An Update On ISIS Activities

February 11, 2016

IAF

Today’s Major Developments

 

Abadi opposes Barzani’s proposed independence referendum.

Defense Secretary Carter says US wants to accelerate campaign to take Mosul and Raqqa.

Russia pledges support to Iraq; slams Turkey’s troop deployment in Bashiqa.

Army and tribal forces prepare to attack Daesh west and south of Falluja.

Albu Nimr, Albu Mahal tribes attack Daesh near Hit.

Iraq Federal Police fend off Daesh attack west of Samarra

Iraq’s planning for Mosul campaign seems to leave out the PMFs.

 

REPORTS FROM IRAQ

 

BAGHDAD

Political developments

PM Abadi, in a joint press conference with Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, says that it’s not in the best interest of Kurdistan to separate from Iraq and that the region will develop more within Iraq. He says there is no need for a Kurdistan independence referendum and he hopes it stays within Iraq. He says a referendum leading to no result will undermine the value of public opinion. He also says he is surprised that the KRG is exporting 612,000 oil barrels a day (15% of Iraq’s production) yet cannot pay its employees’ salaries, suggesting the need for more transparency in the KRG. [Mada] [Rudaw] Abadi also thanked Germany for giving Iraq a 500 million Euro loan. [Rudaw]

Abadi also says he is waiting for an answer from the political blocs about his call for changes in the cabinet. [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. Speaker Jubouri had said he didn’t receive an official request from Abadi about the cabinet change.

 

Ashton Carter, US Secretary of Defense, says “the U.S. is determined to accelerate the war campaign and recapture as soon as possible the Islamic State group’s main strongholds—Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq.” He says Gulf countries are ready to provide more support to the anti-Daesh Coalition. He added that an agreement has been made to “send NATO forces to Iraq to assist in the war on Daesh.” [AP] [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. The Secretary’s reassurance is helpful, after yesterday’s problematical statement by the Director of the DIA, about which we commented at length.

Poland told NATO of its readiness to participate in the war effort on Daesh, mainly through reconnaissance and training. [Buratha]

 

In his press conference with Matteo Renzi, Italy’s Prime Minister, Haider Al-Abadi said that Mosul will be liberated in collaboration with Peshmerga and tribal forces. [BasNews]

 

Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, said that Russia assisted Iraqi armed forces to achieve combat readiness, adding that Russia is ready to expand cooperation. As for intelligence cooperation with Iraq, Rogozin described it as “confidential”. [Sumaria]

Rogozin also said, in a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Minister Al-Jaafari, that his country supports Iraq’s position regarding the Turkish troops and considers their presence a violation of Iraq sovereignty. He also says that Moscow will support Iraq in its counter-terrorism efforts in coordination with the Iraqi government, unlike Turkey. He says the joint Iraqi-Russian government committee met to discuss furthering the relationships between the two countries and suggested that the next meeting will be held in Mosul after the liberation. [Mada] [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. This shows serious fallout from Erdogan’s refusal to remove Turkish troops from Bashiqa even when confronted by the Iraqi government and international opposition. The Russians, now more hostile than usual to Turkey after their military plane was shot down along the Syrian border, are exploiting the diplomatic opening. As most of the Iraqi government favors the Assad government in the Syria crisis, while Turkey opposes it, Russia’s has an inside position with both governments while Erdogan is now on the outside with both governments. (Notice also the story below under “Syria” in which the Kurdish YPG militia opposed by Turkey seems to have received bombing support from the Russians near the northwest Syria border.) It seems that recent developments have produced something of a realignment.

