January 29, 2016
Today’s Major Developments
Iraq soccer team qualifies for the Olympics. Citizens told to hold fire.
Ten Shirqat citizens who raised the Iraqi flag are executed by Daesh.
KDP makes overt move to support Ninewa separatists.
Turkish authorities report finding Daesh plans for more attacks in Turkey.
EgyptAir mechanic suspected in downing of Russian airliner.
REPORTS FROM IRAQ
BAGHDAD
Political developments
Hundreds of people demonstrated in Baghdad again today, demanding constitutional changes and early elections. [Mada]
Tens of people also demonstrated in Maysan, Wasit, Diwaniya and Babel demanding reforms, and asking the government to deal seriously with the financial crisis. [Sumaria]
Tens of people demonstrated in Najaf asking the government for more reform and to fight corruption. [Mada] The demonstrators in Dhi Qar demanded that weapons should be only in the government’s hands. [Mada] In Basra, demonstrators demanded to fire a local electricity official accusing him of polluting the Shatt Al-Arab river. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. Friday in Iraq has been demonstration day for some months now. The crowds are smaller, but weekly protests over such a long period of time are unusual. The consistent theme is Iraq’s corruption and the demonstrators are keeping this issue before the public. In general, they are behind the Prime Minister’s reform program, but are not satisfied with how fast it is working. The next national elections are not scheduled until 2018.
A Sistani rep says the financial crisis in Iraq has reached dangerous levels and the government should use international experts to put together an emergency plan. He also says that the government should take austerity measures but they procedures should not affect the citizens or the fighters. [Mada] [Mada]
DaeshDaily comment. It sounds so American. Cut the budget but don’t cut anything that helps me. Iraq’s financial situation is extremely bad, as we are reminded every time we buy gas for our cars. The price of oil has tanked and is not expected to rise soon. Iraq failed over the decades to diversify its economy and is one of the countries most dependent on oil revenue, even compared to other oil-producing countries. It may soon need not just an international plan but an international bailout.
US officials said that the kidnapping of 3 American citizens was due to criminal rather than political motives, adding that ransom money or exchange of prisoners could be the intention. They added that they are not sure yet which militia is responsible for the kidnapping. [Ghad]
An advisor for the Ministry of Water Resources says the Ministry doesn’t have any indications that the Mosul Dam will fail. Several people, including the Coalition Commander, have warned that the Dam might collapse. [Sumaria]
Baghdad Operations Command issued a statement asking citizens not to fire in the air to celebrate the Iraqi soccer team qualifying for the Rio Olympics. The Iraqi team won 2-1 over Qatar in the final game of the qualifying tournament. Several Iraqi leaders including the PM, the President, the CoR Speaker and others issued a statement congratulating the team. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. This seems like a reasonable request under the circumstances, but it’s a severe disappointment to a lot of Iraqis. We know from experience that Iraqis like to shoot into the air to celebrate happy events—and to keep firing until all the ammo is gone.
Videos of Iraqis celebrating the victory the Iraq team [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube]
Security developments
Based on its ongoing internal investigations, the Coalition military command stated that 5 civilians have been killed and 8 wounded in its airstrikes on Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria. This is the fifth statement of the kind this month. [Shafaq]
Steve Warren, the Coalition spokesman, said the Iraqi government is fully aware of the details of the mistaken bombing of Iraqi army and PMF units by Coalition warplanes. He added that the Coalition does not have enough time to concentrate on Daesh movements between Mosul and Raqqa, due to the priority given the support of Iraqi Army operations. [Buratha]
The US announced the death of an American soldier in a “non-combat situation” in Iraq. Details will be published after the completion of investigations, the US Army said. [Shafaq]
A battalion of special forces graduated today after being trained in special camps by American, New Zealand, and Australian experts. [Mawazin]
Based on its ongoing internal investigations, the Coalition military command stated that 5 civilians have been killed and 8 wounded in its airstrikes on Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria. This is the fifth statement of this kind this month. [Shafaq]
According to security sources:
- An IED placed near a popular restaurant in Shula, northwest Baghdad, wounded 5 civilians. [AIN]
- A roadside IED exploded when an army patrol was passing through Al-Meshahda subdistrict in Tarmiya District, northern Baghdad Governorate. One soldier was killed and four wounded, including an officer. [Mada]
