January 8, 2018
Coalition Bombing South of Mosul
TODAY’S MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
Iraq
EU leader outlines reconstruction strategy for Iraq. [..]
Turkmen vs. Kurd argument rages on in Tuz Khurmatu. [..]
Command of Salahuddin-Diyala border operation declares success. [..]
Bodies of 20 women found in west Mosul mass grave. Another mass grave found in Tal Afar. [..]
Six Daesh terrorists arrested for deadly September attack in Dhi Qar. [..]
Syria
Several Daesh commanders reported enjoying life in Turkey. [..]
Clashes between Syrian Army & Tahrir Al-Sham continue in southern Idlib. [..]
Civilian death toll rising from Syrian Army-Tahrir Al-Sham fighting near Damascus. [..]
Afghanistan
Military operation kills 72 Daesh, Taliban fighters in eastern Afghanistan. [..]
REPORTS FROM IRAQ
NATIONAL NEWS
Reconstruction
Monday, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, put forward a Joint Communication proposing an EU strategy for Iraq. The proposal outlines both ongoing and longer term EU support to the country, fully taking into account the Iraqi government’s priorities. Federica said: “Iraq is at a crossroads in its history following the territorial defeat of Daesh at great sacrifice. It is now crucial to act quickly and rebuild the country with the participation of all the components of Iraqi society, to promote and protect fundamental rights and the rule of law in each and every area. . . .This needs international support and we are ready to contribute, to keep supporting the Iraqi people and government in these challenges.” The strategy focuses on delivering continued EU humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people and facilitating the stabilization of areas liberated from Daesh, with three million displaced Iraqis still unable to return home. It also seeks to address the longer term reform, reconstruction and reconciliation efforts that Iraq needs to pursue in order to consolidate peace and build a united, democratic country in which all citizens can fully enjoy their rights in greater prosperity. [Anadolu]
Iraq-KRG Issues
Monday, ROJ News reported that the Iraqi parliament voted to ban the Kurdish engineering company Kar Group from operating oilfields in Kirkuk, after lawmakers in the Iraqi Parliament claimed the Kurdish firm “refused to cooperate” with Iraq’s state-run North Oil Company (NOC) regarding the handing over of the Khurmala oilfield. The parliament authorized NOC to take over production and export operations at the field. In addition, parliament requested the Iraqi central bank to track down cash deposited at banks outside Iraq that were generated from Kurdish oil exports. It asked the central bank to draft a detailed report on the names of banks used to deposit the cash. [ROJ] [Kurdistan24]
BAGHDAD
Security-related incidents reported
The Iraqi Police Command said on Monday that its forces seized explosives and arrested several people on different charges in Baghdad. [Rudaw]
Southeast (Mada’in, etc.)
A Police source says an IED exploded near a street market wounding three civilians in Nahrawan in southeast Baghdad. [Sumaria]
West (Ghazaliya, Abu Ghraib, etc.)
Monday, the BOC announced that its security units seized 40 IEDs left behind by Daesh in the Shurtan area in west Baghdad. [Baghdadia]
Total Baghdad incidents reported: 3 (Includes only incidents reported)
Total IED incidents reported: 2
ANBAR
Ramadi
Tribal PMF commander, Ismail Al-Dhiabi announced that dozens of Daesh families have returned to liberated Ramadi areas, especially Albu Mahal and Sufiya, and that there are political and governmental entities providing protection to those families, despite legal complaints and tribal opposition to the return of “the terrorist cells.” Al-Dhiabi says the majority of these families are blacklisted for security reasons. [BasNews]
Daesh says it damaged a PMF Humvee with an IED, wounding an officer in the Albu Dhiab area on Sunday. [A3maq]
Hit/Haditha
Monday, the CTS announced that its units located a Daesh ammunition depot in Hit. The depot contained 59 explosive wire rollers, 52 SPG9 rockets, 3 Kalashnikov depots, 24 mortar shells, 11 IEDs, 18 boxes of ammunition, 9 guided missiles, and 9 KG of TNT, among other explosives. [Ghad]
SALAHUDDIN
Shirqat
Daesh said it killed two PMF fighters in clashes near Al-Hanka village, south of Shirqat, on Thursday. [A3maq]
Baiji
Saturday, the PMF say they killed 7 Daesh terrorists in Makhoul District. [Forat]
A DaeshDaily source says 80 displaced families returned to their houses in Baiji, after an agreement with the PMF units in the area.