 

The tribal sheikhs of the Baghdad “belt” (mainly from the western side of Baghdad) will hold a meeting in Um Al-Tubool mosque Thursday to discuss the consequences of the proposed Baghdad wall on smooth movement in and out of Baghdad. Most of them are rejecting the project, the meeting organizing committee said. [IraqPress]

The Sunni Mufti in Baghdad says the Baghdad wall will destroy Iraqi unity and that hundreds of people might be killed because of it. [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. The Baghdad wall project has quickly become a sectarian issue. One major reason is that the wall will separate Shia-majority Baghdad city from the predominantly Sunni areas on the north, south, and west sides of the city, which arguably marginalizes them. That’s a fair issue. However, most (but not all) of the IEDs are coming into the city from the outside, are being carried by people claiming to be Sunnis, and are killing people in Shia areas. That’s a life and death issue. It would be hard to reach a fair conclusion without considering both sides of the issue.

 

PM Abadi orders formation of a committee, headed by the chairman of the Sunni Endowment, Abdullatif Al-Humaim, to oversee the return of the displaced families to Ramadi. [Mada]

Ambassador Stuart Jones met with Dr. Al-Humaim on February 10 and thanked him for his leadership in helping alleviate the suffering of IDPs in Anbar and other parts of Iraq, especially those men, women and children displaced during the liberation of Ramadi. [US Embassy FB Page]

DaeshDaily comment. Aside from demonstrating humanitarian concern, this is also a deft political move that plays to Anbar sensitivities and eliminates any accusations of government sectarianism. Complaints about the process will fall on the committee, dominated by Sunnis, and limit the political pressure on the Prime Minister. Displaced persons are now a huge problem in Iraq, with tens of thousands of people affected, and stability depends on making their home cities livable and returning them to their houses.

 

A PMF official says the PMFs, in accordance with orders from PM Abadi, have started a campaign to return the houses of Iraqis, including Christians, to their owners after they were taken over by other residents in the owners’ absence. He says, contrary to what is reported in the media, the number of such houses is very low. The Babelyoun (Christian Iraqi PMF unit) commander says two houses were returned so far and they are working on 6 others. He also says that they will start the same procedure in Basra. The commander stressed that it was not PMF units that took these houses. [Mada]

 

The Muthanna Governor says Iraq detected “unusual” Saudi military activity for more than a month now near the Iraqi border. He says a special military unit will be established “to study the intentions” of the Saudi troops. [Mada]

 

A PMF source denied that Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the PMF was removed from office by Prime Minister Al-Abadi. [AIN]

DaeshDaily comment. Several rumors have appeared about firing Al-Muhandis, which may suggest that people behind the rumors don’t like him, but which turned out not to be true.

 

Terrorism victim compensation was distributed to 112 families in Balad, Bani Saad, and Hatimiya at the rate of 9 million dinars per martyr for each family. The next payments will be done in Amerli and Tuz Khurmatu, the Compensation Committee said today. [Mada]

 

Security developments

A unit of the 7th brigade of the IFP arrested the person responsible for transporting suicide bombers for the so-called Al-Farouq regiment of South Baghdad.  The arrest of the so-called Abu Khammas was made in Yusufiyah, where a cache of weapons and explosives was also found, a security source in Baghdad said. [Mada]

 

A member of the media committee in the CoR said that controlling Daesh websites and internet channels is beyond Iraq’s control. He said this would cost millions of dollars and require the cooperation of involved companies. He said that the internet is not owned by anybody, and that even the US and Europe have failed to stop Daesh internet activities. [Etejah]

 

Steve Warren, the Coalition spokesman, confirmed today that the 101st Airborne Division will not have any combat mission, and that it is taking over from the 82nd Airborne in missions of training and support. [Shafaq]

 

72nd brigade of the 15th army held a training on street battles and breaking into buildings. Brigade companies executed the training under the supervision of top army and joint operations commanders in Basmaya, south of Baghdad, the Ministry of Defense said. [AIN]

 

A video of Major Alaa Al-Idani, the MoD’s media correspondent, who is recovering from injuries in an IED explosion near Ramadi in December. Idani lost his sight but he hopes to go back to his job as a military correspondent. [Sumaria]

 

A video of IAF airstrikes on Daesh in Salahuddin and Diyala [MoD Website]

 

According to security sources:

Baghdad Center

An IED placed near a popular restaurant in Sheikh Omar, downtown Baghdad, killed one civilian and wounded five. [Baghdadia]

A sticky bomb attached to a car belonging to a medical equipment importer exploded, killing him and his son in Bab Al-Moatham in downtown Baghdad. [Mada]

North Baghdad

The body of a woman stabbed to death was found in Shaab neighborhood, northeast Baghdad. [Mada]

Northeast Baghdad

Unidentified armed men in a car shot dead a civilian passing through Ur neighborhood. [Sumaria]

Southeast Baghdad

An IED exploded in Sahiroun neighborhood in Jisr Diyala area in southeast Baghdad, killing two civilians and wounding seven. [Mada]

South Baghdad

An IED exploded in a commercial area in Mada’in District in southern Baghdad Governorate, killing one civilian and wounding seven. [Mada]

An IED placed in a popular marketplace in Latifiya, in southern Baghdad Governorate, killed two civilians and wounded seven. [Mada]

A roadside IED exploded in Latifiya as an army patrol was passing, wounding five soldiers including an officer (major). [Baghdadia]

A roadside IED exploded in Yusufiyah, in southern Baghdad Governorate, as a PMF car was passing by, and wounded three PMF fighters. [Sumaria]

BOC troops destroyed 2 foreign fighter guesthouses and defused 5 IEDs in Yusufiyah.

[BOC Facebook Page]

West Baghdad

Bodies of two men shot to death were found in Al-Makaseb village in Radwaniya. [Maalomah]

A woman was killed and three men wounded when a mortar shell fell on a house in Hameed Shaaban neighborhood in Abu Ghraib. [Maalomah]

BOC troops found 9 IEDs in Nassr wa Al-Salam area near Abu Ghraib. [BOC Facebook Page]

 

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

 

The IWMC announced the killing of 126 Daesh terrorists and wounding of many more in army and security operations all over Iraq Thursday, including 14 in Anbar by land forces and Coalition warplanes, 10 in west Samarra, 17 in Albu Shijil, 15 in Al-Sahal, 7 by the Air Force in the Samarra area, 7 in Albu Obeid in Ramadi, and 44 by the Coalition in Mosul, Thirthar, Albu Hayat, Sinjar, Baghdadi, Albu Dhiab and Kirkuk. [Baghdadia]

 

The Coalition initiated 13 air strikes. 3 of them in Ramadi and 3 in Mosul, in addition to one strike on Manbij in Syria. [Baghdadia]

 

A statement by the Coalition said that over 420 Daesh targets were destroyed by the Coalition during the first week of February. [Mada]

 

ANBAR

Falluja

Khamis Khalaf Al-Eissawi, the commander of Tribal Mobilization in south Falluja, said that army and tribal forces are about to attack and liberate the areas of Albu Hawa and Albu Eissa west of Falluja, and Albu Alwan, Halabsa, and Falahat south of the city. Army artillery attacked all the target areas while the Iraqi Air Force attacked the Zoba’a, Nuaimiya, and Suhada areas south of Falluja. [Maalomah]

 

Baghdad Operations Command says its troops killed 17 Daesh terrorists and wounded 18 and defused 17 IEDs and 7 booby-trapped houses and destroyed a vehicle carrying a machine gun in Albu Shijil.  [BOC Facebook Page]

The IAA killed 3 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a vehicle in Albu Shijil. [IWMC Report]

An Iraqi CH4 drone destroyed a construction shovel, a truck, and several other Daesh vehicles in Albu Shijil. (video)  [AIN]

A video of Iraqi forces in Albu Shijil [Harbi]

 

The Imam Ali Division, a PMF unit, says its troops cleared 2 areas north of Saqlawiya during the last couple of days and advanced towards Habbaniya base, killing 65 Daesh terrorists and destroying 3 vehicle bombs and a boat so far. [Harbi]

 

Daesh says its snipers killed 16 Iraqi soldiers in several areas near Zoba’a yesterday. [A3maq]

 