- An IED placed near commercial shops in Husseiniya in north Baghdad killed two and wounded eight civilians. [Mada]
- Armed men in a car opened fire on a popular coffee shop in Baladiyat, east Baghdad, but a security patrol confronted them, killing one, wounding another, while the third escaped. Automatic rifles and guns with silencers were found in their car. [Mada]
- An IED exploded near a popular coffee shop in Al-Turath neighborhood south Baghdad, killing one and wounding nine civilians. [Mada]
- An IED placed in a popular livestock market in Mada’in in southern Baghdad Governorate killed one civilian and wounded 5 others. [Mada]
- An IED placed in a vegetables market in Ameriya junction west Baghdad, killing one civilian and wounding seven others.[Mada]
Total Baghdad incidents reported: 7 (Not an overall total)
The Coalition announced 24 strikes on Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria, 14 in Iraq. The strikes were on targets in Habbaniya, Hit, and Ramadi; Hawija; and Mosul, Tel Afar, and Sinjar; and destroyed several Daesh tactical units and vehicles. In Syria, the strikes were on Hasaka, Raqqa, Mare’, and Manbij, and targeted Daesh tactical units and buildings. [Mada]
ANBAR
Falluja
The Provincial Council of Anbar said that the Falluja liberation battle will be different from that of Ramadi. New tactics aimed at preserving civilians’ lives will be adopted. The elite Iraqi land troops, Coalition warplanes, in addition to Iraqi Army Aviation (IAA) helicopters will be involved. [Mada]
DaeshDaily comment. They did not mention the PMFs, who are already participating in the fighting around Falluja. This may be inadvertent, or a statement of preference from a Sunni council not involved in military decisions, but the omission is noteworthy.
Khaldiya subdistrict council says the Army has liberated wide areas north of Falluja, from Albu Shijil towards Saqlawiya Bridge, which connects areas north of Falluja to areas east of Ramadi. [Maalomah]
DaeshDaily comment. This helps to confirm our impression that part of the military strategy for retaking Falluja is to first get full control of the territory between it and Ramadi.
Baghdad Operations Command announced that 16 Daesh terrorists were killed and 33 wounded in the past 24 hours in its field of operation. 7 vehicles, 22 fighting positions, a boat, and 37 IEDs were destroyed in the areas of Albu Shijil northwest of the city and Nuaimiya just to the south. [Mawazin]
An Iraqi Air force (IAF) strike based on national intelligence agency information, destroyed oil storage facilities and 4 oil tankers in Falluja, the IWMC said. [Baghdadia]
Ali Al-Shinawi Al-Saaidi, a commander in the Al-Muntadhar Brigade of the PMFs was killed in combat with Daesh in Al-Thirthar, a PMF source announced. [Buratha]
Army artillery killed 4 Daesh terrorists, targeting a house in which they were hiding, in Albu Arsan village in Zoba’a, southeast of Falluja. [Maalomah]
Ramadi
IAF warplanes destroyed 4 Daesh positions in Juwaiba, east of Ramadi, a security source said. [Mawqif]
General Ismail Al-Mahalawi, Commander of Anbar Operations Command (AOC), said Coalition warplanes destroyed two Daesh hideouts in Jazeera Al-Ramadi, killing all terrorists inside. [Sumaria]
General Al-Mahalawi said “tens” of Daesh terrorists were killed and several tunnels and boats they used for escape were destroyed. He also said operations in Sajariya, Hsaiba, and Juwaiba east of Ramadi are progressing as planned and that only a few areas remain to be liberated. [BasNews]
Al-Mahalawi dismissed Col. Majid Al-Fatlawi, the commander of the 8th army brigade for failure to follow orders. The Commander said in a press statement that the colonel was delaying the attack on Sajariya, east of Ramadi, despite his commander’s orders. [Maalomah]
The Chairman of Anbar Provincial Council, Faleh Al-Eissawi, said the slow advance of the Army in Sajariya is because of the large quantities of IEDs. He says Daesh booby-trapped all buildings and most of the roads in the area, which makes the advance slow and careful. He added that the delay in liberating areas east of Ramadi city will leave the city vulnerable to car bomb attacks. [Maalomah]
The identities of 18 out of 40 remains found in a mass grave in Ramadi were determined, the Khaldiya subdistrict council said, adding that most were army and security soldiers or tribal fighters, in addition to some women and children. The grave was found less than a week ago. [Maalomah]
A video of an IAA helicopter targeting Daesh in Ramadi [YouTube]
A video of the destruction in Ramadi [YouTube]
A video of Counter Terrorism troops securing families in Ramadi [Harbi]
A video of 2 Daesh terrorists captured, and beaten up, by Counter Terrorism troops [YouTube]
Hit/Haditha
A unit of the 7th army division secured the arrival of 442 trucks loaded with foodstuffs and fuel supplies to the city of Haditha and the Baghdadi subdistrict in Hit District. The food shipments were arranged by the Ministry of Trade, while the fuel shipments were the regular allocations.
