An Update On ISIS Activities

February 25, 2016

February 25, 2016

Iraqi Minister of Defense with General Austin

Today’s Major Developments

 

Battle for Falluja nears the city limits.

Daesh commander in Hit reportedly announces his men are leaving for Libya.

Two suicide bombers attack Shia mosque in northwest Baghdad, kill 9 people.

PMFs launch attacks in Shirqat.

More Iraqi troops arrive in Ninewa as Coalition bombs keep falling.

Syrian Army counter-attack takes territory back from Daesh.

French special forces reported on the ground in three Libya locations.

 

REPORTS FROM IRAQ

 

BAGHDAD

Political developments

Prime Minister Al-Abadi says his government reduced spending by 65% in 2015 and says the government will be able to pay government salaries. He asks people not to believe rumors. [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. Is that 65% of all spending? That seems unlikely, but it sounds impressive nonetheless, and is maybe an indication of how much wasted spending Iraq really had.

 

The Minister of Defense met with General Lloyd Austin, the outgoing CentCom Commander, along with Ambassador Jones and other American officials. The Minister thanked General Austin for his services. Austin promised to visit liberated Mosul as a tourist. [BasNews]

 

PM Abadi discussed with army and security commands the plans to liberate Mosul, a statement from his office said. [AIN]

 

The MoD said the High Defense Council approved the draft of the compulsory military service law, and forwarded it to the State Shura Council. If approved, the draft will be submitted to the Council of Ministers and the Council of Representatives for ratification. [Maalomah]

 

Security developments

Two suicide attackers with explosives belts attacked the Al-Rasool Al-A’dham Shia mosque in Shula, northwest Baghdad. Preliminary estimates spoke of 7 persons killed and 12 wounded and still counting. This was the first incident of this kind in a long time. [Maalomah] The second suicide attacker then blew himself up amidst the security forces who rushed to the mosque following the first attack. [Ghad]

According to a later Ministry of Interior statement, the total casualties from the two suicide attacks is 7 killed and 14 wounded in the first attack, and 2 killed and 8 wounded in the second attack, for a total of 9 killed and 22 wounded. [Mada]

A video of the explosion in Shula taken by the security cameras inside the mosque [YouTube]

Daesh claims responsibility for the Shula double suicide attack and says 15 people were killed and 20 wounded. [A3maq] Daesh says both suicide terrorists were Iraqis. [TheShams]

DaeshDaily comment. Daesh always seeks to offset military setbacks with offensive moves elsewhere. This is integral to their propaganda strategy. As they lose ground elsewhere in Iraq, we can expect an increasing number of deadly high-profile incidents in Baghdad and other places.

 

The MoD said Baghdad security forces in collaboration with the 43rd army brigade arrested several wanted men in a village in Rashidiya, in north Baghdad, and confiscated two 5-liter containers of C4 and ammonia, in addition to 110 12.5 mm bullets and a 150mm shell. Intelligence units also arrested other wanted persons in Nahdha, Bzaibiz road, and Mohammedi, in Al-Rasheed district.  [AIN]

 

1st battalion of the 23rd army brigade destroyed 3 booby-trapped houses and 4 IEDS in Mudhiriya, while the 1st battalion of the 25th army brigade captured 4 IEDs and a quantity of weapons in Latifiya in south Baghdad, the BOC said. [BOC]

 

The IWMC said in a statement that the 2nd rapid intervention battalion arrested two men wanted on terrorism charges in Mahmudiya south of Baghdad, while a joint operation by the 3rd army brigade and 4th division intelligence units found a weapons cache in Sadr Al-Yusufiyah in south Baghdad containing RPG7 launchers, PKC machineguns, AMK-47 rifles, several ammunition magazines, C4 containers, and IEDs. [Ghad]

 

Four IEDs and 20 detonation batteries were found in the Sayed Abdullah/North Jawen area by the 25th army brigade, which also found 3 IEDs and 3 booby-trapped positions in Khtaimiya. The 23rd brigade detected 2 IEDs and arrested 4 wanted persons in its operations sector. [Ghad]

 

The following violent incidents were reported.

