Today’s Major Developments
Turks bomb inside Ninewa.
More second thoughts about the proposed Baghdad perimeter wall.
Iraq forces keep advancing around Ramadi, Falluja
REPORTS FROM IRAQ
BAGHDAD
Political developments
The Ministry of Defense spokesman Nassir Nouri called for “unconditional” Turkish withdrawal from all Iraqi territories. [Qurtas]
In his meeting with US Ambassador Stuart Jones, former Vice President Usama Al-Nujaifi highly praised US efforts in Ramadi liberation battles. However, he complained that some undisciplined PMF militias are deforming the image of the state, and that’s why they should not be part of the Mosul liberation. He added that the National Mobilization should have the upper hand in liberating their city. [Shafaq]
The London based Al-Hayat cites “trusted sources” saying United States officials are meeting with Sunni opposition leaders in Amman to discuss the future of the liberated Sunni cities. Kamel Al-Mehimdi, an opposition tribal leader from Anbar, says the negotiations restarted after stopping for several months because of some issues, including the establishment of a Sunni region. [Hayat]
The Sunni alliance in the CoR issued a statement saying Speaker’s Jubouri’s visit to Washington served “the supreme national interests” and that the Speaker will present the results of his visit to the CoR. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. This statement supports the Speaker’s visit after several MPs (Sunni and Shia) expresses their concerns that they didn’t know anything about it.
Prime Minister Abadi meets with the PMF organization’s inspector-general and orders him to investigate the distribution of PMF salaries. [Sumaria]
Several MPs had asked the government to hasten the distribution of the PMF salaries. [Rudaw]
A Sunni MP expresses his “fears” about the “mysterious” Baghdad fence. He says building walls and digging trenches in the name of fighting terrorism shows a lack of vision and security plans, and will open the door for demographic conflicts. He fears the trenches might be similar to the KRG’s, intended to start dividing Iraq which will force the Sunnis to bring foreign troops to Sunni areas to fight Daesh and announce the Sunni region. [Sumaria]
Another Sunni MP expresses the same concerns and said the Wall is more like a big prison for the people of Baghdad. [Sumaria]
A Shia MP says the wall is designed to protect Baghdad and not to isolate it or to divide it. He says the plan to establish the wall has existed since 2007. [Sumaria]
Baghdad Operations Command says that it is taking measures to secure the surroundings of Baghdad. It is entrusting the engineering corps to survey the Baghdad perimeter to detect weak points. The corrective measures will include building defensive positions and installing advanced cameras. [Mada]
The CoR voted to form a committee to discuss the latest statement of Sunni MP Mishaan Al-Jubouri who accused all Iraqi politicians and high ranking officials of being corrupt. Jubouri appeared on a TV channel and said the CoR’s Integrity Committee is accepting bribes from many officials to close corruption cases. He said that he himself took millions of dollars from an official to close a case against him, but he took the money without closing the case (video). [Sumaria] [BasNews] [Etejah]
The chairman of Badr CoR bloc says he supports uncovering corruption but he opposes accusing all politicians. However, he would support lifting Al-Jubouri’s immunity from prosecution. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. Mr. Mishaan, who is well known for his shifting alliances and positions, is also well known for his odd and usually self-serving statements. However, we can’t explain his motive for opening himself up to prosecution.
Representatives of the Quadripartite Coalition (Iraq, Syria, Iran and Russia) met in Moscow on Wednesday to discuss targeting Daesh’s financial resources. [Mada]
Security developments
A joint force of the 43rd army brigade and national security troops, with the help of Al-Zuhoor, Boob Al-Sham, and 7th of Nissan police, arrested Mohammed Shahir Al-Lahibi, a leading Daesh figure in northeast Baghdad. Several explosives were also captured. [Maalomah]
DaeshDaily comment. How many people does it take to arrest one guy?