[Sumaria]
Daesh says it detonated several IEDs on an Iraqi Army convoy on the road to Ain Al-Asad base, killing ten soldiers and destroying 3 trucks and a Humvee. [A3maq]
Daesh publishes a video of the destroyed trucks. [A3maq]
Six Daesh terrorists were killed while approaching a military checkpoint near Baghdadi, a security source said. [Maalomah]
SALAHUDDIN
Shirqat
10 civilians were arrested and executed by Daesh in the heart of Shirqat, in front of an audience, on charges of cooperating with security forces and raising the Iraqi flag, a PMF source said. [Mada]
DaeshDaily comment. Even amidst all the trauma of life in Daesh-occupied areas of Iraq, this is a truly tragic story. Unfortunately, it is far from an isolated story. Iraq and its US advisors have a military plan that is unfolding, successfully so far, but not quickly. There are many brave and patriotic people—in Shirqat, Mosul, and other places—who desperately want to support the liberation of their home areas but are not in on the military timetable. Instead of being part of a triumphant victory, their heroism becomes an isolated gesture, and they end up dead. Shirqat looked like the logical next target a few months ago, but the only action has been some occasional loose talk. Today’s tragedy is one of the consequences.
Baiji
The commander of Sayyed Al-Shuhada, a Shia militia, threatens to withdraw from Baiji if the salaries of his troops for the last few months are not paid. He is asking the Shia Marj’iya, the President, the Council of Ministers, and the CoR leadership to intervene. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. This is the same gentleman who said yesterday that his militia is not obliged to follow any decision about the future of the PMFs.
Jabbar Al-Maamouri, a leading PMF figure, said PMFs engaged a Daesh unit that attacked PMF positions in the Makhoul Mountains, killing three of them, one wearing an explosives belt. [Sumaria]
The Ansar Al-Aqida regiment, a PMF militia, repelled a Daesh attack in Himrin Hills, destroying two fighting positions and several vehicles, a PMF source said. Artillery shelling by the regiment on Daesh positions followed the battle. [Buratha]
A video of a Daesh tunnel found recently in Baiji [Harbi]
Tikrit
Armed men in 4-wheel drive vehicles kidnapped a university student as he was exiting the College of Education on Al-Basha street, downtown Tikrit, a police source said. [Ghad]
IAA helicopters attacked and destroyed two bomb-rigged tankers on Al-Awashir bridge near Tel Gsaiba in Tikrit, a security source said.
A security source said PMFs repelled a Daesh assault in Jazirat Ain Al-Faras near Awja, south of Tikrit, destroying two armored vehicles and killing those inside. [Ghad]
A campaign was started by Tikrit police to remove the war remnants in the city. Police have started to remove mines, unexploded shells, and berms. [Ghad]
Samarra
Waadallah militia of the PMFs, assisted by IFP troops, advanced two kilometers and took control of the roadway from Daesh terrorists after a battle with light, medium, and heavy weapons in Sharif Abbas west of Samarra, a spokesman of the militia said. [AIN]
DIYALA
Baquba
A woman shot to death after being raped was found west of Baquba, a security source said. [Maalomah]
Seven persons were arrested in different parts of Diyala, three of them on terror charges, said the Ministry of interior. [AIN]
Muqdadiya/Abu Saida
Haqi Al-Jebouri, Diyala Provincial Council member and a tribal mobilization official in northern Muqdadiya District, demanded that the government equip the tribes in northern Muqdadiya with better arms to confront Daesh. He says that light arms, rifles at best, are no match for Daesh modern weapons, snipers, and night vision equipment. [Sumaria]
8 mortar shells fell on the agricultural Al-Lahibat village north of Muqdadiya, causing damage without human casualties, a security source said. This is the fourth incident of this kind in the past 12 weeks. [Baghdadia]
Northern Diyala
Daesh says a PMF commander and 3 of his associates as well as two military engineers were killed by an IED in Udhaim in northeast Diyala on Thursday. [A3maq]
Southern Diyala
Daesh says it detonated a parked car bomb on a several vehicles carrying Iranian Shia pilgrims in Mandali. [DawaAlhaq]
KIRKUK
