May 7, 2018
Farouq Al-Jubouri
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
Iraq
PMF alliance, Al-Maliki challenge Al-Abadi leadership with majority-coalition proposal in advance of May 12 election. [..]
Al-Jubouri concedes current level of PMF employment is financially unsustainable. [..]
KDP still trying to unify Kurdish parties prior to government formation. [..]
Ninewa Operations Command sets security organization for elections. [..]
Qayara CoR candidate murdered by teen-age son. [..]
Syria
Israel cabinet member says it will overthrow Assad if he allows Iran to threaten Israel from Syria. [..]
Two Turkey-allied militias attack each other in Azaz, Jarabulus. [..]
Syrian Army cedes control of four villages to SDF after Coalition intervenes. [..]
SDF reports taking more territory from Daesh in Albu Kamal. [..]
UN says 7,000 Yarmouk Camp residents displaced by military operations. [..]
Syrian Army-Daesh battle south of Damascus causing heavy casualties. [..]
Other countries
Egypt: Prosecutors charge 555 people with joining Daesh. [..]
Indonesia: Police prevent terrorist suicide attack in Java. [..]
REPORTS FROM IRAQ
NATIONAL NEWS
Election
The London-based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that “about 10 days ago, Al-Maliki received in his private office the Fath coalition leader, Hadi Al-Amiri, who announced to Al-Maliki his support for the Rule of Law’s ‘political majority’ project.” The newspaper added that “this support will be followed by the integration of the Fath alliance, the Rule of Law and other political blocs into a wider coalition after elections.” It pointed out that “Ayad Allawi has also sent a delegation to Al-Maliki to support his ‘political majority’ project.” The newspaper added that “Masoud Barzani’s KDP party has also sent a positive message to Al-Maliki, announcing its support for Al-Maliki’s project.” [KnoozMedia]
DaeshDaily comment. It may seem from this report that other alliances are aligning with Al-Maliki, but there are reasons to doubt such an interpretation. In particular it seems unlikely that either Allawi or Barzani, both of whom have been burned in the past by Al-Maliki, intend such an endorsement, though they might be signaling their desire to be included in the government formed after the election. It could also be that Al-Amiri envisions that his coalition will finish first and that Al-Maliki will be joining him.
The Secretary-General of Asa’eb Ahl Al-Haq (AAH), Qais Al-Khazali, said on Monday that the corrupt are worse than terrorists and are destroying Iraq, emphasizing that people’s fate and the elimination of corruption depends on electoral turnout. In a speech at a rally for the “Fatah” electoral alliance in front of the Martyr’s Monument in Baghdad, Al-Khazali said, “We are at the stage of a new challenge for the citizens,” adding that their religious mission was to preserve the sanctity of the PMF. [Sumaria]
At the same rally, the head of the “Al-Fath” electoral alliance, Hadi Al-Amiri, said on Monday that areas of Baghdad suffered from terrorism, negligence, and lack of [public] services, emphasizing that his next project is to change and reform the country from its roots. During a speech in front of the Martyr’s Monument in central Baghdad, Al-Amiri said that one of the priorities of the “Al-Fath” alliance would be to build a strong state and fight corruption. [Sumaria]
Al-Khazali said on Monday that “Iraq is on the cusp of a new stage, providing a new challenge for citizens.” He added that “the Iraqis’ destiny and the elimination of corruption depend on heavy and conscious participation in the upcoming elections.” He also called on the Iraqi people to “be fully aware of who defended and saved their homeland,” saying that “through the efforts of the PMFs and those of security forces, all the agendas of Iraq’s enemies have been foiled. All Iraqis will always be in debt to their sacrifices.” Addressing the Marji’ya in Najaf, Al-Khazali added “our message is to keep the PMF sacred.” [BaghdadToday]
Rudaw wrote that sources close to the Grand Ayatollahs of Najaf (Iraq) and Qom (Iran) believe that there is an undeclared war between them evident in the leadup to the Iraqi CoR elections. Those claiming to be familiar with the situation say that Sistani is thwarting Khamenei’s ambitions in Iraq, and that Khamenei wants to see Iraq administered by followers of Qom rather than followers of Najaf. According to Rudaw, sources close to the two religious leaders say that the conflict is no longer about the wilayat al-faqih [Khomeini’s concept of governance by religious authority], but rather about Iranian hegemony and the Iranian desire to restrict the religious authority of Najaf for Iran’s benefit.