A Daesh terrorist in possession of explosives was arrested by the IFP in Khadimiya, in north Baghdad, a statement of Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) said. An explosives belt was also found in Al-Tadabir neighborhood in north Baghdad, and 4 terrorists were killed in the Al-Shiha area. [AIN]
A Daesh terrorist was arrested in Latifiya in south Baghdad, by security personnel, who also detected a large weapons and explosives cache in the area. [Maalomah]
According to security sources:
- Gunmen shot and killed an employee of the Ministry of Industry as he exited his house in Saba’ Al-Bor in north Baghdad. [Maalomah]
- A sticky bomb attached to a civilian car exploded in Baladiyat in east Baghdad, killing the school headmaster driving it. [Mada]
- An IED placed in a commercial area in Nahrawan in southeast Baghdad killed one civilian and wounded nine. [Mada]
- An IED placed in one of the internal alleys of Dora, in south Baghdad, wounded a civilian passing by. [Sumaria]
- An IED placed in a popular vegetable and fruit market in Al-Rashid in south Baghdad killed two civilians and wounded nine. [Mada]
- A roadside IED exploded in Arab Jabour village in south Baghdad, wounding four policemen and damaging their patrol car. [Sumaria]
- An IED planted in a popular market in Latifiya in south Baghdad killed two civilians and wounded 5. [Maalomah]
- An IED placed near a popular restaurant in Bayya in southwest Baghdad killed one civilian and wounded six. [Mada]
- Two bodies of men handcuffed and with torture marks were found shot to death in Saidiya in southwest Baghdad. [Ghad]
- Two bodies of men shot to death were found in Al-Shabab neighborhood in southwest Baghdad. [Sumaria]
Total Baghdad incidents reported: 10 (Not an overall total)
The Coalition initiated 20 airstrikes on Daesh targets in Ramadi, Mosul, and Qayara. 6 attacks targeted Daesh command and control centers and fighting positions in Qayara, and there were 5 in Mosul and 6 in Ramadi with similar targets. In Syria, Coalition warplanes attacked vehicles and tactical units in Ain Essa and Mare’. [Baghdadia]
An attack by Iraq’s Sukhoi warplanes destroyed a workshop for bomb-rigging cars in Albu Shijil north of Falluja, a Daesh gathering in Mkaishifa in Salahuddin, and 4 Daesh positions in Albu Assaf in Ramadi. Another raid targeted explosives and car bomb workshops in Siniya in Salahuddin, killing several Daesh terrorists, according to the IWMC. [Ghad]
ANBAR
Falluja
6th and 17th army divisions, in collaboration with Rapid Intervention forces, liberated the areas of Nuaimiya and Tuffaha Bridge south of Falluja and the Dhira’ Dijla in the Thirthar area to the northwest, killing five Daesh fighters and wounding two, in addition to destroying their defensive positions. The troops destroyed machine guns and rocket launchers, as well as two boats, and captured an armored vehicle. [Maalomah]
An Anbar Operations Command source says the IAA targeted Daesh locations in Saqlawiya and Nuaimiya heavily, killing 30 terrorists and destroying many vehicles. The source says the IAA intensified its airstrikes on Daesh in the area in preparation for the upcoming Falluja liberation battle. [Maalomah]
A PMF commander says Imam Ali Division of the PMFs liberated Albu Ali Al-Fayadh village near Saqlawiya center. [Harbi]
Photos of Iraqi forces near Falluja [Sumaria]
A member of Falluja Salvation Council says Daesh terrorists arrested 6 doctors from the Falluja hospital without giving any reason. [Mawazin]
DaeshDaily comment. Several people from Falluja, including doctors, have been communicating with media sources about the humanitarian situation in the city.
Coalition warplanes killed 20 terrorists and destroyed 4 vehicles in an attack on the Albu Shijil area west of Falluja, the BOC said. A weapons cache was also destroyed. [AIN]
The army, backed by PMF units and army helicopters, destroyed 11 Daesh vehicle bombs in the Albu Shijil area in its progress toward closing off Falluja city from the northern side, a security source said. [AynIraq]
Several Daesh terrorists were killed and many IEDs defused by the 14th army division while clearing Albu Shijil. [AIN]
An Anbar Operations Command source says the AOC artillery shelled a Daesh house in Albu Shijil, killing 5 terrorists. [Maalomah]
An Iraqi drone destroyed a vehicle bomb heading towards the government defense lines in Albu Shijil, IWMC said. [AIN]
Ali Dawood, the chair of the Khaldiya security committee said that Albu Sawda in Qarma was fully liberated after troops killed 18 Daesh terrorists and destroyed 4 vehicle bombs. He added that the army troops are heading to Albu Shahab and Mahamida to clear them of Daesh terrorists, in coordination with troops advancing in Saqlawiya and east of Ramadi. [Mada]