Al-Wala police station in Thirthar was captured by the 9th army division and PMFs, killing 4 terrorists and destroying their vehicles, PMF media said. [Buratha]

 

Jumaa Faza’ al-Jumaili, commander of the Popular Mobilization brigade of Falluja denied reports of the withdrawal of his forces from areas east of Falluja. He says the initiative is in the hands of the popular forces, who are ready to attack the city when the Commander in Chief orders. [Maalomah]

 

Shakir Al-Eissawi, the chair of Ameriyat Al-Falluja subdistrict, said that the displaced families moved there from other areas of Anbar are staying in the open as the subdistrict has no capacity to host more people, adding that a camp with a capacity of 10,000 people is needed in the city. [Sumaria]

 

A video of Iraqi soldiers in a close battle with Daesh in Thirthar area [YouTube]

 

Ramadi

A video of Iraqi forces parading east of Ramadi [YouTube]

 

Steve Warren, the Coalition spokesman, says he is happy that the Iraqi Counter Terrorism forces captured Ramadi but there are still thousands, if not tens of thousands, of IEDs in addition to mines and booby-trapped houses that need to be defused. He says after the CT troops liberate and clear an area they hand it to the local police trained by the Italians, or local tribal fighters trained by Iraqi trainers under Coalition supervision. [Xendan]

 

Counter Terrorism Service announced that 9,000 civilians were evacuated from war areas east of Ramadi in the past 4 days, adding that the Counter Terrorism troops will liberate all areas of Anbar one after another, while other troops will liberate Falluja. [Mawazin]

 

A video of Daesh terrorists shooting at families while the families are trying to escape from Juwaiba [Facebook]

A video of Iraqi forces securing families from areas east of Ramadi [YouTube]

 

The CT commander also says the families secured from Ramadi informed security forces about 60 Daesh terrorists who tried to sneak with the civilians to leave Ramadi. [Etejah]

DaeshDaily comment. That’s not such a smart move. Daesh terrorists hurt and subjugated civilians when they were in charge, and now they want the same civilians to cover up for them.

 

Army helicopters attacked Daesh positions in Jazeera Al-Khaldiya, killing 20 terrorists including leaders, and destroying four vehicle bombs, according to the Khaldiya subdistrict council. [Maalomah]

A video of Iraqi forces destroying a charging Daesh vehicle bomb in Jazeera Khaldiya [YouTube]

 

The Khaldiya council announced the defusing of 800 IEDs in Hsaiba and Juwaiba east of Ramadi, in addition to “tens” of booby-trapped houses. It said that Daesh booby-trapped all roads, houses, power poles, trash cans, and every other possible place. [Mada]

 

While clearing the Thirthar basin, PMF units captured a large quantity of rockets, missiles, and explosives in destroyed Daesh positions, a PMF media source said. [Mawazin]

 

Iraqi forces killed 4 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a vehicle near Albu Aitha. [IWMC Report]

 

Iraqi forces killed 2 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a vehicle, a motorcycle and a military position in the Albu Dhiab area. [IWMC Report]

 

Daesh says its terrorists stopped an Iraqi attack in the Jaraishi area. Daesh says an Iraqi helicopter mistakenly bombed Iraqi forces during the attack. [Ana Al-Muslim]

 

Daesh says heavy clashes erupted between its terrorists and Iraqi forces in the Albu Delma area north of Ramadi without giving more details. [A3maq]

 

The IAF destroyed a Daesh hideout in Albu Ubaid in Ramadi District, killing 7 terrorists.