Some in Iraq believe that Iran took advantage of the fatwa that Sistani issued to create the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), in order to weaken the Iraqi state. Beiwar Rehman, an expert in Shia religious affairs, told Rudaw, “Al-Sistani was against the wilayat al-faqih after the liberation of Iraq, and Al-Sistani does not want religious authority to deeply penetrate the makeup of the government, which is one of the most important differences between Najaf and Qom.” Rudaw went on to write that most experts expected the differences between the two camps to deepen, although the authority of Najaf is strengthened by having more popular support among Iraqi Shia than its Iranian counterpart. [Rudaw]
DaeshDaily comment. This Rudaw story as shown above reflects some serious editing to bring it in line with common knowledge apparently not possessed by the Rudaw reporter. For those newer to the subject, the key points are these. (1) The leading “academy” of Shia learning is in Najaf, not in Qom, and Sistani is the acknowledged leader, as he has been for decades. (2) Khomeini, who founded Iran’s Islamic theocracy, was at one time at Najaf, where his announced concept of clerical rule was generally opposed. (3) It has always been true that Sistani’s concept of governance, broadly shared by Shia clergy, favors rule by the people and not the clergy. (4) For that reason, it is true as reported here that Sistani, though originally from Iran, has always supported democratic government in Iraq and opposed the Iranian regime. With those points understood, (5) the heart of the Rudaw story—that the openly pro-Iran Al-Fath alliance is an enabler of Iranian influence and could undermine Sistani’s influence if successful—is extremely important.
During a meeting with the local service departments’ presidents in the Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq on Monday, Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, said that “Iraq is going through a new stage, and we must do our best to satisfy the citizens’ needs as much as possible.” He urged them to make a real plan to satisfy the people’s needs in the province and improve the services offered to them, especially those of health, education, security and electricity. [BaghdadToday]
The Speaker of the CoR, Salim Al-Jubouri, whose party is running in the same alliance as Allawi, commented Monday on leaks about a plan to swap the post of Speaker of the CoR, currently occupied by a Sunni Arab, with the Presidency, currently occupied by a Kurd. Al-Jubouri said in an interview with Ghad: “This [current sectarian] distribution was not mandated constitutionally, but has become customary, and is subject to change. . . . We have to admit that these political rules have not yet matured, and it would not be easy to have a non-Shia PM now.” Asked if he expected to remain Speaker of the CoR for the next 4 years, Al-Jubouri said that it was subject to the current political situation, and that he would remain active in politics even if he is not the Speaker. [BasNews]
Al-Jubouri also stated that “with the continued presence of armed groups outside the legitimate control of the State, it’s difficult to achieve national reconciliation among the Iraqi people.” He urged the PMFs either to join the security forces or reward a large portion of them and lay them off. “At some point, the PMFs have played a significant role in defeating Daesh and made a lot of sacrifices, but their mission is over. Now, the situation is different; either they join the ranks of security forces, or reward a large portion of them and lay them off, as it is impossible to imagine the presence of armed groups outside the legitimate control of the State,” Al-Jubouri added. [BaghdadToday]
The German security expert and head of the European Union Advisory Mission in Iraq (EUAM Iraq), Markus Ritter, said on Monday that it will be necessary to reduce the armed security apparatus in Iraq by a “huge amount” for peacetime, saying that after defeating Daesh, Iraq had a major task ahead of it in restructuring and reducing its security presence. In a statement to the German news agency DW, Ritter said, “Here (in Iraq) there are too many weapons and heavily armed forces. . . . Under my leadership, a team of 35 experts is currently advising the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior and the Office of the National Security Advisor” under a 1-year mission. Ritter added that the Iraqi police are currently largely paramilitary in nature due to their work fighting Daesh, and that this would need to be scaled down, because the Iraqi government cannot finance the security apparatus on its own. [Sumaria]
According to the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has proposed “raising the ceiling” of the demands of the Kurds to participate in the next government, while stressing the need not to abandon Kirkuk and the “disputed” areas. Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted a “political source close to the KDP” as saying that the KDP was reaching out towards other parties, particularly the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), to come to an agreement regarding the formation of a new Iraqi government. The source added that the KDP, led by former KRG president Masoud Barzani, suggested “raising the ceiling” of Kurdish demands, not giving up previous positions, and said that the Kurdish parties must press on after the “setback” following the [independence] referendum last year. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. The KDP’s real objective is to restore some of its lost political power in Kurdistan in the wake of the referendum boomerang and the increased anti-KDP hostility there. Since they can’t get much support admitting that, they keep coming back to the need for Kurdish unity—under their leadership of course.