Sheikh Maythem Al-Zaidi, the supervisor of the Abbas Division, a PMF militia, said that Ali Al-Akbar and Imam Ali brigades, PMF groups formed by the Sistani-led Najaf religious authority, are joining his division in an operation to liberate Al-Bashir village in Kirkuk. (Bashir is a Shia Turkmen village southwest of Kirkuk city near Taza, and has been fought over repeatedly). He added that the PMF 16th division, the Peshmerga, and possibly Counter-Terrorism Service forces will participate in the operations. [Buratha]
The Daquq police chief says a big PMF force accompanied by 3 tanks, 3 armored vehicles, and several trucks arrived from Kerbala to Taza preparing for an attack on Bashir. [Rudaw]
A video of the military reinforcements arriving in Taza [YouTube]
A major explosion damaged the gas pipeline extending from Qadir Karam east of Kirkuk to Erbil, the KRG Ministry of Interior said. The director of district and subdistrict police in Kirkuk Police said that the fire was under control, and an investigation has started. [Rudaw]
Coalition initiated three airstrikes on tunnels west of Kirkuk in support of the 10th brigade of Peshmerga forces, according to a Peshmerga military source, who added that at least 6 terrorists were confirmed as killed. [BasNews]
NINEWA
Mosul
Sheikh Ali Al-Hussein Yousuf Al-Juhaishi, a dignitary of the Al-Juhaish tribe, was executed by Daesh in Mosul for his “opposition to the organization”, a security source said. [Buratha]
A traditional black eye makeup commonly used by females is now sanctioned for males by Daesh in Mosul and all districts and subdistricts, including police and militants, as part of their version of Islamic Sharia, a source in Mosul said. Severe penalties will be applied to violators. [Karemlash]
DaeshDaily comment. We have hardly ever seen men with this makeup and wonder why Daesh is suddenly supporting gender equality. We will wait for the confirmation.
Coalition warplanes bombed and destroyed the house of Hammam Hamoudi Al-Joaani, the “media minister” of Daesh in the 17th of July neighborhood on the right (west) side of Mosul. Al-Joaani and several others were killed in the attack, according to a PUK spokesman. [PUKMedia]
An airstrike by the Iraqi Air Force on Hatra District south of Mosul killed 22 terrorists including a leader called Jalal Al-Ne’ma, a security source in Ninewa said. [Mada]
The KDP PR official in Ninewa says the KDP is starting a campaign to gather signatures supporting a “Ninewa Region” after the governorate is liberated from Daesh. He says the Ninewa KDP met with several political parties from Ninewa about the issue. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. The former Ninewa governor told us once he wants to establish a Ninewa Region and not a Sunni region. If one takes that at face value, it seems to show a non-sectarian perspective. The larger truth is probably closer to this.
- It’s still an anti-Iraq proposal, even if it promotes a self-governing region, and that makes it look like another sectarian scheme against a Shia-majority government.
- This agenda is being driven in Ninewa by separatists led by the above-referenced former governor who have been shown so far to represent a distinct minority in Ninewa.
- The ongoing involvement of the KDP only underscores that Barzani and the KDP are in on the plot.
- The Ninewa “region” advocated will be much smaller than the current province, the rest of it having been given to the Kurds as part of the deal.
- The presence of Turkish troops in Bashiqa has nothing to do with helping Iraq to fight Daesh.
A video of civilians who escaped from Daesh in Mosul to Erbil describes the difficult life under Daesh rule. [Sumaria]
Southern Ninewa (Baaj, Hatra)
Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists in Al-Alam village. [DawaAlhaq]
Other Governorates
KURDISTAN
Turkish warplanes bombed PKK positions in Sedkan in northern Erbil governorate. [Rudaw]
The German parliament approved sending 50 more soldiers to join their 100 colleagues already training Peshmerga units in the Kurdistan region. [PUKMedia]
SOUTHERN IRAQ
Babel
Seven 200-liter barrels packed with high explosive ammonium nitrate, with detonators, in addition to 250 kg of TNT and other explosives were found in Jarasha village in Al-Buhairat subdistrict north of Hilla, a Babel Police source said. They were moved to a safe location. [Mada]
Dhi Qar
A medical source says 23 people died of A/H1N1 virus in Dhi Qar, including children, and the Ministry of Health is trying to cover up the story. [Ghad]
DaeshDaily comment. A few earlier reports about spreading diseases turned out to be not true, but we are waiting an official statement from the Ministry.