[IWMC Report]

 

A security source said that Ramadi Police shot down a Daesh drone over the governmental complex in the center of the city. [Ghad]

 

The Daesh drone shot down by the 39th brigade of the 10th army division in Jaraishi yesterday is the second Daesh drone downed by the army in 3 days. Another drone was shot down in Al-Wafa subdistrict a few days ago, said Anbar Operations Command, raising questions as to the source of these drones. (photos) [IraqPress]

 

A video of Iraqi forces stopping a Daesh attack and destroying vehicle bombs and capturing 2 terrorists north of Ramadi [YouTube]

 

Counter Terrorism units arrested several Daesh terrorists in liberated areas who were dressed as women (photos) [Maalomah]

 

Hit/Haditha

Albu Nimr and Albu Mahal tribes assaulted a Daesh gathering and killed 22 of them in addition to destroying two vehicle bombs west of Kubaisa. The tribes liberated two families held by Daesh, according to Sheikh Naeem Al-Gaood, the chief of the Albu Nimr tribe. [Sumaria]

 

Jazeera Operations Command troops killed 13 Daesh terrorists in Mahboubiya in Baghdadi subdistrict. Its troops also killed 9 terrorists and destroyed 3 Humvees on the road between Baghdadi and Zuwiya.   [MoD Website]

 

Iraqi forces destroyed 3 Daesh vehicles in Mabghiya area in Hit district killing the terrorists inside them. [MoD Website]

 

Coalition warplanes killed 8 Daesh terrorists and destroyed 4 rocket launchers in Gharraf in Hit District. [MoD Website]

 

Western Anbar

Daesh says its terrorists implemented a suicide attack on Iraqi forces between the Ain Al-Asad base and Kilo 160 area without giving more details. [A3maq]

 

SALAHUDDIN

Shirqat

An Iraqi helicopter strike killed 17 Daesh terrorists and destroyed 3 vehicles in an attack near the city of Shirqat, using local intelligence, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

A PMF source says a tribal force from Shirqat attacked 3 Daesh checkpoints in the city and the clashes are still going on. [Harbi]

 

Baiji

A PMF source said today that army helicopters attacked Daesh moving targets in Fatha northeast of Baiji, destroying two vehicles. [Ghad]

 

Tikrit

PMF command denied the news published earlier on imposing a curfew in Tel Ksaiba and cutting off the Tikrit-Udhaim road. It said that such measures are unnecessary as the situation is under control. [Mada]

 

Major General Maan Al-Saadi commander of the 2nd special forces unit said that Daesh keeps attacking Allas oil fields, Tel Ksaiba, and Makhoul, but are always repelled by his forces with heavy losses. He praised the role of the IAF and IAA, saying their presence in Speicher camp is very helpful. He said that the army is ready to go on the offensive, pending command orders. [Mawazin]

 

Daesh shelled Speicher base with three mortar shells without causing any casualties, according to Mahmoud Sorachi, spokesman of Ninewa National Mobilization. [IraqPress]

 

A video of Badr fighters destroying a charging Daesh vehicle bomb in Himrin Hills area [Ghadeer]

 

Samarra

The IFP Commander, Major General Shakir Jawdat, said that the 19th brigade of the IFP repelled a Daesh attack from three directions west of Samarra, killing 20 terrorists and destroying one vehicle. [Mawazin]

 

A joint force of PMFs and IFP repelled a Daesh attack in Jazeera Samarra, killing 15 attackers, a security source said. [Ghad]

 

Iraqi forces stopped a Daesh attack from three sides north of Jazeera Samarra. Iraqi forces also killed 10 Daesh terrorists and wounded 20 in the same area. Three IFP fighters were wounded in the operation.  [IWMC Report]

DaeshDaily comment. Clearly Iraqi fighters are being killed in the battles against Daesh, but the IWMC is not transparent about the casualties. This has been its consistent policy.