Masrour Barzani, advisor to the Security Council for the Kurdistan Region, said that the Iraqi government is obligated to compensate those affected by the crimes of the former regime, described the upcoming elections as “fateful,” and expressed the hope to form a genuine partnership with the Iraqi government afterwards. [BasNews]
Anti-Daesh campaign
An Iraq security leader says that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is likely still alive and in Syria near the border with Iraq. Abu Ali Al-Basri, Director-General of the Intelligence and Anti-Drug division of the Ministry of the Interior, said during an interview with Fox News that his latest information puts Al-Baghdadi in Hajin, Deir Ez-Zor Province, Syria. Al-Basri said that this information was obtained by Iraqi intelligence just days ago and is being used to prepare a joint operation with Russian, Syrian, and Iranian forces. Brigadier General Yahya Rasul, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, had previously said that Al-Baghdadi was living in the border area east of the Euphrates, and might also be living in Al-Shaddadi, in Hasaka province, Syria. He added, “It’s not hard to hide in the Syrian desert.” The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed with this view, as their spokesman, Mustafa Bali, said that the Daesh leader could be in one of dozens of towns on the Syria-Iraq border. [BasNews]
DaeshDaily comment. Ho hum—another Baghdadi sighting in which he has not actually been sighted. It is logical to assume that if Baghdadi is still alive and still functioning as the Daesh leader, he is within the small remaining area in Albu Kamal and southern Hasaka where Daesh still controls a little territory. You can say that and sound knowledgeable to some reporters, even though you have no idea where Baghdadi is.
Foreign policy
Iraq’s Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, revealed on Sunday a number of outstanding issues with Jordan over securing the border. He called for a rapid formation of a joint military committee to control the border and resolve the outstanding issues between them. [RT]
BAGHDAD
Security-related incidents reported
Northeast (Adhamiya, etc.)
Daesh said on Saturday it killed two guards at an election center in the Adhamiya area using silenced guns. [ICDNMay5]
DaeshDaily comment. Adhamiya used to be infested with Baathist, then AQI cells, starting in 2003. It was cleared some time ago. This is the first attack in the area in a long time for which Daesh claims responsibility.
East (Sadr City, New Baghdad, etc.)
Daesh said on Saturday it killed a PMF member in the Habibiya area. [ICDNMay5]
Daesh said on Saturday it attacked an election center in the Baghdad Al-Jadida area with several hand grenades. [ICDNMay5]
Southeast (Mada’in, etc.)
A police source said that a civilian had been killed by unidentified gunmen. The source, who asked not to be named, said that the gunmen shot the civilian near his home in Wardiya. [Sumaria]
Southwest (Rasheed, etc.)
Daesh said on Saturday it killed an Iraqi Army officer in the Shurta Khamsa area. [ICDNMay5]
Total Baghdad incidents reported: 5 (Includes only incidents reported)
Total IED incidents reported: 0
ANBAR
Falluja
Center for Security Information spokesman General Yahya Rasul said in a statement that units under Anbar Ops Command had carried out a search in areas near Albu Alwan, northeast of the city in Qarma subdistrict, and Al-Nassaf and Falahat west of the city, and found 4 anti-armor missile launchers, a mortar shell, and an IED, which were detonated without incident. [Baghdadia]
Ramadi
Daesh says that on Sunday it blew up the house of the mukhtar of Awasel village, 12 miles west of Ramadi. It says it then detonated an IED on a police vehicle that came to the house, killing two policemen and destroying the vehicle. [ICDNMay6]
Center for Security Information spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasul said in a statement that troops had carried out a search in the areas of Albu Dhiab and Albu Shaaban, finding 5 RPGs, 11 assorted mortar shells, and a damaged missile battery left behind by Daesh. [Baghdadia]
Al-Qa’im
A DaeshDaily source said on Sunday that PMF units killed 2 Daesh suicide terrorists who were trying to infiltrate PMF positions west of Karabla.