Northwest Baghdad

An IED placed in a commercial area in Shula, killed a civilian and wounded eight. [Mada]

 

North Baghdad

An IED placed in a popular market in Meshahda subdistrict, in Tarmiya District, killed three civilians and wounded eight. [Mada]

The body of a woman shot to death was found in Saba’ Al-Bor. [Ghad]

 

Northeast Baghdad

Bodies of two men shot to death were found in the Al-Basatin neighborhood in Shaab. [Baghdadia]

A man wanted on terrorism charges was captured at the Shaab checkpoint. [Sumaria]

 

East Baghdad

A roadside IED placed in Niariya in east Baghdad killed one civilian and wounded five. [Baghdadia]

The body of a woman shot to death was found near the Al-Shurooq building in Karrada. [Ghad]

A civilian was shot dead by unidentified armed men in Baladiyat. [Ghad]

 

South Baghdad

Daesh says its terrorists killed an Iraqi Army “source” in the Khtaimiya neighborhood of Arab Jabour. [TheShams]

Armed men attacked an army checkpoint in the Al-Mashro’ area, in Mada’in.  One soldier was killed and 5 others wounded. [Mada]

 

Southeast Baghdad

An IED placed near a popular restaurant in the Old Jisr Diyala neighborhood killed a civilian and wounded seven. [Baghdadia]

 

Southwest

A sticky bomb attached to a civilian car killed an employee of the Ministry of Electricity and wounded his brother while they were passing through Bayya’. [Mada]

An IED exploded near a popular coffee shop in the Al-Furat neighborhood, killing one civilian and wounding four. [Maalomah]

 

Total Baghdad incidents reported:   13    (Not an overall total)

 

ANBAR

Falluja

Coalition warplanes attacked a command center in the Mualimeen neighborhood in the middle of Falluja, destroying a command center and a vehicle and killing 6 terrorists, a security source said. [Baghdadia]

 

The areas of Fahailat and Hassi southeast of Falluja were liberated by army troops supported by Coalition and Iraq warplanes and IAA helicopters, a security source in Falluja stated. [Baghdadia]

Daesh executed 7 of its fighters for escaping the battlefield in Fahailat and Hassi today. [Baghdadia]

 

Shakir Mahmoud Al-Eissawi, Chairman of the subdistrict council of Ameriyat Al-Falluja, said that the Albu Daaij subdistrict northwest of Falluja city was liberated and the Iraqi flag was raised over a tall building therein. 8th battalion of the 8th army division, Ameriyat Al-Falluja police, and tribesmen all participated in the operation, with the air support of the Coalition, Iraqi Air Force IAF), and Iraqi Army Air (IAA) helicopters. [Sumaria]

Al-Eissawi also said that a large-scale operation was also initiated in areas south of Falluja, which is considered to include Daesh strongholds, with the participation of all branches of the armed forces including the IAF and IAA. [Maalomah]

Additionally, Al-Eissawi announced liberation of the Albu Assi area of Ameriyat Al-Falluja subdistrict with air support from the Coalition, IAF, and IAA. [Maalomah]

 

Ameriyat Al-Falluja police issue a video of raising the Iraqi flag on the Albu Hadhal hills. [Facebook]

 

Rajih Al-Eissawi, a member of Anbar Provincial Council said that army units are about to arrive at the new Jamahiriya Falluja bridge, a main entry point to Falluja, now that Albu Daaij and Albu Hatim are liberated, and are currently entering the Albu Aifan area near the new bridge. [Mada]

 

Col. Jumaa Faza’ Al-Jumaili, commander of the tribal mobilization announced today liberation of wide areas of Hitawiyeen area southeast of Falluja after killing a large number of terrorists and burning up their vehicles and equipment. Final control of the area is held up by the large number of IEDs and booby-trapped buildings, but he says it is a matter of hours before raising the Iraqi flags on its buildings. [Maalomah]