The commander of the tribal mobilization forces of Qarma said that an operation by army forces on a Daesh gathering ended with the killing of Omar Al-Luhaibi, the military commander of Daesh in Qarma subdistrict, and destruction of six vehicles with mounted machine guns and rockets. [Mada]
A video of PMFs in Qarma [YouTube]
Ramadi
Security forces entered Sajariya area east of Ramadi, killing 17 Daesh terrorists in the process, but reported that the area is devoid of civilian families, who seem to be gathered in Juwaiba, a security source said. [Baghdadia]
General Ismail Al-Mahalawi, commander of Anbar Operations (AOC) said that the army used alternative off-the-road routes and paths in its attack on eastern Ramadi areas as all main and sub-roads were booby-trapped by Daesh. He said that troops surprised Daesh fighters by reaching their back lines through these routes. [Maalomah]
The general also said that Al-Sarah between Albu Ghanem and Sajariya was liberated after many Daesh members were killed. He says progress is continuing as planned. [Maalomah]
A security source in Khaldiya said that army and counter terror troops destroyed Daesh defenses in Sajariya, much of which is now liberated, after using alternative routes to attack Daesh terrorists. A large number of terrorists were killed and a lot of equipment was destroyed. [Maalomah]
Adhal Al-Fahdawi, a member of the Anbar Provincial Council, said that army and security forces fully liberated Sajariya and raised the Iraqi flag over its buildings. The commander of the 3rd Counter Terrorism Division, Major-General Sami Al-Aridhi, stated earlier that his troops broke into the center of Sajariya, killing 17 terrorists. [Sumaria] This was confirmed by General Al-Mahalawi, in a separate statement. [Maalomah]
Counter Terrorism troops, supported by IAA helicopters and Coalition warplanes, killed 54 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a construction shovel bomb in addition to several IEDs on the road between Sadda and Sufiya. An Iraqi officer and another soldier were wounded in the operation. [IWMC Report]
Rapid Intervention troops killed 11 Daesh terrorist in Hsaiba east of Ramadi, and destroyed their defensive positions. The troops killed two others trying to attack IED removal vehicles with RPG rockets. [Maalomah]
Iraqi forces stopped a Daesh attack in East Hsaiba, killing several terrorists and destroying 2 hideouts. An IFP member and a tribal fighter were killed in the attack. [IWMC Report]
Iraqi forces defused 74 IEDs and destroyed 17 while clearing the Albu Risha area. [IWMC Report]
17th army division executed a surprise operation in Bustan Al-Tikriti, east of Ramadi, killing a terrorist and arresting 6 others, as well as killing 2 others in Al-Irsan, MoD said. [AIN]
Coalition warplanes destroyed 3 Daesh vehicle bombs in Khaldiya east of Ramadi, according to Khaldiya Mayor Ali Dawood, who added that the vehicles were caught before they could attack army units in the area. [Mawqif]
The chairman of Khaldiya subdistrict council says Coalition war planes destroyed 3 Daesh vehicle bombs that were trying to attack Iraqi forces in the Albu Shahab area in Jazeera Al-Khaldiya. [Sumaria]
Hit/Haditha
Coalition warplanes destroyed a Daesh convoy heading from Hit to Baghdadi, and an artillery piece that was targeting the residential complex of the subdistrict, in coordination with 7th army division intelligence, a division source said. [Sumaria]
An airstrike by a Coalition warplane destroyed two vehicles with mounted anti-aircraft guns in the Mashtal neighborhood in the center of Hit, killing 7 terrorists, a security source said. [Baghdadia]
Daesh says 5 people were killed and 11 wounded, mostly women and children, in 3 Coalition airstrikes on Hit. [A3maq]
Iraqi 7th army division is providing medical help and gas for private generators in Baghdadi subdistrict, the Ministry of Defense said. Orders were issued to provide full food rations and safe water to the population, said the Ministry. [AIN]
SALAHUDDIN
Shirqat
The PMFs announced that three important Daesh leaders in Hawija and Shirqat have been killed. They were Nimrildeen Abu A’esha (Saudi national, wali of Dijla); Abu Marwan Al-Jazaeri, financial officer of Wilayat (province) Dijla; and Rokan Al-Shami, responsible for planning attacks in Salahuddin. [Ghad]
Daesh’s so-called “Mujahedeen Affairs Committee” in Shirqat is reported to have transferred selected fighters from Shirqat, Hawija, Qayara, Tal Afar, and Mosul to fight in Libya, sources in Shirqat said. The penalty for disobedience is immediate transfer to the front lines. [AIN]