Tikrit
Monday, PMF commander Jabbar Al-Maamouri revealed that Daesh executed some of its own members in Mtaibija because they refused to carry out suicide attacks. Al-Maamouri added that Daesh is struggling to find militants for suicide attacks, either local or foreign. [Sumaria]
Eastern Salahuddin (Al-Daur, Tooz)
Sunday, PMF commander Ali Al-Husseini announced that Tuz Khurmatu was attacked by mortar shells launched from the mountainous areas “which are controlled by a group of separatists.” Al-Husseini added at the time of the report that 10 rockets had fallen since Sunday morning. [Ghad]
A spokesman for the PMF and Deputy Chairman of the Tuz Khurmatu Council Ali Hashem Al-Husseini says separatist gangs associated with what he called the “Barzani militia” shelled neighborhoods in Tuz Khurmatu with mortars, causing panic among residents of the neighborhoods, although not causing injuries or casualties so far. The PMFs have responded to the “separatists” with artillery and are continuing to track the sources of the shelling, according to Al-Husseini. [PressIraq]
Monday, Turkmen representative Memar Uglu said in a press conference that the shelling against civilians is an act of retaliation by Daesh–affiliated (Kurdish) parties for the October 16 events to impose the rule of law because of the Kurdish parties’ failure to administer disputed areas. [Ghad]
Monday, Kirkuk representative Shakhwan Abdullah said in a press conference that the violations in Tuz Khurmatu have included setting buildings on fire, looting of houses, and “even rape,” which were all reported to concerned parties. He added that the Turkmen PMF has voted to form an investigation committee to stop violations. [Sumaria]
Monday, Turkmen representative in the CoR, Mohammed Jafar, announced the deaths of 2 civilians and the wounding of dozens of others in mortar shelling on residential areas in Tuz Khurmatu, and accused “Kurdish gangs” of carrying out the operations. Jafar called on Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi to send security forces to those areas immediately.
In a press conference on Monday, KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said the CoR’s decision concerning the formation of an investigation committee to look into the Tuz Khurmatu events and holding the perpetrators accountable is “an important step.” Barzani warned of “Arabization attempts” in Kirkuk and added that he “hopes Baghdad will put an end to the Arabization and the problems in Kirkuk.” [Rudaw]
Daesh said on Sunday it killed an Iraqi Army officer, wounded other soldiers, and destroyed a vehicle with an IED in Al-Qurshiya village, east of Suleiman Bek. [A3maq]
DIYALA
A DaeshDaily source says 11 fighters from Al-Nujaba’ Movement were killed in a Daesh ambush in the Himrin Mountains area on Saturday.
A security source in Diyala said 4 Daesh bodies were found on the border with Salahuddin. [Sumaria]
Monday, the Diyala Police Command announced the arrest of 12 wanted suspects during security operations in various parts of Diyala, 2 of them arrested on charges of terrorism. [Baghdadia]
Northern Diyala (Kifri, Khanaqin, Khalis north)
Monday, ROJ reported that PMF units attacked the Zinana vicinity in Kifri with mortar shells and helicopter airstrikes. The PMF says it was responding to mortar shelling on Tuz Khurmatu from Kurdish areas that led to the deaths of 6 civilians. [ROJ]
DaeshDaily comment. This is related directly to the stories about Tuz Khurmatu above, under Eastern Salahuddin. Tuz Khurmatu is an especially contentious disputed area because of the hostility of the Turkmen to Kurdish efforts to control it and eventually move it into Kirkuk and thereby into Kurdistan. The movement of Iraqi Army and PMF troops into Tuz Khurmatu has thus frustrated the Kurds but emboldened the Turkmen.