Al-Jumaili also said that a meeting was held at Al-Mazraa military base among all military and security commands of Anbar to discuss the final details of the Falluja liberation operation. [Maalomah]

 

Col. Jumaa Faza’ Al-Jumaili also said that after the liberation of Albu Hatim and Fahailat, army and tribal forces headed towards Al-Salam police station, where Daesh terrorists are gathering. He said that many of them are already withdrawing into the city of Falluja. [Mada]

Eissa Al-Essawi, the Mayor of Falluja, says Daesh has started to deploy its forces in defensive formations inside Falluja in anticipation of an imminent attack on the city. He said that the liberation plan is progressing as planned. [Ghad]

 

Videos of Iraqi soldiers and tribal fighters advancing in south Falluja [YouTube] [YouTube]

 

Daesh publishes photos of battles in Zoba’a. [AKI]

 

Daesh publishes photos of rocketing the Tareq Camp with Grads. [AKI]

 

The Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) said the 14th army division continued its operations in Albu Shijil, Qarma, and Taqsim Dam sector, killing 20 terrorists and destroying two motorcycles. [Ghad]

 

Ramadi

Army troops freed 10 families, with 55 people (10 men, 25 women, 20 children) used by Daesh as human shields in Asriya and Zangoura. They were transferred to Al-Wafa camp for identity checking, according to Shakir Al-Khafaji, commander of the 18th IFP brigade. [AIN]

 

9th armored brigade engineering units defused 80 remote control IEDs in Hamdhiya. 120mm shells mixed with the highly explosive ammonium nitrate were also defused, the MoD said. [Maalomah]

 

The IWMC said that the 41st army brigade killed 4 terrorists in Hamdhiya, while the 50th brigade killed 20 terrorists and defused 66 IEDs, but lost an officer and a soldier in Mazra’at Al-Za’im. Engineering units of the 8th battalion destroyed 11 IEDs, while the 16th division engineering units cleared a 1 km road, defusing 10 IEDs and destroying another two. [Ghad]

 

A video of Iraqi forces destroying a Daesh vehicle bomb in Thirthar [YouTube]

A video of Daesh chemical weapon materials captured in Ramadi [RT Arabic]

A video of Iraqi forces in Hamdhiya [YouTube]

A video of Golden Division fighters in a battle with Daesh in East Hsaiba [YouTube]

A video of a Daesh member captured then killed by Iraqi forces in Ramadi [YouTube]

A video of Iraqi forces defusing a booby-trapped house in Juwaiba [YouTube]

DaeshDaily comment. We published this video last week but without the footage of the killing. 

A video of a very young Daesh member caught by the Counter-Terrorism troops [Harbi]

 

Hit/Haditha

Col. Salam Al-Ubeidi, commander of Baghdadi Police department, said that Daesh gathered a large part of the population in a mosque in Hit, where a speech was made by a foreign Daesh commander. The commander apologized for any atrocities that have taken place. He announced that Daesh is leaving Hit to go to Libya, on orders of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the Daesh leader. [Sumaria]

 

Western Anbar

Daesh says Coalition warplanes destroyed the municipality building in Al-Qa’im Wednesday night. [A3maq]

DaeshDaily comment. Such statements are not intended so much to be informative but to reinforce the Daesh propaganda theme that the enemy hates Sunni people.

 

SALAHUDDIN

Shirqat

PMF media said in a statement that “Imam Ali” regiments of the PMF have advanced 13 km (8 miles) inside the Shirqat District after hours of fighting. The advance is continuing as Daesh terrorists are escaping. [Mawazin]

 

A PMF commander says Iraqi forces launched a surprise attack on Daesh in the Jazeera area west of Shirqat. This captured 17 sq km, killed many Daesh terrorists, and destroyed their vehicles. [Sumaria]

 

An IAA helicopter attack destroyed a Daesh command center in Al-Jirnaf village in Shirqat District, killing 15 terrorists including Omar Ghanem, a leading figure, according to IAA sources. [Ghad]

 