A DaeshDaily source said on Monday that a PMF commander and his driver were killed when a Daesh leftover IED exploded on his vehicle on the road between Al-Qa’im and the Akashat Compound to the south.
A DaeshDaily source said on Sunday that 120 young men from Al-Qa’im started a voluntary cleanup campaign in the city. While doing so they found the dead bodies of 4 Daesh foreign terrorists under the rubble of a house that was destroyed by a Coalition airstrike during the liberation battles. The source sent us photos of the house.
DaeshDaily comment. The discovery of dead bodies was perhaps jarring, but there is something very positive about 120 young Iraqi men taking on a major volunteer project to help their community. We have printed similar reports from Mosul. We don’t want to read too much into such reports but would like to believe they reflect a positive trend and the advancement of a meaningful civil society in Iraq.
SALAHUDDIN
Baiji
Monday, Security Media Center spokesman General Rasul announced that security forces found a cache of explosives materials and IEDs, left behind by Daesh, including 21 mortar shells, 7 rocket launchers, 6 “bombs,” and 3 surface-to-air missiles, during a search operation in Baiji. [AlGhadPress]
DaeshDaily comment. It is amazing how much war-making stuff Daesh had accumulated. Notice that we have multiple stories almost every day about the discovery of new sites, and these stories have been ongoing for many months. The stories are mundane, but in the end all these search and discovery operations add up to improved long-term security for Iraq, by reducing Daesh’s access to weapons and weapons materials.
Samarra
Daesh said it detonated an IED on an IFP vehicle near Al-Marat village, east of Samarra, on Thursday. [ICDNMay5]
Southern Salahuddin (Balad, Dujail)
A DaeshDaily source said on Sunday that Samarra Operations Command units found a Daesh tunnel and confiscated weapons, ammunition, and food supplies in the Rafi’at area, in Balad, after getting information from people of in the area.
Daesh said on Monday it destroyed a PMF 43rd brigade vehicle with an IED in the Farahatiya area, near Ishaqi, killing or wounding the fighters inside. [ICDNMay7]
In another report, Daesh said two PMF fighters were killed and six others wounded in the explosion. [ICDNMay7]
DIYALA
The Police Chief for Diyala province, Brigadier General Faisal Kazem Al-Abadi, announced on Monday that a new mechanism had been established for arresting wanted persons. In a press statement, Al-Abadi said that the new mechanism involved a database on wanted persons shared between police forces, Ops Commands, and other relevant agencies. [Sumaria]
Baquba/Southeast Diyala
Daesh said on Saturday it blew up a CTS security barrier with IEDs in Abu Qarma village, in the Al-Waqf area. [ICDNMay5]
Central Diyala (Muqdadiya/Abu Saida)
The security committee chairman for the Abu Saida subdistrict, Awad Al-Rubaie, said on Monday that a farmer had been killed by a fire of unknown origin. In an interview, he said that the fire took place in the orchards in the village of Mukhaisa, and was currently under investigation. [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. The Mukhaisa orchards have been an area of Daesh activity.
Monday, a local source reported that based on intelligence information, security forces foiled a Daesh attack on a wedding procession in Abu Saida subdistrict in northeastern Diyala. A civilian was reportedly wounded. [AlGhadPress]
KIRKUK
Hawija (Riyadh, Al-Zab, etc.)
A DaeshDaily source said that an AAH commander was killed when an IED exploded on his vehicle on Friday evening in Hawija.