Commander of Tigris Operations Lt. Gen. Mizher Al-Azzawi announced the end of military operations on the border between Diyala and Salahuddin in the Al-Maita Basin. [Sumaria]
According to a PMF statement, a comprehensive operation was launched on Monday morning to track and hunt down Daesh cells from four sides in Al-Maita, Albu Awad, and Albu Bakr in northern Al-Udhaim in Diyala, as part of the operations to track Daesh that have been taking place over the past 5 days by the 23rd and 24th brigades of the PMF with participation from the Iraqi Army. [Knooz]
Monday, a security source reported that 8 Daesh guesthouses were destroyed in Hawi Al-Udhaim. The source added that security units located a rigged vehicle in the Al-Maita basin, which was detonated under control. [Baghdadia]
Monday, an unnamed security source in Diyala reported that a joint security unit discovered 4 bodies of Daesh militants in the western side of Hawi Al-Udhaim on the border between Diyala and Salahuddin. The source added that the Daesh members had been killed in IAA airstrikes in the past days. [Sumaria]
Monday, a security source in Diyala reported that a joint security unit captured and destroyed a rigged car in the Al-Maita basin on the border with Salahuddin. The source added that security units defused 8 IEDs planted in agricultural areas in Al-Maita. [Sumaria]
Daesh publishes photos of targeting the Udhaim police station with mortars. [ICDNJan8]
Eyewitnesses say Daesh attacked the Iraqi Police south of Qara Tapa on Saturday and violent clashes broke out. [SotIraq]
Southern Diyala (Balad Ruz, Mandali)
Saturday, the Diyala governor said that the house of the tribal leader of the Al-Nida area was attacked by a parked vehicle bomb and by a suicide terrorist. He said a woman and a man were killed in the attack. [Sumaria]
Daesh said one of its foreign suicide terrorists attacked a tribal gathering in the Al-Nida area with an explosives vest on Saturday. It also says it detonated a parked car bomb on the same gathering. The targeted house belongs to the tribal leader of the area. [A3maq] [ICDNJan7]
KIRKUK
Kirkuk/Dibis
Monday, a security source says unidentified gunmen in four-wheel drive vehicles opened fire on the Arab Tribes headquarters in Kirkuk. Several people were injured in the attack. [Baghdadia]
The PMF announced on Saturday that security forces had finished clearing 70% of the Zegheitoun Valley west of Kirkuk city. [PressIraq]
Hawija (Riyadh, Al-Zab, etc.)
Monday, a PMF source reported that the PMF arrested Khaled Khamis, also known as “Wali Daesh” in Hawija, in addition of a number of khatibs (persons who deliver sermons) in clearing operations along the borders of Hawija, Rashad, and Zarqa. The source added that security units and the PMF completely cleared the areas adjacent to Hawija, Rashad, and the Himrin Mountains, adding that 5 rigged vehicles were destroyed during the search and clearing operations. [Etejah]
[PressIraq]
Saturday, Commander of the 11th brigade Ali Al-Hamdani announced that 25 villages in the vicinity of Hawija city were cleared and a number of suspects were arrested. [IraqPress]
NINEWA
Mosul
East Mosul
Daesh said on Saturday it shot and killed the mukhtar of Hay Al-Intisar. It also said it killed two Military Intelligence personnel in Hay Sumer. [A3maq]
West Mosul
Monday, police officer Omar Al-Hajjar announced the discovery of a mass grave containing the bodies of 20 women with signs of torture in west Mosul. Al-Hajjar said that the women were killed by Daesh units as they tried to escape to east Mosul during the liberation campaign. [Baghdadia] [Buratha]
A DaeshDaily source said on Saturday that IFP units arrested 4 Kata’eb Hezbollah members who refused to close down their office in Hay Al-Shuhada. The Ninewa Operations Command had issued orders recently to close down all militia offices in Mosul. The source says the 4 members were released after they signed a written pledge not to reopen the office.
Ninewa PC Deputy Chairman, Noureddin Qablan, told Al-Sabah newspaper that 400 Mosul families returned from the southern Mosul camps to their homes in Old Mosul on Sunday evening. Qablan added that the security units which supervised the transportation buses also provided smaller vehicles and other necessities for transporting the returned families to their own homes. Qablan also said that this was the first batch of returning families in 2018, and there will be more in the next few days. [Xendan]
Daesh said it killed an Iraqi government “spy” in Hay Al-Arabi, on Saturday. [A3maq]
Southern Ninewa
Hammam Al-Alil
A DaeshDaily source says Coalition planes killed several Daesh terrorists near Shakir village. The source sent photos of the dead terrorists.
Western Ninewa
Tal Afar
A DaeshDaily source says security units found a mass grave with many Daesh victims, including former policemen, south of Tal Afar. The source sent photos of the mass grave.
