Al-Hawl detention camp (about 35 km southeast of Al-Hasakah), where ISIS families are held. Some of the detainees were involved in the recent murders in the camp. A total of 47 murders were committed in the camp from the beginning of the year. It is estimated that the operatives who were detained infiltrated into the camp on the pretext of looking for a job (Al-Hurra, April 2, 2021). Among the detainees are ISIS commanders, including Abu Saad al-Iraqi, the commander in charge of recruiting operatives (Al-Arabiya, March 29, 2021).

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The Iraqi arena

Provinces of Iraq (Wikipedia)

ISIS continued to carry out attacks mainly against the Iraqi security forces and the militias supporting them. Prominent among the provinces this week was Kirkuk, where ISIS activity mainly consisted of attacks against police and army posts. Attacks were also carried out against the Iraqi security forces in the provinces of Diyala and Salah al-Din. In the Al-Anbar Province, ISIS attacked an Iraqi army headquarters south of Al-Rutba. According to ISIS, it sustained direct hits. ISIS’s attacks1 Kirkuk Province

On March 30, 2021, an Iraq army camp south of Daquq, in the southern part of the city of Kirkuk, was targeted by rocket and machine gun fire. Several soldiers were killed. On March 29, 2021, an Iraqi police post south of Daquq was targeted by machine gun fire. One soldier was wounded, and a thermal camera was destroyed. On March 26, 2021, an IED was activated against a police vehicle in Wadi Zghaitoun, about 50 km southwest of Kirkuk. Passengers on board were wounded and the vehicle was put out of commission.

1 According to ISIS’s claims of responsibility posted on Telegram

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On March 24, 2021, an Iraqi army camp west of Tuz Khormato, about 100 km northeast of Samarra, was targeted by machine gun fire. One soldier was killed and two others were wounded.

Salah al-Din Province

On March 28, 2021, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization vehicle north of Al- Alam, about 10 km north of Tikrit. The passengers were killed or wounded, and the vehicle was put out of commission. On March 25, 2021, an IED was activated against a Tribal Mobilization commander in the Tarmiyah region, about 30 km north of Baghdad. He was wounded. Another IED was activated against a rescue force arriving on the scene. Several soldiers were wounded. Diyala Province

On April 4, 2021, an IED was activated against a vehicle carrying Shiite civilians on the outskirts of Khales, about 20 km northwest of Baqubah. The vehicle was destroyed and the passengers were killed or wounded. On March 26, 2021, an IED was activated against Tribal Mobilization fighters in the Saadiya region, about 60 km northeast of Baqubah. One fighter was killed and three others were wounded. Counterterrorism measures in Iraq Coalition support for the Iraqi security forces

Iraqi Armed Forces Spokesman Yahya Rasoul announced that Iraq had received observation towers from the International Coalition forces, for the Ein al-Assad base (Al-Araby al-Jadeed, March 31, 2021). Tahsin al-Khaftaji, the spokesman for the joint operations headquarters, said that this was the third time in a row that the International Coalition forces provided the Iraqi security forces with military support. As part of this support, the US sent equipment and spare parts for fighter jets. According to Al-Khaftaji, the Coalition support was intended to continue training and preparing the Iraqi security forces to fight against ISIS (Iraqi News Agency, March 31, 2021). Salah al-Din Province

In the Salah al-Din Province, the Iraqi security forces arrested the ISIS commander (emir) of the Dijla (Tigris) region. He was only recently appointed after the Iraqi security forces had killed his predecessor in mid-December 2020 (Facebook page of Iraqi Armed Forces

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Spokesman Yahya Rasoul, April 1, 2021). A few days ago, Iraqi army F-16 fighter jets carried out about 20 airstrikes against ISIS targets in the Hamrin Mountains, about 50 km northwest of Baqubah. Some 40 hiding places used by ISIS were destroyed (Al-Hal Net, March 26, 2021). Nineveh Province

The Iraqi security forces carried out a two-week operation against ISIS targets in the Makhmur region, about 70 km southeast of Mosul. They killed 27 ISIS operatives and destroyed over 120 terror targets (Twitter account of Iraqi Armed Forces Spokesman Yahya Rasoul, March 24, 2021; Iraqi News Agency, March 24, 2021). Al-Anbar Province

The Iraqi army announced that the Iraqi security forces had foiled an ISIS attack which was supposed to be carried out during Ramadan in Al-Qaim, western Iraq (Al-Hal, April 4, 2021). The Sinai Peninsula

ISIS continued to carry out attacks against the Egyptian security forces and operatives supporting them, albeit in a relatively lower scope. On April 5, 2021, ISIS released photos documenting the execution of a fighter of a tribal militia that collaborates with the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula. The fighter was abducted by ISIS in Al-Barth, south of Rafah. According to the photos, he was shot to death (Telegram, April 5, 2021).