Basra
A person wanted on terror charges was arrested in Zubayr district west of Basra, a security source said. [Buratha]
REPORTS FROM TURKEY
Turkish security authorities have reportedly found documents showing plans for future attacks in Turkey, on the computer of Younis Durmaz, the alleged mastermind of the deadly double-suicide attack in Ankara last October that killed 102 people, which Turkey has attributed to Daesh.
According to security sources, the documents contain maps and plans of a Daesh cell to attack other prominent targets in Turkey, including the G20 Summit that convened in Antalya in November. Turkish security found plans for 26 attacks in 19 different Turkish provinces, and a list of 60 members of the alleged Daesh cell that was purportedly planning to execute the attacks. Turkish police have acted on the basis of the intelligence contained in the computer to thwart attacks and target suspects, the security sources said. [IslamMemo]
Turkish police arrested three foreigners in the southern province of Karaman, on suspicion of Daesh membership and involvement in human trafficking, security sources said. Two of the suspects are Moroccan nationals and one is an Australian national, security sources said. [Anadolu]
REPORTS FROM SYRIA
A Syrian medical source says 177 hospitals were destroyed and 700 medical workers killed by airstrikes between August 2012 and December 2015. [BasNews]
Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)
Daesh released 16 Assyrian Christian captives on Friday, the leader of the Assyrian Charity Association said. The 16 are reportedly from the Tal Tamr area east of Hasaka. With today’s release, 43 captives remain in Daesh hands of the over 200 Assyrians who were abducted by Daesh in February of last year before many were released in exchange for payment, the source said. [ARA]
Turkish artillery units opened fire in response to a gathering of Kurdish civilians in the border village of Sarmsakh near Derik in the Hasaka countryside, without causing any casualties. The group gathered Friday afternoon to protest alleged Turkish border violations in the village and the artillery units fired as the group approached the border, prompting them to scatter and flee. [ARA]
Russian planes staged multiple airstrikes east of Raqqa targeting the villages of Al-Suwayda and Albu Ramadan, where the planes also targeted civilians with heavy bullet fire as they were going out from the mosques from Friday afternoon prayers, according to a local source in Raqqa. The attacks in Albu Ramadan, located near the city of Maadan, killed four civilians and wounded four others, the source said. [ARA]
Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)
Russian planes struck Mare’ north of Aleppo and Awn Al-Dadat village east of Aleppo on Friday, where a child was killed and others injured in the airstrikes, according to an activist in Manbij. Russian planes struck Manbij three times on Friday, the activist said, and also struck Al-Bab amid heavy continued fighting between Daesh and Syrian Army troops near the Al-Harara Station, which Syrian troops are attempting to seize from Daesh. [Qasioun] [Qasioun] [ARA]
Local source say Russian warplanes bombed Syrian trucks reportedly carrying humanitarian aid from Turkey to Syria, killing two people and wounding ten. [Anadolu]
The Syria Democratic Forces spokesman has denied reports, which circulated yesterday, that the SDF is preparing to launch a campaign in the Aleppo countryside on sites such as Jarabulus, Manbij, and Azaz.
Daesh renewed its mortar fire on areas west of Kobane on Friday, launching the shells from its positions south of Jarabulus. The shells reportedly fell on Qara Abra and Qara Dhat. Coalition planes targeted Daesh positions south of Jarabulus, according to residents of Kobane who witnessed the strikes from across the Euphrates. [Welati]
Daesh says it conducted a suicide attack on Syrian troops in Afash village west of Kowaires airbase, killing 23 soldiers. [A3maq] Daesh also says it destroyed a Syrian Army armored vehicle in Afash. [A3maq]
Daesh says 25,000 people from villages in Aleppo’s eastern countryside attended its 10-day sharia seminar. Daesh says this is a part of a campaign for all the villages under its control. [A3maq]
DaeshDaily comment. The first goal of spreading its sharia is recruitment. Even if 1% of these people believed in Daesh it would mean 250 potential suicide bombers in that area.
Central and West (Homs, Hama, etc.)