SOUTHERN IRAQ
Dhi Qar
Dhi Qar Governor Yahya Al-Nasiri announced the arrest of 6 terrorists from “Wilaya Al-Janoub” (the southern state) of Daesh, who were involved in bombing a restaurant and the Fadak checkpoint in Nasiriya in mid-September 2017. The head of the Dhi Qar PC called for execution of the Daesh members involved in the attack. Al-Nasiri added that the Daesh members admitted to carrying out attacks in Baghdad, Basra, Muthanna, Al-Diwaniya, and Najaf, as well as the attack in Dhi Qar, which killed and wounded 177 people. Al-Nasiri also said the arrests took place over several phases during operations targeting guesthouses of “Wilaya Al-Janoub” in the Anbar desert. [Mada]
KURDISTAN NEWS
ERBIL
Monday, the KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said that committees have been formed to settle the issue related to paying salaries of the employees at the Kurdish ministries of health and education. He added that the resources of the region are not sufficient to pay the salaries of the KRG employees. The Kurdish leader expressed the KRG readiness to coordinate with Baghdad to settle this issue. Meanwhile, Barzani characterized the Iraqi Parliament’s decision to ban Kurdish engineering company Kar Group from operating oilfields in Kirkuk as a wrong decision. [ROJ]
Eyewitnesses say Turkish warplanes bombed border areas in Erbil in the area of Khawakarak, targeting PKK militants. [Sumaria]
DAHUK
Monday, ROJ News reported that the Turkish forces carried out airstrikes on PKK targets in Barbula village in Zakho District, in northwest Dahuk province. [ROJ]
REPORTS FROM TURKEY
A DaeshDaily source says that Harbi Yaseen Amash, a Daesh commander from the Shirqat area, was seen in Istanbul. The source sent photos of the terrorist taken in a public place in Istanbul. The source also says that several Daesh commanders, who fled the south Damascus area, have arrived in Turkey. The source says the terrorists paid bribes to government soldiers in order to flee.
Monday, Turkish security forces arrested the Daesh commander of “Wilaya Qaysari” (Wasat) who held an imam position with Daesh, according to Anadolu. [Baghdadia]
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag announced on Monday that the state of emergency in Turkey will be extended another 3 months. [Sumaria]
In a statement released on Monday, Turkey’s Ministry of Interior announced that Turkish troops “neutralized” 17 PKK terrorists in 729 counterterrorism operations between Jan. 1 and 7. During the operations, 112 suspects were arrested on charges of aiding and abetting the terrorist PKK group, while 46 were taken into custody for alleged links to Daesh, according to the statement. [Anadolu]
REPORTS FROM SYRIA
NATIONAL NEWS
The Syrian government is seeking to form a delegation of people from Al-Jazeera Province in northeastern Syria to go to the peace conference in Sochi. The Syrian government is planning to make a delegation with Kurdish, Arab, and Christian members, along with members from other components of Syria’s society. Meanwhile, The Kurdish government institutions in Qamishli city in northeastern Syria have nominated 120 people to participate in the Sochi conference. [Rudaw]
DaeshDaily comment. The obvious strategy here is to undermine the PYD’s claim to represent the population of northern Syria by assembling a group of people who don’t support them. Indeed, the PYD has always had opponents, and it has acted high-handedly at times.