Baiji
Seven terrorists were killed by special forces west of Makhoul Mountains, said Major General Maan Al-Saadi, the commander. He said 5 more were killed while trying to sneak into the Hawi Al-Alam area north of Tikrit. [Mawazin]
Abdullah Al-Asafi, a Daesh leader in Kirkuk, and three other terrorists were killed in clashes with PMFs in Makhoul Mountains, according to Jabbar Al-Maamouri, a leading PMF figure. Al-Asafi is reportedly in the first echelon of Daesh leaders. [Sumaria]
Tikrit
Army and security forces repelled a Daesh attack on Al-Dhiba’i near Awja, south of Tikrit, a security source in Tikrit said. [Baghdadia]
Iraqi forces stopped a Daesh attack in Dayyoum, in western Tikrit, killing 22 Daesh terrorists. [IWMC Report]
Army helicopters attacked and destroyed two Daesh artillery pieces as they were being towed in Himrin Hills northeast of Tikrit, PMF spokesman said. [Ghad]
Major General Shakir Jawdat, the Commander of the IFP, said that the IFP 20th brigade bombed and destroyed three Daesh positions in Al-Safra in Himrin Hills; killed 3 snipers in a gas station in Ajeel oil field; and killed seven Daesh terrorists planting IEDs in Makhoul Mountains. He added that the 10th IFP brigade destroyed two vehicle bombs west of Samarra and killed a suicide attacker in Al-Fatha north of Baiji. [Mada]
Samarra
The PMF media said a Daesh convoy was bombed and destroyed west of Samarra, including a vehicle bomb. [Maalomah]
Videos of PMFs battles west of Samarra [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube]
Daesh publishes 2 photos of shelling Mkaishifa with mortars. [CSSN]
DIYALA
Muqdadiya/Abu Saida
Armed men broke into the apartment of a PMF member in Mualimeen neighborhood, downtown Muqdadiya, and shot him dead, a police source said. [Baghdadia]
KIRKUK
A Daesh sniper shot dead a member of the Turkmen mobilization who was on duty near Al-Bashir village in Taza east of Kirkuk. [Sumaria]
Poisonous food killed 8 Daesh terrorists who ate at a restaurant in the center of Hawija, local sources said. [Maalomah]
DaeshDaily comment. This seems to raise a question.
Daesh is confiscating the houses of families whose sons have escaped Hawija, and forcing them to pay IQD 50,000 in rent to stay therein. The measures started in Hawija center, and were extended to Riyadh, Zab, and Abbasi, a local source said. Many young men and state employees have left these areas. [Sumaria]
15 persons were arrested in Hay Arafa in northeast Kirkuk for various reasons. Some have no formal residence cards. [Sumaria]
NINEWA
Mosul
Starting next week, Mosul’s civilian population should all wear Afghani outfits for security reasons, on order of Mosul’s wali, a KDP source said. Penalties will be imposed on violators. [Rudaw]
Daesh publishes photos of a children’s hospital in Mosul. [CSSN]
Faris Al-Sabawi, the commander of the Tribal Mobilization in south Mosul confirmed the liberation of three Arab villages in Mosul’s Qayara subdistrict yesterday. He says the fight will go on until Qayara is liberated. 800 hundred fighters, supported by the Coalition and the Peshmerga, are leading the attack. [Mada] [See additional stories below]
DaeshDaily comment. Qayara is also the location of an airfield, previously used by the US, which seems potentially significant.
Nineveh Plain
Turkish warplanes bombed the village of Fadhiliya in Bashiqa, inside Iraq, killing three and wounding two civilians. All the victims are from the same Shabak family. [PUKMedia]
Coalition warplanes struck Daesh positions in Bashiqa and in Mahana village in western Makhmur, killing 15 terrorists, including Khalid Mahmoud Al-Jubouri (alias Khalid Awasha), a Daesh leader, a PUK media source said. [PUKMedia] Mahana is close to Qayara.
Coalition warplanes fired 4 rockets on two factories for car bombs and a storehouse for explosives in Sultan Abdullah village in Hamdaniya District, just west of Makhmur District, a PUK official said, adding that the bombing lasted for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Daesh fired Katyusha rockets on Kodila and Kermerdi villages in Qayara, which were liberated yesterday by the tribal fighters. [PUK]
A Peshmerga source says the Kurdish troops stopped a sudden Daesh counter-attack on Kodila village at 10:30 pm Thursday and the clashes are still going on. [Rudaw]
Makhmur
A joint force from the 91st infantry brigade and tribal PMFs liberated Kodi village in Qaraj subdistrict, killing 10 terrorists and destroying 3 vehicle bombs. An officer was killed and 5 fighters wounded in the operation. [IWMC Report] Qaraj is the Arab-majority subdistrict in Makhmur.