Right: Fighter of one of the tribal militias who was abducted and executed by ISIS (Telegram, April 5, 2021). Left: His execution (Telegram, April 5, 2021)

On April 6, 2021, an Egyptian army bulldozer was targeted by gunfire southwest of Sheikh Zuweid. It went up in flames. On April 2, 2021, it was reported that militants (apparently ISIS operatives) had attacked the village of Manjam, in central Sinai. There was an exchange of fire with a local militia, in

055-21 8 which several people were killed or wounded. The attackers fled (Shahed Sinaa – al-Rasmia, March 25, 2021). On March 27, 2021, two Egyptian bulldozers operating southwest of Sheikh Zuweid were targeted by gunfire and put out of commission (Al-Naba' weekly, Telegram, April 1, 2021). On March 26, 2021, an IED was activated against an Egyptian army armored vehicle west of Bir al-Abd. The passengers on board were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 28, 2021). On March 26, 2021, two Egyptian army vehicles were targeted by gunfire southwest of Sheikh Zuweid and put out of commission (Telegram, April 28, 2021). No casualties were reported. On March 25, 2021, militants (apparently, ISIS operatives) reportedly abducted 16 members of the Dawaghra tribe in Bir al-Abd, on suspicion of collaboration with the Egyptian army (Shahed Sinaa – al-Rasmia, March 25, 2021). Summary of ISIS’s activity around the globe

ISIS posted in its Al-Naba' weekly two summaries of its activity in the various provinces around the globe between March 17 and 30, 2021: The first infographic summed up ISIS’s activity on March 17-23, 2021. During this period, ISIS operatives carried out 49 attacks in the various provinces in Asia and Africa, compared to 45 in the previous week. The largest number of attacks were carried out in Iraq (17). Attacks carried out in ISIS’s other provinces: West Africa (9); Khorasan, i.e. Afghanistan (9); Syria (8); Sinai (4); and Central Africa (2) (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, March 25, 2021). A total of 148 people were killed and wounded in those attacks, compared to 158 in the previous week. The largest number of casualties was in West Africa (70). The other casualties were in the following provinces: Iraq (31); Khorasan, i.e., Afghanistan (19); Syria (17); Sinai (8); and Central Africa (3) (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, March 25, 2021). The second infographic summed up ISIS’s activity on March 24-30, 2021. During this period, ISIS operatives carried out 38 attacks in the various provinces in Asia and Africa. The largest number of attacks were carried out in Iraq (12). Attacks carried out in ISIS’s other provinces: Syria (9); West Africa (8); Central Africa (5); Sinai (2); Khorasan, i.e. Afghanistan (1); and Pakistan (1) (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, April 1, 2021). According to the infographic, 114 people were killed and wounded in those attacks. The largest

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number of casualties was in Central Africa (60). The other casualties were in the following provinces: Iraq (21); Syria (19); Central Africa (10); Sinai (3); and Khorasan, i.e., Afghanistan (1) (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, April 1, 2021)

The two infographics in ISIS’s Al-Naba' weekly (Al-Naba', Telegram, March 25 and April 1, 2021)

The data released by ISIS reveals that although most of the attacks are carried out in Iraq, ISIS’s attacks in Africa are more complex and deadlier. Africa Mozambique

The main attack carried out by ISIS in Africa was a large-scale operation on the city of Palma in northern Mozambique. Palma is a coastal city located in the north of the Cabo Delgado Province, near the largest natural gas field in Africa, where foreign companies operate. According to ISIS, the operatives mounted the attack from Mocímboa da Praia, a port city that ISIS took over on August 12, 2020, located about 70 km north of Palma. During the attack, which ISIS claimed lasted three days, ISIS operatives killed at least 55 soldiers and Christian civilians, including citizens of foreign Western-Christian (“Crusader”) countries. ISIS operatives took over government and military buildings, government facilities and banks. They also seized large quantities of weapons and ammunition (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, April 1, 2021). According to local sources, the attack was carried out by several groups moving along several routes simultaneously. ISIS operatives initially took control of a police station near the coast. From there they advanced to the city’s business park and robbed two banks. At the same time, fighting was taking place in the area of the Amarula Hotel in the north of the city,