Monday, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that Russian air defense forces defeated an attack by 13 drones on its Khmeimim air base and Tartus naval bases in Syria. The ministry said in a statement that 10 drones attempted to attack Khmeimim Air Base, while three attempted to attack Tartus. The ministry also confirmed that the attack had resulted in no casualties among Russian military personnel, and the two bases “continue to operate as normal.” [Dorar]
Sunday, the PMF announced the deaths of 8 Daesh members in a rocket shelling that targeted a Daesh gathering in Syria. The PMF statement said that the 28th brigade detected movements of Daesh members in east Dahhaj village who were planning to carry out terrorist attacks on the Iraqi-Syrian border. [Mawazin]
Bas News reported that the YPG in Syria published a video of the confessions of the French Daesh member called “Emily Koenig” who had played a significant role in online recruitment and spreading Daesh propaganda since joining their ranks in Syria in 2012. Koenig was listed on a UN watch list and on the US State Department terrorist list. [BasNews]
Al-Qaeda officially announced the existence of one of its branches in Syria, although it did not announce the name of its new formation in Syria or any other details about it. [Arabi21]
Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa) (No reports)
Northwest
Idlib/Aleppo
Turkish Anadolu News quoted a military source as saying that Afghan elements believed to be from the militia of the Iran-controlled Afghan Fatimoun brigade took control of Sinjar town under intensive Russian aircover, putting pro-government militias only 18 km (11 miles) from Abu Al-Dhuhur airport in eastern Idlib. [Qasioun]
A Syrian government official commented on Monday about the losses of the Fatimoun militia that were recently revealed by Iranian media, saying that “what is being published about the existence of a brigade called Fatimoun that is made up of Afghani elements is untrue and it is shameful to give the impression that there are thousands of them. The official added “How many elements are there in this brigade, which kills 2,000 people and has wounded 8,000 and is still on the battlefield?” The official claims that the numbers of Fatimoun volunteers who have come to Syria to fight with the government are in the dozens, not the hundreds, and these reports are inflating intelligence information. [Dorar]
Tahrir Al-Sham killed more than 20 pro-government fighters in the Al-Zahra’ neighborhood north of Aleppo city. [Dorar]
Tahrir Al-Sham announced on Monday that it carried out a surprise attack on the Syrian forces in rural southern Idlib by disguising themselves as Syrian Army members and attacking from within the Syrian forces’ positions. [Dorar]
Monday, Qasioun reported that more than 59 civilians were killed, including 35 in a car bomb explosion in Idlib and 24 others in Russian and Syrian airstrikes on Kafr Nabl, Al-Sheikh Ahmed, Al-Ghadfa, Kansafra, Al-Fa’alul and Abu Al-Dhuhur. [Qasioun]
Monday, Dorar reported that a Turkish military vehicle exploded near Darat Azza, northwest of Aleppo city near southern Idlib. Meanwhile, a Turkish military convey was targeted with a rocket in Zarzita village, northwest of Darat Azza, with no reports of causalities. [Dorar]
Monday, Dorar reported that the Turkestan Islamic Group militia sent military reinforcements, including dozens of military vehicles, tanks and heavy machineguns, to several front line locations in rural southern and eastern Idlib in order to repel the Syrian forces’ advance in the region. [Dorar]
Central and West (Homs, Hama, etc.)
Hama
Sunday, the Syrian opposition militia Jaish Al-Ezza announced it shot down a Russian reconnaissance drone in Lataminah, north of Hama city. [Qasioun]
East (Deir Ez-Zor)
Mayadin
A DaeshDaily source says a Syrian soldier was killed and another wounded when an IED exploded on their vehicle in Mayadin city.
Albu Kamal
Daesh said on Sunday its snipers killed four SDF fighters in Al-Bahra village, northwest of Hajin. It also said it destroyed an SDF SUV with a rocket near the same village. [A3maq] [A3maq]
Daesh published photos of targeting SDF units in the village with mortars. [ICDNJan7]
Daesh said on Saturday it killed five SDF fighters in clashes near the village. [A3maq]
Daesh publishes photos of battles near the village. [ICDNJan8]
Daesh publishes photos of targeting SDF positions northeast of Hajin with mortars. [ICDNJan8]
A DaeshDaily source says 3 Hezbollah fighters were killed and others wounded when an IED exploded on their vehicle in Albu Kamal.