Other Governorates
KURDISTAN
Turkish fighters today bombed in the Sebyan Mountains on the outskirts of Zakho, in northwest Dahuk Governorate, media sources said, targeting PKK positions in the area. The village of Zenaf was targeted for the first time, causing families to flee to safer areas. [Rudaw]
Turkish planes bombed PKK positions in the remote Qandil Mountains for four hours, targeting Aniza, Liyouza, Boskriskan, and Zarcaly, Kurdish sources said. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. The PKK has long centered its Iraq operation in the largely inaccessible Qandil Mountains, and has several camps elsewhere in northern Iraqi Kurdistan.
Ali Babir, the emir of the Kurdistan Islamic Group, says the announcement of Kurdistan independence should be kept away from (KDP) partisan dictation and an internal agreement should be found. He also says there must be some coordination with the neighboring countries to inform them that the Kurdish state will be a good neighbor. [Sumaria]
A Gorran official says his movement doesn’t support the KRG’s decision to decrease the salaries. He also says he doesn’t know if demonstrations will occur because of the decrease. [SotKurdistan]
SOUTHERN IRAQ
Wasit. A person wanted on several terrorism charges and attacks in Baghdad and other provinces, was arrested in Suwaira, north of Wasit. The arrest was made by intelligence units and 1st battalion of Wasit Rapid Intervention units, a security source said. [AIN]
Qadessiya. A joint task force of an explosives team and Shanifiya police found a hideout containing 7 Russian made 100mm armor piercing shells and 220mm artillery shells without detonators, of the type used to manufacture IEDs in Shanifiya, southwest of Diwaniya. [Mada]
REPORTS FROM TURKEY
We have no reports from Turkey itself, but Turkey’s bombing inside Ninewa and against PKK targets in Iraq were reported above.
REPORTS FROM SYRIA
A Russian military advisor was killed on Wednesday by a Daesh mortar shell that targeted a Syrian Army position according to statements by the Russian Defense Ministry. [Sumaria] [MoscowTimes (English)]
Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)
The YPG announced that it foiled a Daesh attack southeast of Hasaka on Wednesday after receiving intelligence on Daesh militants’ movements. The YPG statement also said that a YPG fighter died in Hasaka on February 2nd during operations to clear an IED. The group also announced that its fighters clashed with Daesh in Ain Eissa on Thursday, and carried out operations against Daesh south of Aleppo, killing at least two Daesh fighters. [ARA]
Daesh says American warplanes bombed the cultural center in Raqqa (which Daesh turned into a sharia center) with more than 12 rockets, destroying it completely after midnight. Daesh also says that hours before, Russian warplanes destroyed a medical center in Raqqa, causing major damage. [A3maq]
Daesh publishes a video of the results of the bombings. [A3maq] [CSSN]
Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)
After Daesh withdrew from four villages east of Aleppo on Wednesday evening, Syrian troops took them unopposed, an activist reports, naming the villages as Al-Sin, Jab, Ghabsha, Jab Al-Kalb, and Al-Awayniya. [ARA]
Daesh struck at Syrian troops with two vehicle bombs east of Aleppo, one in the city of Al-Afsh, and one in Tal Maksour, both near the besieged Harara Plant (Thermal Plant) where Syrian troops have been battling Daesh for several days, a resident reported. The blasts, which killed and injured an unspecified number of Syrian troops, led to heavy clashes between the two sides in which Daesh advanced into territory it had lost to the Syrian Army in recent battles, the same source said. The source explained that the Syrian troops had attempted to surround Daesh fighters inside the plant, prompting Daesh to launch the attacks to prevent their fighters from being surrounded on all sides. [ARA]