055-21 10 which is frequented by foreigners. According to reports, following ISIS’s takeover of the city, the city’s residents began to flee en masse (www.theafricareport.com, March 24, 2021). On April 5, 2021, the Mozambican army reported that after 12 days, its forces had regained control of the city. The city suffered considerable damage (BBC, Sky News, April 5, 2021).

The city of Palma, located in a natural bay about 30 km south of the Mozambique-Tanzania border and about 70 km north of Mocímboa da Praia (Google Maps).

Right: ISIS operative in the city of Palma. Left: Helicopter evacuating Western civilians during the attack on the city (Al-Naba’, Telegram, April 1, 2021). Nigeria2

On March 31, 2021, a Christian “spy” was killed in a village in the Askira region, about 70 km from the Nigeria-Cameroon border in Borno State, in northeastern Nigeria.

2 According to ISIS’s claims of responsibility

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On March 31, 2021, an IED was activated against a Nigerian army patrol in the Malam Fatori region, in the Nigeria-Chad-Niger tri-border area in the northeast of the country. Six soldiers were killed. On March 26, 2021, Nigerian soldiers were attacked in the Garkida region, about 100 km east of the Nigeria-Cameroon border. An exchange of fire took place at the scene, in which several soldiers were killed or wounded. On March 24, 2021, a position of a militia loyal to the Nigerian army was attacked near the border with Cameroon. An exchange of fire took place at the scene, in which one soldier was killed and several others were wounded.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

In two separate incidents (March 26 and April 1, 2021) two Congolese army camps in the Rwenzori region of eastern Congo were targeted by machine gun fire. There was an exchange of fire and two soldiers were killed. ISIS operatives seized weapons and ammunition. On March 24, 2021, a truck and a car of Christian residents were targeted by gunfire on the Kasindi-Beni highway, near the Congo-Uganda border. The five Christian passengers in the vehicles were killed. The vehicles were set on fire. Niger

On April 3, 2021, a Niger army camp was targeted by gunfire in the Diffa region, on the Niger side of the Niger-Nigeria border. An exchange of fire took place at the scene, in which five soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. ISIS operatives seized six vehicles, weapons and ammunition. An IED was activated against a Nigerien army patrol that arrived on the scene. Six soldiers on board the vehicles were killed.

ISIS operatives exchanging fire with Nigerien soldiers in the Diffa region, near the Niger-Nigeria border (Telegram, April 5, 2021)

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On April 1, 2021, an IED was activated against a Nigerien army armored vehicle in the Diffa region. The vehicle was destroyed and its passengers were killed or wounded. Cameroon

On April 2, 2021, operatives of ISIS’s West Africa Province attacked a Cameroonian army camp near the Cameroon-Nigeria border, not far from Lake Chad. An exchange of fire took place, in which five soldiers were killed and several others were wounded. ISIS operatives seized weapons and ammunition. On March 26, 2021, an attack was carried out on a Cameroonian army camp in northern Cameroon, near the Nigerian border. Several soldiers were killed or wounded in the exchange of fire that took place. Somalia

ISIS operatives repulsed an attack by Somali government forces near Bosaso, in northeastern Somalia. There was a heavy exchange of fire between ISIS operatives and a large Somali force trained by American forces. According to ISIS, ISIS operatives detonated a car bomb during the exchange of fire, and several soldiers were killed or wounded. As the attacking forces retreated, ISIS operatives ambushed them, fired machine guns at them and activated an IED. More than 20 members of the attacking force were killed or wounded (Telegram, April 4, 2021). Tunisia

An officer from Tunisia’s National Guard announced Tunisian security forces had killed three ISIS-affiliated terrorist operatives in two separate incidents (Asharq al-Awsat, April 2, 2021): In one incident, the Tunisian security forces killed a terrorist operative and his wife, both of Asian descent, in the Jabal al-Sallum Mountains, about 40 km southwest of Jabal al-Mghailla. Security forces killed an ISIS-affiliated Jund al-Khilafah operative in the Jabal al- Mghailla Mountains, about 200 km southwest of the capital Tunis. On February 3, 2021, ISIS claimed responsibility for killing four Tunisian soldiers who were on patrol near Jabal al-Mghailla (Al-Naba’ weekly, Telegram, February 18, 2021). The Tunisian Ministry of Defense confirmed that four soldiers were indeed killed on that day while patrolling in the area (Al-Hurra, February 3, 2021).

