An Update On ISIS Activities

November 30, 2015

November 30, 2015

1

 

Daesh’s Media War (2) [continued from last week]

So who could help us to fight Daesh propaganda?

 

Ironically, the only group that could compete with Daesh media using Daesh’s own rhetoric is Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda and Daesh came from the same origins, with similar radical intentions–but with one difference: Al-Qaeda envisions a long-term project, which makes it even more dangerous than Daesh; but we will come to that later.

 

Al-Qaeda online supporters can brag about its history in killing civilians without getting much objection from Daesh supporters. No one can accuse Al-Qaeda of being more peaceful or less hateful than Daesh. Al-Qaeda follows the same takfiri line and idolizes the same radical clerics.

Al-Qaeda’s target audience is the only one that matches Daesh’s media audience.

 

It would be an embarrassment to use Zawahiri’s anti-Daesh rants to counter Daesh, but some people think it would a good idea to draw on preachers like Maqdisi, Abu Qatada, and Hani Al-Sibai to counter Daesh messaging. But they are no better than Zawahiri when it comes to instigating hatred and violence. Recall that Maqdisi was Zarqawi’s teacher and the one who introduced him to Islamic radicalism when he was still a low-life thug in Amman; that Abu Qatada was the one who issued the fatwa legitimizing the killing of Algerian soldiers’ families; and that Sibai publicly supported the 9/11 attacks. How could anyone think that using such people will lead to anything good?

 

These men are producing anti-Daesh materials, but they haven’t shown any sign of retracting their previous positions. They still espouse the same hatred towards everyone, and they support violence and killing. Their opposition to Daesh should not be their ticket to further spread their poison. We are dealing with Daesh now, but it is only part of an even larger problem and these are some of radicalism’s ugliest faces. Being anti-Daesh won’t make them suddenly the “good guys.” The same thing could be said about the countless other clerics who appear in the media with similar views.

 

That does not mean no one is left to counter Daesh messages. However, our current messages are not that effective with Daesh’s target audience. We need to rethink the entire thing and start over.

 

First, let’s admit that no matter what we do or say, Daesh will still be able to recruit and attract some people here and there, and we must be prepared to eliminate them when we can. Let’s also admit that the radical Islamic rhetoric is deeply rooted and well-publicized all over the world. If all of Daesh’s recruits were motivated by religious zeal, the logical counter-strategy would be to oppose its radicalism with arguments from moderate, mainstream Islam, with frequent citations from the Quran. However, the people who join Daesh are not a cross-section of the Muslim population. Those who join do so for different reasons, and religious reasons are actually not the most important. Some of the joiners are not even practicing Muslims or are not Muslims at all. We have to analyze Daesh’s media audience more deeply in order to win the game.

[To be continued]

The first part of the article can be found here.

 

REPORTS FROM IRAQ

 

Among today’s major developments:

Iraqi forces gearing up for Ramadi invasion; advise citizens to leave now.

Al-Abadi, two other Iraq leaders reject McCain’s proposal for more US ground troops.

Daesh reactivates phone lines in Mosul, bans satellite receivers.

 

An interesting article looking at the role of Daesh’s destruction of archaeological and cultural heritage sites in the areas it controls, and its media strategy relative to this policy. The author says that, while Daesh is hostile to idols, it has its own idols. [JSTOR]

 

 

ANBAR

Ramadi

Iraqi forces stopped their advance on Ramadi from the west, north, and south to allow families to exit the city through newly established checkpoints in advance of the anticipated assault on the city, the deputy chairman of Anbar GC says, adding that Iraqi forces continue to advance on the town from the east. The Iraqi joint command has issued a statement asking civilians to leave the city immediately and exit to the south. [Mada] [Mada]

 

Coalition planes bombed multiple Daesh positions inside Ramadi, killing five Daesh militants and destroying three vehicles and a hideout.