Daesh says a Saudi suicide terrorists attacked Syrian troops in Al-Afsh followed by Daesh terrorists attacking the village and killing the remaining Syrian soldiers. The same thing happened in Tal Maksour after a Syrian suicide terrorist detonated a vehicle bomb, followed by another suicide terrorist in a vehicle bomb attacking a nearby hill. Daesh says more than 90 soldiers were killed and a T72 tank was captured and another destroyed in addition to destroying an armored vehicle and 2 other vehicles (photos). [CSSN] [CSSN] [CSSN]
Daesh says its terrorists recaptured a Syrian military position between Tal Maksour and Al-Seen villages in Aleppo’s eastern countryside. [A3maq]
A small Arab militia called the “Martyrs of the Dam” (Shuhada Al-Sedd, referring to the battle for Tishrin Dam, have announced that they have joined the Sun of the North militia, part of the Syria Democratic Forces (photos/video). [Hawar]
Local activists say Daesh detonated a booby-trapped motorcycle on the YPG in the eastern gate of Tal Abyad, without giving details about casualties. [BasNews]
Daesh publishes a video of beheading the sharia leader of Jabha Shamiya. The man talked about his group’s operations room with other Syrian armed groups that used to coordinate with American and Turkish warplanes to bomb Daesh locations. After his “confession,” a young boy from Ashbal Al-Khilafa beheaded him. [DawaAlhaq]
Daesh publishes a video of the destruction in Etihad University in Manbij after a French airstrike. [A3maq]
Daesh says its terrorists killed 5 YPG fighters and captured Koni Aftar village and hill southeast of Kobane. [A3maq] [A3maq]
Daesh says warplanes and helicopters bombed several areas west of Kowaires. Daesh says the bombing was accompanied by heavy rocketing and artillery shelling. [A3maq]
Central and West (Homs, Hama, etc.)
Russian warplanes on late Wednesday struck Wadi Street in the city of Palmyra (Tadmur) east of Homs, killing nine civilians and wounding “tens” of others, including women and children. A Russian airstrike on Kissin north of Homs wounded four civilians. [Qasioun]
The Syrian Army could be poised to launch a wide-scale assault on territory in Homs, after a deadline given yesterday to opposition fighters passed today. [ARA]
East (Deir Ez-Zor)
Russian planes struck residential buildings in the Rusafa neighborhood of Deir Ez-Zor while Syrian ground troops fought with Daesh in areas nearby. Russian warplanes also struck the Husseiniya neighborhood of Deir Ez-Zor and the village of Al-Jufra near the military airport, causing property damage. Syrian troops shelled Husseiniya and fought pitched battles with Daesh in areas around the airport amid heavy Daesh shelling and rocketing on the airport itself, amid reports of casualties among the Syrian troops within. [Qasioun]
Daesh says two of its suicide terrorists (a Syrian and a Saudi) attacked Syrian troops with 2 vehicle bombs in Abu Al-Waleed farms and an Al-Alam military position near Deir Ez-Zor military airport, killing or wounding dozens of Syrian soldiers and allowing other Daesh fighters to capture the Al-Alam position (photos). [CSSN] [CSSN]
South
The Nusra Front commander in Rif Damashq Governorate says that the Nusra Front defeated Daesh in Wadi Barada and that Nusra Front and allied opposition militias have full control of the area and have seized Daesh weapons and food stores and freed dozens of Daesh-held prisoners after Daesh fighters fled the area to the city of Harira, which is under Syrian government control. [Qasioun]
OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS
Neighboring countries
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is ready to take part in any Coalition ground war against Daesh in Syria, the country’s Defense Ministry advisor said.