NINEWA
Election. Ninewa Ops Commander Major General Najim Al-Jubouri said on Monday that there had been a meeting between the Director of the Ninewa office of the Electoral Commission, the security commanders, and Major General Abd Al-Khaleq Tala’at, the Erbil Police Chief, representing the Kurdistan Region, regarding security for the electoral process on May 12th. Al-Jubouri said that the meeting revolved around the security plan set by Ninewa Ops Command
There will be no curfew in the province, only a ban on some large vehicles. Some areas will have their own security commander. Mosul city center will fall under the responsibility of General Hamad Al-Namis, the Ninewa Police Chief; the commander of the 16th Division will be responsible for the eastern part of Ninewa; the 20th Division commander will cover southern Mosul and Badoush; and the 15th Division commander will be responsible for northern Mosul. [BasNews]
Mosul
Spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior, Major General Sa’ad Ma’an, said that the 2nd Rapid Response Regiment under the Ninewa Police Command had arrested 3 wanted Daesh fighters in the Al-Samah neighborhood in east Mosul.[Baghdadia]
A DaeshDaily source said on Saturday that Ninewa SWAT units captured 4 Daesh terrorists in the Badoush area in far northwest Mosul. The source says one of those captured was Daesh’s wali of Badoush, Ahmed Saleh Al-Afri.
Southern Ninewa
Hammam Al-Alil
A DaeshDaily source said on Monday that hundreds of voter IED cards were stolen from the IHEC office in Hammam Al-Alil. The source said the cards might have been sold to a local candidate.
Qayara
Election. A DaeshDaily source said on Monday that Farouq Mohammed Al-Jubouri, a COR candidate from the National List, was killed as he was returning from the dawn prayer in Lazaga village, next to Al-Hawd. The source said Mr. Jubouri was one of the most popular candidates in south Ninewa. According to the source, the Intelligence Service said that Jubouri was killed by his 16-year-old son. An Intelligence Service major told our source that the son was addicted to hallucination pills. The major also said that the crime weapon was found with the son.
Another DaeshDaily source said that there were unconfirmed reports that the son was influenced by Daesh to kill his own father.
DaeshDaily comment. In repeating the speculative Daesh connection, we are not in any way suggesting that we have an opinion as to its accuracy.
Daesh claimed responsibility for the assassination. In a statement, they said they had assassinated the candidate by shooting him in the head in his home village of Lazaga. Security sources yesterday confirmed the killing of the candidate, Farouq Mohammed Zarzour. The National List, led by Ayad Allawi, demanded an urgent investigation. In a voice recording in April, Daesh had vowed to target polling places and voters in the CoR elections. Daesh’s spokesman Abu Hassan Al-Muhajir had warned Iraqi Sunnis not to participate in the elections, saying that polling places would be a target for attacks. [Rudaw]
DaeshDaily comment. The story hasn’t appeared in Daesh collected reports yet.
Captain Amir Wathiq of the Ninewa Police officially reported the crime on Monday. Contradicting Daesh’s statement taking credit for the assassination, Wathiq said that Farouq Al-Jubouri had been killed with knives rather than by gunshot. [BasNews]
In a follow-up story, the Iraqi judiciary also denied that Daesh killed the candidate, saying that he was killed by his son. Judge Abd Al-Sattar Birqdar, spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council, said in a statement, “Preliminary investigations into the murder of Farouq Mohammed Zarzour … have revealed that it was not connected to terrorist crimes. . . .The crime was committed as a result of family disputes; the victim’s son confessed to killing his father due to disagreements in the family.”[Rudaw]
Western Ninewa
Tal Afar
The Center for Security Information announced on Monday that military intelligence units from the 15th Brigade had found a cache of explosives in the Tal Afar District, containing 35 IEDs and 7 detonators, and had detonated them on-site without incident. [Sumaria]
Baaj
A DaeshDaily source said on Sunday that 12 PMF fighters, including a senior Badr commander, were killed in a Daesh attack on Tal Safouk village on the Syria border.
A DaeshDaily source said on Monday that several PMF fighters were killed or wounded when Daesh attacked their positions with 4 vehicle bombs in Tal Safouk.
KURDISTAN NEWS
ERBIL
Sunday, Arabi 21 reported that the PKK in northern Erbil attacked Turkish Army personnel in on Kafruta Hill in the Lêlikan area of Sidekan subdistrict in northern Soran District, killing a number of Turkish soldiers. [Arabi21]
REPORTS FROM TURKEY
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, announced that Turkey would launch new military operations in areas next to its borders, following its recent campaign in northern Syria. During a speech at the Justice and Development Party (AKP)’s general conference in Istanbul, Erdoğan said, “Ankara will not hesitate to choke the terrorists as long as they survive, especially in Syria and Iraq.” [Sumaria]
DaeshDaily comment. Erdogan’s politically motivated public boasts and threats will continue at least through the snap election he has just called. However, we think his past few statements are notable for the absence of previous specific threats to continue the Turkish offensive to and beyond Manbij. Perhaps the recent statements by the US and France that they were not planning to leave the Manbij area deflated his balloon. It’s too soon to know for sure.