Coalition planes also destroyed a Daesh mine field and a vehicle, in addition to killing seven Daesh militants including three snipers, in areas north of Ramadi. [IWMC Report]

 

The IAF bombed Daesh in Thirthar northeast of Ramadi, destroying a rocket launcher, six vehicles, and two hideouts, a security source says. [Mada]

 

The IAF launched airstrikes on Daesh held areas of Madhiq, 20 km (12.5 miles) east of Ramadi, destroying houses and killing and wounding several Daesh militants, an Iraqi Joint Operations Command source says. [Mada]

 

Iraqi forces have completed the liberation of the east Hsaiba area east of Ramadi city, reportedly destroying 11 IEDs, defusing six booby-trapped houses, and killing five terrorists in the operations. An Iraqi officer was killed and another soldier wounded. [IWMC Report]

 

Iraqi forces have also completely cleared the Tameem area southwest of Ramadi, a security source says. [Sumaria]

 

Iraqi forces defused 142 IEDs west of Ramadi. [IWMC Report]

 

Daesh says a child was killed and four wounded in bombing on Jazeera Khaldiya (photos). [JustPaste]

 

A video of Iraqi forces blowing up a Daesh vehicle bomb in Hay Al-Sikak west of Ramadi. [Harbi]

A video of the US-trained Golden Division in a battle in Ramadi area. [YouTube]

Falluja

Iraqi artillery shelled Daesh in the Saqlawiya area, killing many Daesh members including a Syrian terrorist known as Abu Jarrah al-Shami. [IWMC Report]

 

Iraqi forces killed four Daesh militants, wounded four others, and destroyed three hideouts and an IED factory in various areas east of Falluja. [BOC Facebook Page]

 

Iraqi Army 40th Division troops killed 16 terrorists and destroyed two vehicles and three hideouts in Qarma. [BOC Facebook Page]

 

Iraqi Rapid Intervention forces repelled a Daesh attack in the Albu Sawda area of Qarma [MoD Website].

 

Daesh publishes a photo of shelling Iraqi forces in the Tareq Camp east of Falluja with Grad rockets. [JustPaste]

 

Hit/Haditha

Jazeera Operations Command forces cleared 50 houses, destroyed 47 IEDs, and defused 39 booby-trapped houses in areas east of Baghdadi. [IWMC Report]

 

West Anbar

The Suqoor Intelligence Cell reportedly provided targeting information for air strikes on Daesh guest houses for suicide bombers in Al-Qa’im, resulting in the death of 32 Daesh members. The slain reportedly included high ranking Daesh targets of various nationalities including Syrian, Russian, and Saudi citizens, as well as Iraqi Daesh members wanted on charges of killing a policeman and burning members of the Albu Nimr tribe to death. [Baghdadia] [Suqoor Intel Cell Facebook Page]

 

SALAHUDDIN

Baiji

Heavy clashes erupted between Iraqi forces and Daesh fighters in the Makhoul Mountain area, in which an unspecified number of Daesh militants were killed, security sources said. [Baghdadia]

 

Daesh publishes photos of shelling Iraqi forces in the Fertilizers Factory area north of Baiji and in the Makhoul Mountains area. [JustPaste] [JustPaste] [JustPaste]

 

Shirqat

Daesh has tightened its security measures in the Shirqat area, after graffiti appeared in the area saying “Death to Daesh.” The authors of the graffiti are not known. [Sumaria]

 

Samarra

Iraqi forces destroyed 11 IEDs near the strategic line west of Samarra. [IWMC Report]

 

Iraqi forces defused a Daesh armored vehicle bomb, in the Albu Eissa area east of Samarra, security sources say. [Baghdadia]

 

Daesh says it targeted Iraqi forces near Mkaishifa and Samarra with mortars, rockets and IEDs. [JustPaste]

 

Daesh publishes photos of its snipers targeting Iraqi soldiers west of Samarra. [JustPaste]

 

Elsewhere in Salahuddin

Iraqi security forces arrested a suspect who had infiltrated into Dhuluiya on charges of involvement in multiple terror attacks. [Ghad]

 

BAGHDAD

The Ministry of Interior has issued a statement holding Iran responsible for the situation on the Iraq-Iran border that erupted over the weekend. According to the current legal arrangement between the two countries, Iranian nationals are required to obtain visas to enter Iraq on pilgrimages. With the upcoming pilgrimage for the Shia observance of Arba’in, tens of thousands of Iranian faithful are making their way to the border crossings in hopes of making their way to Kerbala. However the Iranian authorities are bound by the agreement not to allow any of their citizens without a visa to cross the border. On Saturday, however, large crowds of Iranian pilgrims were allowed to approach the border before obtaining visas, resulting in a stampede that injured several border guards and destroyed property in the border zone of Zurbatia in Wasit Governorate. Iraqi border authorities, overwhelmed by the crush of the crowd, eventually allowed the Iranians to enter Iraqi territory without a visa. [Mada]