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Morocco

Security forces detained four ISIS-affiliated terrorist operatives in the northeastern city of Oujda, near the Algerian border. The four allegedly planned to carry out an attack against an army base and other targets in the country (www.theintelligencer.com, March 25, 2021). Al-Qaeda in Gaza

The Al-Raya Foundation, the propaganda arm of Jaysh al-Ummah al-Salafi fi Beit al-Maqdis (the Army of the Salafi Nation in Jerusalem), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated Salafi-jihadist organization operating in the Gaza Strip, issued a poster with the inscription “Equip a [Jihad] Fighter Campaign”. This is a campaign that it has been publicizing intermittently in recent years, intended to raise funds for the organization. A poster issued by the organization quoted former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as saying that Palestine will not be restored to the Muslims by peaceful means, but rather through adherence to Islam, investing money and sacrificing lives. The poster includes the address of a digital wallet for transferring donations via Bitcoin (Telegram, April 1, 2021).

Campaign to support Jaysh al-Ummah, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated organization in Gaza (Telegram, April 1, 2021) Asia Afghanistan

This week, as well, ISIS operated against Afghan security forces, mainly in the Jalalabad region. Most of the attacks took the form of activating IEDs. Following are the main attacks, according to ISIS’s claims of responsibility: On April 5, 2021, an IED was activated against an Afghan police vehicle. One policeman was killed and two others were wounded. On April 2, 2021, an IED was activated against a group of government officials, escorted by security personnel, in the northern Nangarhar Province. Ten government

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officials and security personnel were killed or wounded, including an Afghan police officer. On April 1, 2021, a female Afghan security operative was shot and killed in Jalalabad. On March 25, 2021, an Afghan intelligence officer was shot and killed in Jalalabad. On March 24, 2021, an IED was activated against a vehicle traveling in an Afghan security force convoy in Jalalabad. Six security operatives were killed and the vehicle was destroyed. Taliban threat against the American forces

A video was disseminated on social media showing a Taliban operative, who was trained in the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq camp (one of the Taliban camps in Afghanistan), sitting in front of Taliban fighters threatening the American forces in Afghanistan in English. According to him, if the American forces do not abide by the agreement with the organization and withdraw their forces from Afghanistan soon, the organization will fight them, with the aim of establishing an Islamic government (Telegram, April 7, 2021).

Operative trained in the training camp threatening the American forces in Afghanistan (Telegram, April 7, 2021) Indonesia

An ISIS-affiliated woman attempted to break into the police headquarters in Jakarta and aimed a loaded gun at policemen. She was shot and killed by police (Reuters, March 31, 2021). The day before, two terrorists, a man and his wife, attempted to carry out an attack on a church in Makassar, on the island of Sulawesi. They arrived on a motorcycle with IEDs and attempted to enter a Catholic church compound in the city. They were prevented from entering due to the presence of security guards at the scene. After failing to enter, they activated the IEDs at the entrance to the church. About 20 people were wounded. It should be noted that the attack was carried out on Sunday morning during Easter prayers, at a time

055-21 15 when the church was full of worshipers. So far, no claim of responsibility has been issued by any organization. According to security officials in Indonesia, they were operatives of the ISIS- affiliated Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) (Reuters, March 28, 2021; www.christianheadlines.com, March 29, 2021; AP, March 29, 2021) ). The Philippines

According to security sources in the Philippines, security forces killed at least 16 ISIS- affiliated Islamic fighters in several different incidents in the southern Philippines. The main incident took place on March 17, 2021, in the area of the city of Maguindanao, on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, where the Philippine security forces killed 14 operatives (AP, March 24, 2021). Turkey

Turkish security forces continue their counterterrorism activity. As part of their activity, they detained about 40 individuals suspected of involvement with ISIS in Istanbul. Some of the detainees hold Iraqi citizenship (Anatolia News Agency, March 26; April 1, 2021).

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