In a statement released on Monday, Turkey’s Interior Ministry announced that 22 terrorists were “neutralized” during 495 Turkish security operations against terrorist organizations in Turkey last week. 150 people were arrested based on suspicion that they support the PKK, and 94 were arrested due to possible ties to Daesh, the statement added. [Anadolu]
REPORTS FROM SYRIA
NATIONAL NEWS
In an interview with Russia’s Kommersant daily on Sunday, French Ambassador to Russia Sylvie Bermann said that Paris no longer insists on the “unconditional” departure of Bashar Al-Assad as a precondition for settling the conflict in Syria. “We will not decide for the Syrian people, but there is no more demand for the unconditional departure of Bashar Assad,” she said. However, she added that “France doesn’t accept that the regime simply takes over the territories liberated from terrorists and militias.” She also stressed that Syria’s future should be determined through “dialogue between the country’s political forces.” [Qasioun]
On Monday, however, Israel’s Energy Minister, Yuval Steinitz, said that if Bashar Al-Assad continued to allow the Iranians to operate in Syria, Israel would kill him and overthrow his government. “If Al-Assad allows Iran to turn Syria into a military vanguard against us, to attack us from Syrian territory, he should know that would be the end of him, the end of his regime,” Steinitz told the Ynet news site. [EnabBaladi]
In response to Steinitz’s threat, Sputnik quoted Deputy Head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Abu Al-Fadl Hasan Bighi, as saying that “Israel cannot assassinate the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.” [EnabBaladi]
Britain accused the Syrian government of continuing to produce chemical weapons secretly, saying that it was withholding information about its special program for poisonous war materials. Jonathon Allen, the British Representative to the United Nations, said in a press statement today before a closed meeting of the Security Council that the Syrian regime has not presented as of yet the complete story about its activities in this field. He said that the Russian and Syrian regimes’ denial of using chemical weapons was very suspicious. [Qasioun]
Northwest
Azaz
Jarabulus
A source told Hawar that violent clashes erupted this Monday in Ghandoura subdistrict in the Jarabulus District between two pro-Turkey militias, Mountain Hawks and Sultan Murad, for unknown reasons. According to the source, the clashes occurred near Al-Sa’an Camp, resulting in the deaths of civilians and fighters. [Hawar]
A second media source said that the conflicts were fought with heavy weapons in Hawar Kilis, Dudyan, and Harjala in Azaz District to the west, all in separate subdistricts, and including farm villages, as well as in Al-Ghandoura in Jarabulus, and that the clashes “stretched out towards the region of camps.” The source said that units of the Mountain Hawks stormed a headquarters of the Sultan Murad, resulting in deaths on both sides. [Dorar]
Northeast (No reports)
Central and West
Aleppo/Idlib
Monday, SOHR reported that clashes broke out between the Syrian forces and Islamic militias in different locations in Tal Mseibin in Ariha District in southwest Idlib, accompanied by mutual shelling. [SyriaHR]
Monday, SOHR reported that a Hurras Al-Din sharia judge was shot dead at Abu Ataba checkpoint in southern Aleppo, amid accusations that Tahrir Al-Sham had killed him. [SyriaHR]
East (Deir Ez-Zor)
Deir Ez-Zor District
Saturday, Qasioun reported that the SDF took control of the Syrian forces’ positions in Al-Salihiya village, adjacent to Al-Husseiniya village northwest of Deir Ez-Zor city, following the Syrian withdrawal from it. [Qasioun]
Monday, Qasioun reported that the SDF captured the Syrian forces’ positions in Al-Husseiniya village northwest of Deir Ez-Zor city, following the Syrian withdrawal from it under Coalition airstrikes and French artillery shelling. [Qasioun]
Monday, Qasioun reported that the SDF took control of the Syrian forces’ positions in Marat and Tabiya villages in Khasham subdistrict, following the Syrian forces’ withdrawal from them. The reason for their withdrawal is still unknown. [Qasioun]
The SDF announced on Monday that the territory it controls in Deir Ez-Zor had expanded at Daesh’s expense. The “operations room” of “the Storm Island” reported that it took control of 18 square kilometers from Daesh within the past five days. The operation was supported by the planes of the International Coalition and French forces. [Dorar]
Albu Kamal District
Monday, SOHR reported that under the cover of artillery and rocket shelling, Daesh conducted two parallel attacks on the Syrian forces’ positions in the desert areas of Al-Quriya and Albu Kamal, killing at least 9 members of the Syrian forces and wounding others, with reports of Daesh casualties. [SyriaHR]
A DaeshDaily source said on Saturday that Daesh publicly killed one of its Moroccan members in a market in Hajin after accusing him of treason.