Baiji

Displaced families will not return to Baiji until the liberation of Shirqat, said the district’s Mayor, Mohammed Mahmoud. He said he met with top military commanders in Salahuddin, PMFs, and municipal authorities. He says that until operations in Shirqat start, it is difficult to think either of a mass return to the city or movement of municipal equipment back into the city.  He said that he will participate in a donors meeting in Amman in April. [Mada]

 

Jabbar Al-Maamouri, the PMF commander, said that a joint force backed by the PMF set an ambush in Siniya, north of Baiji, which killed five Daesh terrorists and destroyed two machine gun-mounted vehicles. [Sumaria]

 

The IWMC said in a statement that the PMF fighters destroyed four Daesh vehicles, two bomb-rigged, with Russian made Kornet missiles at Siniya junction near Makhoul. [Ghad]

 

General Ra’ed Shakir Jawdat said the IFP initiated a surprise attack on Mas’ood village in Makhoul Mountains, killing five Daesh members and wounding three. He also said the IFP repelled a Daesh attack at a junction west of Baiji, destroying two vehicles packed with heavy weapons, and that the IFP discovered a storehouse containing 200 antitank mines, 22 IEDs, and short-range rockets. [Maalomah]

 

Daesh publishes photos of battles in the Makhoul Mountains area. [Aki]

 

Tikrit

Five Daesh terrorists were killed by the IFP north of Tikrit, General Jawdat reported. [Baghdadia]

 

Daesh says its shelled Tikrit city with 3 locally made rockets. [TheShams]

 

A video of Iraqi forces destroying a Daesh vehicle bomb in the Himrin Mountains area [YouTube]

 

Samarra

Jawad Al-Telebawi, spokesman of the AAH militia, said his forces will take part alongside army and security forces in the operations to liberate from Jazeera Samarra out to the Thirthar area in Anbar, saying that this operation would have followed the Baiji liberation were it not for the “conspiracies” against the PMFs. [Mawazin]

 

KIRKUK

A Coalition attack on Msahaq village in Hawija killed 29 Daesh terrorists. The attacked followed info from the National intelligence agency, the IWMC said. [Ghad]

Daesh executed 16 men in the middle of Hawija on charges of armed rebellion. [Maalomah]

 

A local source says Daesh blew up the houses of 35 families who escaped from Hawija to other areas. Daesh also threatened to conduct mass executions of the prisoners it captured if more families leave areas it controls in Hawija District. [Sumaria]

 

Kirkuk Police arrested the terrorist nicknamed Abu Abed, specialized in bomb rigging of vehicles, in downtown Kirkuk. He is alleged to have participated in “tens” of Daesh attacks in Kirkuk and Tikrit, before being ordered by the Daesh command to return to Kirkuk as a sleeper cell, according to the Kirkuk Police.  [AIN]

 

NINEWA

Mosul

Rudaw issues a video of areas close to Mosul showing the areas almost empty, which suggests that Daesh terrorists have withdrawn into the city. [Rudaw]

 

Daesh has started to transfer the families of their leaders from Mosul to Libya and to the Sinai in Egypt. This development is due to the pressure of advancing Iraqi and Kurdish forces, as well as increased attacks by Coalition planes, according to Khalaf Al-Hadidi, member of Ninewa Provincial Council. [Rudaw]

 

A Daesh Twitter account from Mosul says a man and his sister were executed for “ridda” (leaving Islam), because they provided photos from the city to online activists. [Twitter]

 

According to Mahmoud Sorachi, spokesman of the anti-government National Mobilization, 18 people were killed in clashes taking place in the neighborhoods of Quds and Karama in east Mosul. Meanwhile, Daesh imposed a curfew on the right (west) side of Mosul in the areas of Farouq, Okaidat, Bab Al-Hadid, Mahatta, and Bab Al-Beidh, deploying Hummers and armored vehicles around their checkpoints. [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. Why do we have to get this news from Sorachi?