 

An IED exploded targeting Shia pilgrims in the Basateen area of Shaab in northeast Baghdad, killing a civilian and wounding five others. The body of an unidentified man was found bearing fatal gunshot wounds, also in Basateen. Also in Shaab, Iraqi forces killed a would-be suicide terrorist wearing an explosives vest, intending to attack pilgrims in the area.

DaeshDaily comment: This incident reflects a pattern we have noticed in previous incidents as well – a deadly IED in Basateen followed by the discovery of a body of an unknown man in the same area. We cannot confirm this, but suspect that such murders are retaliatory attacks by Shia militias after terrorist attacks are carried out in a given area. There is no assurance that the person killed in “retaliation” was guilty of anything.

 

Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) troops killed two would-be suicide bombers attempting to target pilgrims near Mahmudiya in south Baghdad, and Iraqi forces killed another suicide bomber preparing to detonate his explosives vest on Shia pilgrims passing through the Saidiya area of south Baghdad, the BOC has announced. Iraqi forces also defused two IEDs in Arab Jassim in south Baghdad.  [IWMC Report] [Mada] [Mada] [BOC Facebook Page] [Sumaria]

A video of the suicide bomber killed in Saidiya. [Harbi]

 

The Minister of Defense met yesterday with US Senator John McCain to discuss the war on Daesh and US support for Iraq. The Iraqi Minister stated after the meeting that the world should realize that the Iraqi Army has regained its confidence and should back its struggle against Daesh. Senator McCain made remarks in the media calling for further troops to join the ground war against Daesh (a position he has often taken in the US).

This set off a negative reaction, however. Prime Minister Abadi said Iraqi forces including the military, police, tribal forces, and PMFs are currently fighting Daesh, and that the Iraqi government did not seek more manpower on the ground for the fight, instead asking for further support in the form of arms, training, finance, and air support. Hakim al-Zamili, the Chairman of the Security and Defense Committee in the CoR, forcefully rejected McCain’s remarks, going as far as to say that Iraq would fight against any additional forces that entered the country to fight against Daesh. The Badr militia commander also opposed McCain’s suggestion, saying that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar are financing Daesh and allowing the terrorists to enter Iraq; according to him, if the US is serious about fighting Daesh it could stop these countries from their support and facilitation of the group. [Sumaria] [Sumaria] [BasNews] [MoD Website]

DaeshDaily comment. The Iraqi reactions to McCain can’t be taken at face value. Abadi has to rely on President Obama’s continued support, even if some think it too limited, so can’t take the political risk of supporting Republican proposals to provide more help (whatever he personally thinks). Reality is that the Coalition bombing and other military assistance is absolutely essential and that he needs all the additional help he can get. The generally anti-American line and dubious competence of the committee chairman, a Sadrist, has been shown in numerous public statements we have reported. The Badr commander is once again reiterating his pro-Iran propaganda line; minimizing the US military role also minimizes its influence, which allows Iran to increase its influence. Reality is that Iran can’t save Iraq and that American support is critical.

 

A Sunni MP from Anbar says the US promises to Iraqi Sunnis are “empty” and the real support could be helping to reconstruct the political process in Iraq and help Sunni Iraqi politically and militarily. [BasNews]

 

Iraqi forces captured four suspects who were distributing radical takfiri printed materials in the Jaara area of Mada’in in south Baghdad. [BOC Facebook Page]

 

Security forces captured a man wanted on terrorism charges in the Jisr Diyala area of southeast Baghdad. [Baghdadia]

 

The IAA conducted 20 sorties, the IAF 32, while the Coalition conducted nine over various areas of Iraq. [IWMC Report]

 

According to security sources:

  • An IED exploded near the main market of Tarmiya in north Baghdad, killing two people and wounding seven. [Mada]
  • A civilian was killed and five wounded when an IED exploded in the Saba Al-Bor area of north Baghdad. [Baghdadia]
  • Armed men dressed in military uniforms shot at a civilian who was operating a private generator in the Binouk area of east Baghdad, killing him and wounding his son. [Mada]
  • A civilian was killed and four wounded when a sticky IED exploded under a small bus in the Sheikh Omar area of downtown Baghdad. [Mada]
  • Security forces arrested a displaced person from Ramadi in possession of a fake identity badge purportedly from the Council of Ministers, as well as photos and videos of important buildings in the Green Zone. The suspect was reportedly trying to enter the Green Zone, allegedly to take additional photographs of potential targets. [Ghad]
  • An IED exploded in Albu Aitha in south Baghdad, killing the driver of a civilian car and wounding three Iraqi soldiers traveling inside. [Mada]
  • Security forces found the body of an unknown man bearing fatal gunshot wounds in Arab Jabour in south Baghdad. [Baghdadia]
  • An IED exploded near a popular restaurant in the Jisr Diyala area of south Baghdad, killing one person and wounding five. [Mada]
  • An IED exploded near a produce market in Ameriya in west Baghdad, killing two people and wounding seven. [Mada]
  • A Sahwa leader was assassinated by unknown armed men in the Ghazaliya area of west Baghdad. [Sumaria]

 

DIYALA

Dijla Operations Command arrested a man wanted on terrorism charges in Muqdadiya. [IWMC Report]

 

KIRKUK

A woman was killed and her four children wounded as they tried to escape Daesh controlled areas in Kirkuk after an IED exploded in their path, a Peshmerga source says. Daesh has apparently sown the ground leading out of its areas with roadside bombs to prevent residents from fleeing their control. Security sources secured 12 Arab families that have escaped from Hawija and allowed them to enter the Dibis district, a Peshmerga source says. Iraqi artillery bombed Daesh hideouts in Hawija, behind the Himrin Mountains to secure the escape of the families who are attempting to leave the area. [Baghdadia] [Mada] [Mada]

 

Videos of families who escaped from Hawija. [Harbi] [Harbi]

 

NINEWA

Mosul

Daesh reactivated the phone lines in Mosul city, a local source says. [Ghad]

DaeshDaily comment: The phone lines even in Mosul are operated by the Iraqi government communications directorate for the area, but Daesh had cut the service.

 

A security source says Daesh issued orders prohibiting the people of Mosul from using satellite receivers and confiscated the receivers from the local markets. [BasNews]

 

A PUK official says Daesh started to sell the properties of the Yazidis, Christians, Shabaks and other ethnic groups for low prices in a public auction in Mosul. [PUKMedia]

 

Daesh executed the manager of a major sugar factory in Mosul and several of her employees because she refused to re-start production at the factory, currently out of operation, at Daesh’s request. The execution reportedly took place in the Ghizlani military camp before the victim’s body was delivered to the morgue in Mosul. The family was prevented from holding a funeral, per Daesh’s normal practice. [Sumaria]

 

A security source says a Daesh police official was killed with two of his associates in a Coalition airstrike on a Daesh convoy in the Ghabat area. [BasNews]

 

Daesh publishes photos of executing a man publicly, allegedly for killing his wife. [JustPaste]

 

Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists in Aski Mosul. [JustPaste]

 

Northwest Ninewa

Daesh publishes a video of the result of the bombing on the college of education in Tal Afar. [A3maq]

 

Other Governorates  

SOUTHERN IRAQ

Wasit. Police in Wasit Governorate arrested a wanted man in Suwaira on charges of involvement in multiple Daesh attacks, and found weapons and explosives in his possession. [Ghad]

 

Marshes. The Minister of Water Resources says drought in the Marshes in the south resulted from Turkey releasing only small amounts of water to Iraq and from Daesh’s control of several dams. [Mada]

 

REPORTS FROM TURKEY

 

After arresting the journalists who published the story and the video about the Turkish weapons shipment to Daesh and the judges and policemen who confiscated it, Turkish authorities arrest three high-ranking police commanders. [Cihan]

 

REPORTS FROM SYRIA

 

Northeast

A Kurdish military source says the Democratic Syria Forces supported by Coalition airpower captured the southern Hasaka Dam on the Khabur River after killing 15 Daesh fighters. The source also says the DSF are advancing towards Shaddadi city. [BasNews]