Lebanon
Alternative accounts of yesterday’s Army raid and arrest of Syrians are emerging from northwestern Lebanon. An activist reports that Lebanese Army troops with backing from the Hezbollah militia made the arrests of around 30 alleged Daesh and Nusra Front members from within a refugee camp that the Army forcefully entered. Three refugees were killed in the state of confusion that engulfed the camp during the raid, the activist said. The Army also reportedly raided the camp’s medical center and arrested wounded Syrians inside on allegations that they were injured fighting for Daesh against the Lebanese military. Activist sources deny that there is a hard-line militant presence in the Arsal area, and speak of tensions between refugees and the Lebanese state because of siege conditions in place in the Wadi Arnab area and a deteriorating humanitarian situation among the refugees. [Arabi21]
North Africa
Egypt
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry has said that Egypt will not abandon any Egyptian who wishes to return to Egypt from Libya. [AfriGate]
North Sinai
Two policemen, one an officer, were killed in a roadside IED attack on their vehicle on Thursday on the Bir Lahfan Road south of Arish, a security source said. Another policeman was injured in the blast, the source added. [ElWatan]
Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis released five young men on Thursday after abducting them a day earlier in the Al-Rasm area of Rafah, a tribal source said. Ansar said it told the five that it found no relationship between the men and the transfer of information to the Egyptian authorities. [ElWatan]
Egyptian Army helicopters reportedly conducted heavy airstrikes on three different concentrations of Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis militants in Arish and Sheikh Zuweid on Wednesday, killing thirteen and wounding seven others, as well as destroying multiple cars and motorcycles. Egyptian Army troops also reportedly killed an Ansar militant in the Wadi Matamir area of central Sinai who was reportedly in possession of a remote control device. Four IEDs were reportedly defused yesterday in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah on Wednesday. The Egyptian security agencies released 36 prisoners in North Sinai after investigations reportedly determined that they were innocent. [ElWatan]
Daesh publishes photos of beheading 2 “spies” in Rafah. [CSSN]
Libya
From its positions in Derna’s Area 400 and in the mountainous “Hajaj” area overlooking the city, Daesh has shelled the eastern coastal area of the city with mortars and shot sniper fire for the last two days, a source in the city said. Militants of the Mujahidin Shura Council of Derna fired rockets, tank shells, and mortars at Daesh’s positions, a Derna source said. A 10 year-old girl was killed by sniper fire in the city on Wednesday, the source added. [Wasat]
The Mayor of Sabratha, 75 km (47 miles) west of Tripoli, has denied reports Daesh is present in the city, but with a sarcastic remark that others have found unnerving given the threat of Daesh expansion in Libya. In denying reports of a Daesh stronghold there, the Mayor quipped sarcastically “I am not just a Daeshi, I am the emir of the Daesh organization, I am the emir of the wilaya in all the region of all North Africa!” [LibyaAkhbar]
Daesh has taken over the 44,000 square-meter Ouagadougou Complex, one of Africa’s largest conference centers. The center, previously known as the Greater Sirte Conference Complex, has hosted African and Arab summits and is one of the most prominent Sirte landmarks. The center has appeared in Daesh media hosting Daesh events such as training sessions for previous state employees (photos). [Libya24] Daesh has reportedly renamed the center “Falluja Hall.” [LibyaAkhbar]
DaeshDaily comment. We could swear we put Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso in some earlier report. We didn’t know the same crazy name would be on a conference center in Libya. We apologize for any confusion caused.
The largest group of foreigners among Daesh’s ranks in Libya is Tunisians, followed by Egyptians, then Sudanese, then Algerians and then from the wider Middle East such as Syria and Iraq, the chief of the Misrata-based intelligence agency told the BBC. Most of the Iraqis who arrived in Libya are from the Saddam-era military, of various ranks, the intelligence official said. [AfriGate]
Around three percent of Daesh members in Libya are women, the Libyan Center for Terrorism Studies has written in a newly released report. The women hail from Tunisia, Sudan, Chad, Mali, and Algeria. Women are often used to perform service work, such as overseeing women’s prisons or preparing food. [Ewan]
The Libyan interim government’s civil aviation authority has announced that all flights between Libya and Sudan are to be suspended, effective from February 28th. [AfriGate]
Tunisia. Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi warned Thursday that his country could face dangers if any foreign intervention in Libya to target Daesh does not occur in consultation with Tunisia. [AfriGate]
Algeria.
Twenty Algerians have left Daesh’s Syrian theater and taken up activities with Daesh in Libya, according to Tunisian intelligence reports that appeared in the Algerian press. [Wasat]
Police in Algeria are on a state of alert after security sources said that a Daesh cell from Syria reportedly entered the country to establish Daesh activities in Algeria, according to media reports. Three Daesh extremists were reportedly sent by Daesh leader Awwad Baghdadi to Algeria to create a Daesh “State of Algeria,” the security sources told the Algerian press. [QanatLibya]
Other countries
Yemen
Daesh leader in Yemen, Jalal Belaidi, was killed by a drone (mostly American) strike on the road between Zangabar and Shaqra, in Abyan, southern Yemen. (photo) [BasNews]
Italy
The Italian Defense Minister has announced that Italy will deploy extra naval forces in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast to “protect Italian interests.” She added that the new deployment is not related to Italian naval forces already deployed to address illicit migration. Speaking in Amsterdam at a conference of European defense ministers she also called for re-arming the Libyan military. [AfriGate]
SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES
Facebook Page of the Day
Mishaan Al-Jubouri page
Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day
https://twitter.com/khaghareeb27
Other Daesh media
Daesh audio newsletter for today in English [CSSN]