 

The US Army said that 15 out of 22 airstrikes by the Coalition were on targets in Iraq, of which 9 were near Mosul, destroying a weapons factory, IED workshop, mortar shells workshop, and car bomb workshop, in addition to 7 fighting positions. [PUK]

 

The IWMC reports on airstrikes said the Coalition initiated 4 attacks on Sinjar, Mosul, and Shirqat just outside Ninewa, killing 15 terrorists and destroying 6 defensive positions, 5 fighting positions, three heavy weapons pieces, a mortar unit, and a rocket launching platform. Another Coalition attack on Yalawat village in Hamdaniya District with three AS missiles destroyed a chlorine factory, a religious court, and 12 Daesh vehicles heading to Gwer in Makhmur, including shovels, rigs, and machine gun mounted vehicles. [Ghad]

 

Daesh says the 2nd Bridge in Mosul was repaired and is back to service after it was bombed on January 21st. [A3maq]

 

A local source in Mosul says a Daesh Egyptian leader escaped with several girls from the Hawi Church, used as a prison by Daesh terrorists. The leader took the girls claiming he would transfer them to another prison then disappeared. Daesh put its terrorists in Mosul on alert looking for them. [Sumaria]

 

Local sources say Daesh ordered women’s clothing houses in Mosul to stop selling the niqab currently used in order to bring a new style called the Afghani style. The move aims at making a profit for Daesh (since the old style was also enforced by Daesh). [BasNews]

 

Daesh publishes photos about normal life in Yarmouk market in Mosul. [AKI]

 

Nineveh Plain

Information provided by Ninewa intelligence to the Iraqi Air Force led to an airstrike that destroyed a Daesh hideout in Bartella in Hamdaniya District, the MoD said. [AIN]

 

Makhmur

The third group of 15th Army troops arrived to Makhmur District to take part in Mosul liberation, according to Ninewa Operations Command, and was received by commanding officers. Units were distributed to their assigned locations. [Sumaria]

 

Northwest Ninewa (Tal Afar, Sinjar)

Gayath Sorachi, PUK media official, said Daesh shelled the center of Sinjar with Katyusha rockets, but did not cause any human casualties. [PUKMedia]

 

Southern Ninewa (Baaj, Hatra)

 

Other Governorates  

KURDISTAN

KRG President Barzani met with General Austin the CentCom Commander, Ambassador Jones and other American officials to discuss the Ninewa liberation. [BasNews]

Barzani also met with former Vice President Osama Al-Nujaifi to discuss Ninewa liberation according to statement from Barzani’s office. [BasNews]

 

The KRG issues a statement responding to Amnesty International’s annual report. The report accused the KRG of violating human rights. [BasNews]

 

A North Oil Company source says exporting oil from Kirkuk to Cihan port in Turkey will resume in the next 48 hours. The process stopped when the pipeline was attacked in Turkey on Feb 17. [Sumaria]

 

SOUTHERN IRAQ

Qadisiya. Strict security measures were applied in Diwaniya for unknown reasons, including checkpoints and car searches, causing a heavy traffic jam. Speculations centered on a group of terrorists who entered the city and whom the police are searching for, press sources said. [Ghad]

 

REPORTS FROM TURKEY

 

Political developments

Turkey will not be bound by any Syrian cease-fire if Turkey is threatened from Syria, Prime Minster Ahmet Davutoğlu said Wednesday. [Anadolu]

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called yesterday for the YPG to be exempted from the cease-fire in Syria, saying it should be held to the same standards as Daesh. [Welati]

 

Security developments

Istanbul police have sent a memo to various official bodies warning of stations on the Istanbul public transport system where suicide bomber or car bomb attacks may take place. [Cumhuriyet]

 

Police in Istanbul are reportedly hunting for a man disguised as a woman dressed in an abaya in the Bağcılar area of the city. [Cumhuriyet]

 

According to an announcement by Ankara Governorate, teams from the Province Gendarmerie Command, acting on a tip from the public received on Thursday, searched along a side road 800 and found one Bixi, a Kalashnikov, two hand grenades, 287 items of Bixi ammunition, 120 Kalashnikov bullets (inside four chargers), four detonators, and two explosive devices. In addition three plastic bags of what is being treated as an explosive substance were found in a suitcase thrown onto the edge of the road. A wide-ranging investigation into the matter is continuing. [Cumhuriyet]

 

DaeshDaily comment: Special thanks to a loyal reader for the stories from the Turkish press.