A DaeshDaily source said on Saturday that Coalition planes killed 8 Daesh security members, including an Iraqi and a Saudi, and destroyed 2 pickup vehicles in an airstrike on Hajin. The source says Daesh used civilians to carry the bodies away.
South
Damascus/Rif Damashq
The UN announced on Monday that military operations in the Yarmouk Camp area have resulted in the displacement of about 7000 refugees, 70% of whom are Palestinian. Stephane Dujarric, a UN spokesperson, said that the displaced refugees fled to the towns of Yelda, Babbila, and Beit Saham, which are all under the control of government forces. He said that the UN is ready to extend humanitarian assistance to those areas once access is allowed. [Anadolu]
Sunday, A3maq reported that Daesh foiled a Syrian forces’ attempt to advance towards Al-Yarmouk Camp, killing 30 members of the Syrian forces, including two officers, and destroying a tank as well as a vehicle. [EnabBaladi]
Sputnik quoted a Syrian brigadier general as saying that the Syrian forces have been shelling the Yarmouk neighborhoods since Monday morning, in an attempt to separate the Yarmouk Camp from Al-Hajar Al-Aswad neighborhood. He added that the Syrian forces managed to advance 500 meters in that area. [EnabBaladi]
Monday, Syria Now reported that the Syrian forces captured a number of buildings in the northern part of Al-Hajar Al-Aswad neighborhood, a few hours after they liberated its southern part. They found a number of Daesh tunnels and IEDs. [SyriaNow]
Daesh said on Saturday it killed 27 Syrian soldiers and wounded others in battles in the Yarmouk Camp, Hay Al-Tadhamun, and Hay Al-Hajar Al-Aswad. [ICDNMay5]
Daesh said on Saturday it destroyed a Syrian Army tank and damaged an armored vehicle in Al-Hajar Al-Aswad. [ICDNMay5]
Daesh said on Sunday it stopped several government forces attacks on different areas in Al-Hajar Al-Aswad and the Yarmouk Camp, killing at least 30 soldiers, wounding others, and damaging a military vehicle. [ICDNMay6]
Daesh published on Sunday photos of destroying a Syrian Army tank near Al-Hajar Al-Aswad. [ICDNMay6]
Daesh said on Monday that government forces, with support from opposition groups, launched an attack from the Yelda area on Hay Al-Tadhamun and the Yarmouk Camp. Daesh said it stopped the attack, killing at least 32 soldiers, destroying a BMP armored vehicle, and damaging a tank. It also said it stopped several government forces attempts to advance in the Al-Hajar Al-Aswad area, killing or wounding soldiers. [ICDNMay7]
Daesh sources said on Monday that Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Horani, a senior Lebanese Hezbollah commander, was killed in the battles south of Damascus. [ICDNMay7]
Daesh said on Monday it killed a Syrian soldier south of Damascus. [ICDNMay7]
Daesh published on Sunday photos of executing two Syrian soldiers it captured in the Yarmouk Camp. [ICDNMay6]
Daraa
Monday, Qasioun reported that a number of northern Daraa’s anti-government militias have announced their integration into a unified military alliance, code-named “the Burkan Al-Hara Alliance”, under the command of the Fajr Al-Din Brigade’s leader. The militias are: Fursan Al-Haq Al-Mujahidin Brigade, Um Al-Yatama Division, Al-Mujahidin, Shumukh Huran Brigade, the Deterrence Division, Fajr Al-Din Brigade, Abu Qasim Division and Ansar Al-Haq Division. [Qasioun]
Daesh said it killed six opposition fighters with a rocket in Sheikh Saad town, west of Daraa, on Sunday. [ICDNMay7]
OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS
Neighboring countries
Iran
Monday, Zaman Al-Wasl quoted an Iranian media outlet as saying that 16 Iranian Daesh women were jailed after returning to the country. The Iranian judiciary news website, Mizan Online, cited Tehran’s General Prosecutor, Abbas Jaafari Dolatabadi, as saying that those women had previous records of terrorist activities. [ZamanAlwasl]
Yemen