Daesh said on Saturday that a group of its terrorists attacked SDF positions near Al-Kashkiya village, killing seven fighters, before returning safely. [ICDNJan6]
Daesh said on Sunday it destroyed a Syrian Army tank with a rocket in Al-Abbas village, northeast of Albu Kamal. [A3maq]
Daesh publishes photos of targeting an SDF vehicle with a rocket east of Al-Sha’afa village near Albu Kamal city. [ICDNJan8]
Daesh publishes photos of targeting SDF positions near Gharanij with mortars. [ICDNJan8]
Daesh publishes photos of its “air defense units” shooting at Coalition planes near Gharanij. [ICDNJan6]
South
Damascus/Rif Damashq
Monday, SOHR reported that more than 280 people have been killed since Tahrir Al-Sham and the Ahrar Al-Sham militia launched their attack on the Syrian forces in Harasta on the 29th of December, 2017. [SyriaHR]
Sunday, SOHR reported that the Syrian forces managed to open a corridor for their members inside the Vehicle Department near Harasta, who have been besieged by Tahrir Al-Sham, Ahrar Al-Sham and Al-Rahman Corps. [SyriaHR]
Monday, Enab Baladi reported that at least 21 civilians were killed by Syrian forces’ aerial and artillery bombardment of the Eastern Ghouta cities and towns of Douma, Utaya, Hamouriya, Saqba, and Madeira. [EnabBaladi] [Anadolu]
Monday, a source in the Damascus Police said that armed groups in Eastern Ghouta launched two rockets on the Toma Neighborhood in Damascus. A woman was injured in the attack. [SyriaNow]
Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists south of Damascus. [ICDNJan6]
Daesh publishes photos of rain in the Yarmouk Basin area. [ICDNJan7]
OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS
Neighboring countries
Jordan/Lebanon
Monday, Jordan’s state news agency (Petra) says the country’s intelligence service has foiled a massive terrorist scheme, planned by a Daesh-backed cell. The agency said that the cell planned to carry out attacks last November. It said that security forces arrested 17 people and seized weapons and other materials. [Anadolu]
Saudi Arabia/Yemen
Daesh said on Sunday it killed 3 Houthi fighters in Yemen with an IED in Qifa. [A3maq]
Israel
Monday, Israeli internal security announced that with help from the Israeli police, two Arab-Israeli women in the Negev desert were arrested on charges of communicating with Daesh members abroad and planning to carry out attacks on Israelis. [Elaph]
North Africa
Egypt
According to an Egyptian security source, Anadolu reported on Monday that three militiamen were killed, and two Egyptian army recruits were wounded during security raids in central Sinai. Meanwhile, 8 terrorists were reportedly killed in a security crackdown in the North Sinai city of Arish, according to a local security source. [Anadolu]
Daesh sources said on Sunday that an Egyptian police captain died of wounds he sustained in a Daesh attack in Arish few days earlier. [ICDNJan7]
A DaeshDaily source says that Zakariya Satam Al-Jubouri, aka Abu Ishaq Al-Iraqi, is now a senior Daesh leader in North Sinai. The source says Jubouri, who used to be the wali of Al-Zab, appeared in the latest Daesh publication from North Sinai.
Tunisia
Sunday, the Tunisian Preventive Security Department of the National Guard in Kasserine, Tunisia, in coordination with the National Unit for the Investigation of Terrorist Crimes, arrested 30 members of a takfiri group residing in Kasserine. [Tunisien]
REPORTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
EUROPE
Germany
According to Reuters, German officials estimate that 1,000 German nationals have joined Daesh in Iraq and Syria. Interior Ministry State Secretary Emily Haber said that “a low three-digit number of minors is expected” to return to Germany. Reuters pointed out that German officials have “concerns about the radicalization of minors.” [Sumaria] [Reuters]
Germany’s Green Party reports that Germany expects more than 100 minors whose parents joined Daesh to return from Iraq and Syria. [Sumaria]
France
Monday, after the French government said that it did not intend to repatriate French nationals suspected to have fought for Daesh and suggested that they should stand trial locally, the International Federation for Human Rights and the French Human Rights League expressed concern that foreign nationals may not receive fair trials in accordance with international human rights from Kurdish authorities in northern Syria. [Shafaaq]
France’s Minister of Interior Gerard Collomb announced on Monday that 20 terrorist attacks were thwarted in France in 2017. [Anadolu]
ASIA
Afghanistan
The Afghan Ministry of Defense reported that 72 Taliban and Daesh assailants were killed and an approximately equal number wounded in military operations in 13 areas. [Sumaria]
The 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan Army reported on Monday that 12 Daesh–affiliated militants were killed and 30 others wounded in artillery shelling and airstrikes in eastern Kunar province. The source added that Daesh militants had carried out a coordinated attack on the local Afghan police in Soki, to which the Afghan Army responded. [Ghad]
Daesh said on Sunday it attacked pro-government militiamen in Kunar killing 15 fighters, wounding 27, destroying 6 Humvees and 4 military positions, and capturing several areas. [ICDNJan7]
Daesh published photos of the “graduation” of a group of its terrorists in a camp in Kunar. [ICDN]
Pakistan
Monday, Pakistani police arrested a Daesh member in Punjab as he attempted to carry out a terrorist operation against a “sensitive target,” according to a police official who added that security forces seized an IED and other explosives that were in the man’s possession. [SPA]
DAESH MEDIA
Daesh published a propaganda video about its battles in the Deir Ez-Zor area. [ICDNJan6]