 

REPORTS FROM SYRIA

 

The YPG has announced that it accepts the American-Russian plan for a cease-fire in Syria but reserves the right to respond to attacks against it. [Qasioun]

 

Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)

A Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) source said Thursday that Shaddadi is completely free of Daesh presence, and that all mines and IEDs in the city have been cleared. [ARA]

 

The SDF announced that its fighters have advanced 18 km (11 miles) past Shaddadi and as of Wednesday evening are at the village of Al-Azawi on the outskirts of the city of Markada. Violent clashes are ongoing around Al-Azawi, Hawar reports. [Hawar]

Daesh says Coalition warplanes mistakenly bombed YPG fighters near Azawi village south of Shaddadi. [A3maq]

 

Four SDF fighters were lightly wounded in fighting with Daesh south of Shaddadi on Wednesday, a YPG source said. [ARA]

 

Daesh says its terrorists captured two YPG fighters in battles east of Shaddadi. [A3maq]

Daesh says four YPG fighters were killed in clashes near Anad village near Shaddadi. [A3maq]

 

A landmine exploded in the Hasaka countryside, wounding a civilian and killing livestock. [ARA]

 

The YPG and the Syria Democratic Forces issue statements saying they are committed to the ceasefire agreement. [BasNews]

 

Daesh publishes photos of its zakat (Islamic tax) activities in Raqqa. [AKI]

 

Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)

Aleppo North

A 23-year-old Kurdish man from the Afrin countryside who deserted the Syrian Army and attempted to flee across the border into Turkey was beaten to death by Turkish border guards and his body left at the border, according to Welati’s correspondent. [Welati]

 

Daesh captured two of its own members on Wednesday in Jarabulus, an activist said. The two, a Tunisian and a Chechen, were trying to flee from Daesh into Turkey, the source added.  [ARA]

 

The YPG announced the death of four of its fighters in fighting around Aleppo (photos). [Hawar]

 

The PYD administration in Kobane prevents Rudaw TV (close to the KRG) from entering Kobane. [Rudaw]

 

Aleppo East/South

One battle, two conflicting stories:

Syrian version: The Syrian military re-took the city of Khanasir from Daesh on Thursday, according to multiple sources. Syrian military sources said that Syrian troops with allied Quds Brigade militia fighters seized Khanasir after heavy battles with Daesh. An activist reported that the Syrian counter-attack was supported by Russian warplanes. Syrian Army troops also fought heavy ground battles with Daesh outside the city to seize the strategic road that connects Khanasir to Aleppo, in fighting that involved a Daesh car bomb on Syrian troops in Rasm Al-Nafal village, and “tens” of Russian airstrikes. From the reporting it appears that the Syrian Army has broken the brief siege on Aleppo that Daesh imposed after seizing Khanasir and the section of the Aleppo-Hama road that passes through it earlier this week. The heavy fighting left an unspecified number of dead and wounded on both sides. [Qasioun] [ARA] [Qasioun]

Videos of Syrian troops in Khanasir and Rasm Nafal [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube]

 

Daesh version: Syrian troops and its allied Shia militias, supported by Russian airpower, entered Khanasir from the south after heavy battles, and lost 3 tanks and 2 vehicles with an unspecified number of casualties. Daesh says its terrorists, after leaving Khanasir, attacked the nearby air defense battalion, killing 15 Syrian soldiers and capturing others. Daesh says its fighters have captured 12 Syrian tanks since its attack on Khanasir started and the Syrian troops’ road to Aleppo is still cut off for the fourth day in a row. [A3maq]

Daesh says one of its suicide terrorists attacked Syrian troops near Khanasir with a vehicle bomb. Daesh says Syrian troops were attacking a hill in the area but its terrorists stopped the attack, killing 32 soldiers. [A3maq]