 

Local activists say Daesh terrorists gave Kurdish residents of Al-Thawra city in Raqqa Governorate one week to leave their houses with their personal belongings and threatened to kill anyone who stays and to burn down their houses. [BasNews]

 

Daesh says its terrorists parked a vehicle bomb carrying more than 500 kg of explosives near a YPG gathering the Ughaibish village south of Tal Tamr northwest of Hasaka, killing more than 15 people. [Dump]

Daesh publishes two photos and a video of the explosion. [JustPaste] [A3maq]

Local activists said 16 YPG fighters were killed in the explosion on Sunday, while YPG sources said a land mine left by Daesh exploded without causing human casualties. [ARA] [Asayish]

 

Northwest

Daesh says one of its suicide bombers attacked a Syrian Army gathering near the Kowaires airbase with a vehicle bomb, followed by other fighters attacking the soldiers. Then a Tunisian suicide bomber attacked with another vehicle bomb, killing or wounding many soldiers. [Dump]

Daesh publishes photos of the battles south of Kowaires. [JustPaste]

 

Daesh says Russian and Syrian airplanes bombed Dar Al-Fatah more than 300 times recently, killing 212 people and wounding 152. Daesh publishes photos of the results of the bombing. [JustPaste]

 

Local sources say Daesh continued its shelling on the Kurdish-majority town of Tal Aren without giving information about casualties. [Hawar]

 

Daesh publishes photos of shelling YPG forces with locally made rockets west of Ain Eissa. [JustPaste]

 

Central and West

Daesh says Syrian troops tried to advance near Al-Qaryatayn, after heavy Russian bombing, but Daesh stopped the attack and forced the Syrian troops to retreat (video). [JustPaste] [A3maq]

Daesh publishes photos of the spoils it got after the attack. [JustPaste]

 

REPORTS FROM OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRIES

 

Daesh publishes the third issue of its Manabi’ magazine in Russian. [CTS]

Daesh publishes the seventh issue of its Dar Al-Islam magazine in French. [Archive]

 

Daesh audio newsletter for today in English [Archive]

 

Egypt.  Two unknown armed men on a motorcycle shot and killed four security members and confiscated their weapons in Giza. [Mogaz]

Daesh says it damaged an Egyptian Army Humvee in Qarm Al-Qawadees in Sinai. [JustPaste]

 

Libya.   Local sources say Daesh released a Libyan army colonel it captured a month ago without giving the reason. [AfriGate]

Local news sources say Daesh will celebrate the “graduation” of its first Ashbal Al-Khilafa group of 85 boys under 16 years old in Sirte next Friday. Daesh advertised the event through the local radio station. [AfriGate]

Media sources say Daesh is preparing its fighters and weapons to Daesh-controlled areas in Harawa, Nawfaliya and Bani Jawad, preparing to attack Ajdabiya and the oil areas in east Libya. [AfriGate]

A security source says a border officer was assassinated in Ajdabiya, raising the number of similar cases to 38. [AfriGate]

DaeshDaily comment. Daesh admitted ten of these assassination earlier. Assassinations aim at creating chaos and intimidating the public. This is often the first step for Daesh to advance in any area. We see a serious risk that Ajdabiya will become the next Mosul.

 

A sniper killed a child in Bab Tobruk in Derna. Daesh terrorists often sneak into the area and attack civilians. [AfriGate]

 

Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists in Al-Sabri in Benghazi. [JustPaste]

 

Tunisia. The Tunisian Ministry of Interior says it arrested two suspects who were planning for terrorist attacks in Medenine in south Tunisia and confiscated weapons and explosives. [Aawsat]

The MoI also said it conducted 282 raids during the last two days and arrested 44 terrorism suspects. [Tunisien]

The Tunisian MoI spokesman says security forces captured more than 1200 terrorist cells since the beginning of the year. [Tunisien]

 

SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Facebook Page of the Day

Qamishli Media Center page

 

Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day

https://twitter.com/seefs48

https://twitter.com/favlimitbot11

https://twitter.com/ammariraqi251

https://twitter.com/dawalhak

https://twitter.com/aymantaj12

 

 

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