Daesh fighters battled Syrian Army troops around the city of Qaryatayn east of Homs, amid Syrian artillery strikes on the Daesh-held city on Friday. [Qasioun]
Daesh says Nusra Front launched a surprise attack from 3 sides on its position in Zamarani Valley in west Qalamoun on Wednesday but it stopped the attack, killing 2 Nusra fighters and wounding 6 and forcing the rest to retreat. [A3maq]
Daesh says its terrorists separately attacked Nusra in Zamarani killing 7 and capturing 6 before returning safely to their positions. [A3maq]
Daesh publishes photos of the battle and the prisoners. [DawaAlhaq]
East (Deir Ez-Zor)
Daesh publishes a video of interviews with some of its terrorists in northern Deir Ez-Zor. [A3maq]
OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS
Neighboring countries
Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Ministry of Interior says 2 suicide bombers tried to detonate themselves in a Shia mosque in Al-Ahsaa. The first one detonated himself when the security prevented him from getting in while the other was shot and captured. Two worshipers were killed and seven wounded. [Aawsat]
Video of the Ahsaa terrorist attack [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube]
Videos of capturing the terrorist in Ahsaa [YouTube] [YouTube]
Daesh publishes a video about the mosque attack in Saudi Arabia. [Isdarat]
North Africa
Egypt
Reuters reported that an EgyptAir mechanic is suspected of loading a bomb onto the ill-fated Russian charter flight that broke apart over Sinai in October, killing 224 people. EgyptAir has denied that any of its workers were involved in bringing down the flight. [AswatMasriya]
An IED exploded on a police armored vehicle near a school in Arish, killing a police captain and a first lieutenant, the Interior Ministry announced. Five other policemen were injured in the blast. [EgyMoIFB] [ElWatan]
Photos of the aftermath of the blast in Arish. [VetoGate]
Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack in Arish and says eight policemen were killed or wounded. [A3maq]
The Daesh-affiliated Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis group has executed a policeman from the Sheikh Zuweid police department, a security source said. The body of the policeman, who was abducted eight days ago, was found bearing gunshot wounds on Friday south of Sheikh Zuweid. [ElWatan]
Daesh publishes photos of executing a policeman in Sheikh Zuweid. [DawaAlhaq]
Unknown gunmen shot dead a police sentry who was guarding the Sheikh Zuweid police department. [ElWatan]
A security source says a soldier was killed and an officer and two other soldiers wounded when an IED exploded on their vehicle south of Sheikh Zuweid. [IslamMemo]
A seventh day has passed without running water for residents of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah. [ElWatan]
Two men, of Saudi and Jordanian nationality respectively, have been brought to Cairo for interrogation after being detained in Arish in North Sinai, a North Sinai security source said. The source explained that the men’s presence in North Sinai at this time raised suspicions as there is no tourism in North Sinai. They are being investigated for ties to armed groups in North Sinai. [ElWatan]
Libya
Senior Libyan military officials have been in Cairo recently, according to media reports, prompting speculation that preparations are being made for Western intervention in Libya. Momentum for an intervention seems to be building in France, Britain, and Italy. Relatedly, US President Barack Obama announced Friday that he instructed his national security team to counter Daesh’s efforts to expand in Libya, after a US Defense Department spokesman said on Wednesday that the US was “studying military options” in Libya. [Hadath] [Reuters (English)]
Daesh executed three guards of the Oil Facilities Protection Guard (OFP), an OFP official said. Daesh announced the executions in a video it released online. The three were abducted on January 14 near Ras Lanuf, the official said. [Arabiya]
Daesh publishes photos of normal life in Abu Hadi in south Sirte. [CSNN]
And photos of its sharia seminars in Sirte. [CSNN]
Daesh publishes photos of battles in Sabri in Benghazi. [CSNN]
Algeria
Daesh says two Algerian Army soldiers were killed and four wounded when an IED it planted exploded on them while they were on a search campaign in Skikda woods, killing two soldiers and wounding four. [A3maq]
Other countries
Yemen. After Daesh claimed responsibility for yesterday’s deadly suicide vehicle bombing at the presidential palace in the capital, Sanaa, Yemen’s Foreign Minister, Abd Al-Malik Al-Makhlafi denied there is any Daesh presence in Yemen, instead telling Al-Hayat newspaper that Yemen’s previous government (led by Ali Abdullah Saleh) had allowed Al-Qaeda to establish a presence in the country. This view was echoed by a number of Yemeni analysts who said that Saleh and his Houthi allies are using the specter of Daesh in Yemen to create panic that advances their own interests in the country. [IslamMemo] [Erem]
Daesh says it conducted a suicide attack on a security barrier in Aden, killing 15 Yemeni security personnel. [A3maq]
SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES
Facebook Page of the Day
A Mosul anti-Daesh page
Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day
https://twitter.com/libyana_libya
https://twitter.com/IBNALMOSIL
https://twitter.com/ash3th_moslam4
Other Daesh media
Daesh audio newsletter for today in English