Daesh says it conducted another suicide attack on a Syrian troop convoy heading from Rasm Al-Nafal village to Shallala village north of Khanasir. Daesh says Syrian troops withdrew to the Rasm Al-Nafal village after the suicide attack. [A3maq] [A3maq] Daesh says its terrorists shot down a Russian drone near Rasm Al-Nafal village north of Khanaser. [A3maq]

Daesh publishes photos of shelling Rasm Al-Nafal. [TheShams]

Daesh publishes photos of the battles near Shallala village. [TheShmas]

DaeshDaily comment. So who really won? Based on our experience with Daesh media messages, the Syrian Army probably won. Daesh messages are good at covering losses. They select positive highlights of the battle without discussing the final outcome, count every suicide bomber who blows himself up as a success (even if his attack failed), ignore their casualties while playing up enemy casualties, and issue photos and videos that can be interpreted by supporters as depicting a victory.

 

Daesh issues a video of attacking Syrian Army supply lines on the road between Athariya and Silmiya. [A3maq]

 

However, Daesh seized other territory held by Syrian troops south of Aleppo on Thursday, taking the village of Siyala, on the front lines between Syrian Army and Nusra Front, placing Daesh in direct confrontation with the latter. Nusra Front fighters attacked Daesh in the Diman area, capturing “tens” of Daesh fighters that had been wounded in the fighting around Khanasir, as well as capturing around 15 fighters from the pro-Daesh “Liwa Al-Touba” militia, and driving Daesh’s fighters back to the Abu Al-Dhuhour military airport. The Nusra fighters then withdrew without suffering any casualties. For its part Daesh accused fighters of the pro-Nusra Al-Shaitat tribe of attacking its positions and vowed to retaliate. [Qasioun]

DaeshDaily comment. Daesh has been extremely cruel to the Al-Shaitat tribe in the past.

 

East (Deir Ez-Zor)

Daesh’s Shura Council issued a decision to dismiss Abu Saad Al-Shami from his position as the wali of Deir Ez-Zor (which Daesh calls its wilaya of “Al-Khayr”), citing complaints by citizens and Daesh members in Deir Ez-Zor. Al-Shami is originally from Suluk in the Raqqa countryside. The previous wali of Deir Ez-Zor was also removed from his position by Daesh after being implicated in what Daesh called financial corruption. [Qasioun]

 

The World Food Program announced Wednesday the first food drops over besieged areas of Deir Ez-Zor, in which 21 tons of food supplies were delivered to the city’s civilians trapped in areas under Daesh siege. A WFP statement said the WFP used its own plane, a Russian cargo vessel that had been chartered earlier for WFP operations in Sudan, to deliver the relief supplies, which landed in the targeted area. A resident of Deir Ez-Zor said that the parcel landed behind Syrian Army lines, and that Syrian troops took control of the drop. Earlier food drops by Russian planes were seized by the Army and allied militias and were not distributed to the starving population, the resident said. Another resident said that the military sells aid to the population at high prices. [ARA] [Erem]

 

Daesh issues a video of a former FSA fighter, who was trained in Jordan then “repented” and joined Daesh and became a suicide bomber. [VideoWood]

 

South (Damascus, Rif Dimashq, etc.)

Daesh’s security commander in Rif Dimashq, Abu Salem Al-Iraqi, and five of his associates were seen leaving south Damascus via the Al-Asali gate in the Al-Qadam neighborhood which Daesh controls on February 19, and has resurfaced in Mosul. [ARA]

 

Thirty-eight Palestinians were killed among the 120 victims who perished on Sunday in the deadly Daesh bombing in Sayyidah Zaynab south of Damascus. [Arabi21]

 

OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS

 

North Africa

Egypt

In a speech to Parliament on Wednesday, President Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi said that the Russian airliner that broke up over Sinai last year was targeted in an act of “terrorism.” This was the first time that an Egyptian official has referred to the downing of the jet, for which Daesh has claimed responsibility, as a terrorist act. [Arabi21]