Daesh said on Monday it stopped a Houthi attack on the Yakla area, in Qifa, and forced the Houthis to retreat. [ICDNMay7]
North Africa
Egypt
In a statement released on Monday, Egypt’s General Prosecutor, Nabil Sadiq, referred 555 suspects to a military court on charges of joining the Daesh affiliate, Wilayat Sinai and creating 43 “terrorist cells” that carried out 63 attacks that killed police and military personnel in North Sinai. The charges against them, he said, include killing and plotting to kill security personnel, attacking military checkpoints in Northern Sinai and sabotaging a gas pipeline between Egypt and Jordan. Only 216 out of the 555 suspects are in custody, the statement said. [Anadolu]
Daesh said on Monday it killed an Egyptian soldier in an unspecified location in North Sinai. Daesh said the soldier was participating in a raid in the area. [ICDNMay7]
Libya/Tunisia
Sirte security forces and mine clearance force citizens receive complaints of the ongoing presence of shells and mines in the city. A spokesperson said that that mine clearance force removed many unexploded remnants of war in one of the farms of the region Al-Tawila in the city of Sirte. They are handling the remainder of areas that need to be cleared of war debris. [Libya24]
REPORTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
U.S./EUROPE
Russia
A Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) spokesman said: “An unknown man carried out an armed attack on law enforcement officers, and then disappeared into the entrance of an apartment building on Academician Pavlov Street.” Three policemen were wounded in the attack. The man had earlier been stopped for a document check but opened fire on police, according to reports. He then fled into an apartment he had been renting in the city, before he was shot and killed by the FSB. The FSB released a video showing its officers shoot the suspected terrorist dead. Following the shootout an AK-47 assault rifle was captured at the scene. [DailyStar]
Daesh said on Sunday that one of its “soldiers” shot and wounded three policemen in Nizhny Novgorod. [ICDNMay6]
AFRICA
Somalia
Daesh issued a video of shooting and killing a policeman in a supermarket in Mogadishu. Daesh had said that the attack happened on Tuesday. [ICDNMay7]
ASIA
Afghanistan
Daesh said on Saturday it destroyed 2 fuel tanker trucks that were heading to the American base in the Jalalabad Airport, with 2 sticky IEDs. [ICDNMay5]
Daesh said on Saturday it killed four Afghan soldiers and wounded another with an IED in the Watapur area, in Kunar. [ICDNMay5]
Daesh said on Saturday its snipers killed an Afghan Border Police officer and wounded another in the Haska Meyna area, in Nangarhar. [ICDNMay5]
Daesh said on Sunday it killed a Taliban member in his house in Chaparhar. [ICDNMay6]
On Sunday, Daesh also published photos of beheading three people in Kunar. [ICDNMay6]
DaeshDaily comment. Daesh called the victims “murtad-s.” Daesh uses this term to describe anyone who opposes it in any way.
Indonesia
Indonesian police announced on Monday that they had arrested 3 suspected terrorists who were planning to attack police and security forces. Police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said in a statement on the network America B/ABC that the arrestees had been planning to attack police stations in Bogor, West Java, including plans for a suicide bombing and assaults on police checkpoints. He added that the 3 had been arrested in Bogor by an anti-terrorism team, and explosive materials were seized at the time of the arrests. [Ghad]
DAESH MEDIA
Daesh’s A3maq published an infographic about Daesh attacks in Afghanistan during the last 12 months. It says that Daesh conducted more than 175 attacks, killing 1,291 people (634 government forces members, 411 Shia people, 207 Taliban members, 31 Americans, and 8 Turks. [ICDNMay6]
Daesh published a photo of one of its Iraqi terrorists, claiming he was killed in Anbar. [ICDNMay7]