 

In ongoing search operations, Egyptian counter-terrorism troops stopped a vehicle in Al-Barth, southwest of Rafah, and found explosives and weapons inside (photos). [EgyArmySpoxFB]

 

State media reported that nine militants were killed and several others arrested in a raid in Rafah, and ten suspects arrested in raids in Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid. [AhramOnline (English)]

 

Daesh says an Israeli drone bombed a vehicle and a motorcycle in the Qasaqsa area near Rafah killing four civilians and wounding three. Daesh also says Israeli warplanes destroyed a food storehouse in the same area. The food items were supposed to be smuggled to Gaza according to Daesh. [A3maq]

 

Daesh says it detonated an IED on an Egyptian Army M133 vehicle near Mahdiya in south Rafah. [TheShams]

 

Libya

The French newspaper Le Monde reported yesterday that French special forces units are on the ground in Libya to conduct secret operations against Daesh, prompting reactions from across Libya. The commander of Libyan Special Forces Col. Wanis Bukhamada denied the participation of French troops in the recent battles in Benghazi in remarks to the media. The foreign affairs committee of the Tobruk Parliament also issued a statement of denial. However a “high-level military source” reportedly told Al-Hadath that troops from Western states were already operating in Libya, mentioning France, Britain, the US, and Italy. The troops are assigned to operations rooms in Tobruk (far Northeast coast), Benina airbase (east of Benghazi), and Misrata (Central coast), the source said. [Arabi21] [LeMonde (French)] [Wasat] [AfriGate] [Hadath]

 

Northeast

A key Daesh commander has been killed in Derna, local sources said. Muftah Bufaraj Al-Shalawi, known as “Abu Basir Al-Libi,” was the commander of Daesh fighters in the “400” neighborhood and suspected of involvement in multiple assassination operations in the area. Daesh has suffered heavy losses in Derna, according to local sources who said that the city is now relatively quiet after heavy fighting in the last few days. Occasional skirmishes and artillery fire break out from time to time focused on the rural Al-Fata’ih area overlooking the city, where Daesh retains a presence. [Wasat] [AfriGate]

 

Daesh says it stopped another Libyan attack in Saberi in Benghazi, killing “tens” of Libyan soldiers. Daesh says its terrorists launched a surprise attack on Benghazi’s main port, a headquarters of the Libyan troops, and the clashes are still going on. [TheShams]

 

The “Benghazi Shura Council,” allied with Daesh, announced the death of one of its commanders, Jalal Al-Makhzoum on Wednesday in battles with the Libyan Army. [AfriGate]

 

Videos of Libyan troops attacking Daesh in Benghazi [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube]

A video of Libyan troops reopening the highway in Laithi in Benghazi [YouTube]

A video of Daesh solitary prisons in Benghazi [AlAanTV]

A video of a small Daesh drone captured in Benghazi [YouTube]

 

Northwest

A security source told the AP that Daesh executed 12 security officers during its brief occupation of the security headquarters in Sabratha on Wednesday and used the decapitated bodies to block the roads leading to the security HQ. [Wasat]

 

Special Deterrence Force (SDF) units of the Tripoli-based government’s Interior Ministry captured the Daesh emir of Sabratha, Muhammad Saad Al-Tajouri, known as “Abu Sulayman,” and two of his associates on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the SDF, which said the arrest took place in a home the group had rented on the outskirts of Tajoura, just east of Tripoli. [Wasat] [AfriGate]

A video of capturing the Daesh emir of Sabratha and his associates by Libyan Special Forces [YouTube]

 

SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Facebook Page of the Day

Ameriyat Al-Falluja Police page

 

Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day

https://twitter.com/asdalasd123456

https://twitter.com/IMosully1

https://twitter.com/zarqawya238

https://twitter.com/Sh_Baghdad15

https://twitter.com/73_odacio

 

Other Daesh media   

A Daesh supporter explains its tactics for blocking anti-Daesh Twitter accounts [JustPaste]

 

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