 

The IAA killed 4 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a construction shovel bomb and 2 vehicles in Jazeera Samarra in addition to 7 terrorists in the Strategic Line area. [IWMC Report]

 

Army rocket units killed 6 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a machine gun-mounted vehicle in Mkaishifa. [Mawazin]

 

Southern Salahuddin

74th army brigade found 3 IEDs and a booby-trapped Daesh position in Yathrib subdistrict near Balad, and destroyed them all. [Mawazin]

 

DIYALA

Baquba

Muthanna Al-Timimi, the governor of Diyala, said that kidnapping crimes have declined significantly following recent security measures in the province. [Rudaw]

 

Adnan Al-Lahibi, a leader in the tribal mobilization of north Baquba, complained that there are ghost soldiers collecting salaries from the tribal mobilization. He said that as some fighters received their payments, there were names on the list “who never held a gun”. [Sumaria]

 

KIRKUK

A Coalition strike on Al-Rashad and Al-Riyadh subdistricts in southwest Kirkuk killed 10 and wounded 12 terrorists, and destroyed 4 tactical units, a security source said. [Sumaria]

 

The PMF media office said that Daesh leaders are fleeing Al-Riyadh in large numbers, as Iraqi forces are drawing closer to the area. [Maalomah]

 

Daesh shelled Taza subdistrict south of Kirkuk with two Katyusha rockets, destroying two houses without causing human casualties. [Mada]

 

A security force in Kirkuk arrested 4 persons connected to the car bomb explosion in the city Wednesday, Kirkuk police said. The arrest was made in Al-Askari in the south of the city. [Mada]

 

NINEWA

Mosul

Coalition warplane destroyed a Daesh truck, but it had ten civilians inside. The civilians were arrestees of Daesh being punished by grave digging, and were on their way back to detention when attacked, sources in Mosul said. [Mada]

 

A PUK official says heavy clashes erupted in Hay Al-Dhubat on the east side of Mosul between Daesh and an armed group. The clashes lasted for hours followed by Daesh starting an arrest campaign against civilians in the area. [PUKMedia]

DaeshDaily comment. Arresting civilians in the location of any incident is a typical Baathist procedure. They would arrest dozens, and sometimes hundreds of people, from the location of the incident, torture them all, and maybe someone would confess something.

 

A PUK official says Coalition warplanes bombed Daesh in Lazzaqa village near Badoush, west of Mosul, and in Hamdaniya and Bartella to the east, killing 9 Daesh terrorists and wounding others. Coalition warplanes also bombed a Daesh location between Kasik and Badoush, destroying 2 vehicles and killing the terrorists inside them. [PUKMedia]

 

Atheel Al-Nujaifi, ex-governor of Ninewa, said that it is still too early to speak of a date of liberation of Mosul, but “we can say that preparations are underway”. Al-Nujaifi said that the Americans, the Peshmerga, Iraqi Forces, and the National Mobilization are all preparing for the battle. [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. The more immediate question is why the discredited Nujaifi is being allowed to position himself as a spokesman.

 

A Badr commander said that his militia is not happy about the Coalition contribution to Mosul liberation, saying that the PMF and the army can liberate it without their assistance. He said that there is an impression that US pressure is being applied to exclude the PMFs from this process. [Mawazin]

DaeshDaily comment. The gentleman should listen to himself talk. He says something really dubious in order to make another anti-American statement, then accuses the Americans of being against the PMFs. We think there should be a role for the PMFs in Ninewa, but who could blame the US for not wanting to deal with people like this?

 

Major General Najim Abdullah Al-Jebouri, the commander of Ninewa Operations, said that the Peshmerga will cooperate with the army to liberate Mosul, in coordination with the coalition and tribal mobilization. He added that 13 safe exit routes were opened for the Mosul population to evacuate the city. [AIN]

DaeshDaily comment. Taking his statement literally, and also that of the Prime Minister reported above, it does seem that the PMFs are being excluded from the Ninewa liberation campaign. Perhaps this is the belated explanation for the PMF meeting two days ago in Baghdad led by Shia militia leaders.

 

Daesh issued an order today to confiscate all motorcycles that do not have the number plates of Wilayat Ninewa issued by Daesh, and is imposing financial penalties on violators. [Mada]

 

Makhmur

The Ninewa Operations Commander says units from the Iraqi Army 16th Division arrived in Makhmur to prepare for Ninewa liberation operations. [Buratha]

 

Other Governorates  

KURDISTAN

President Barzani’s media official says Barzani started the reforms in his own party to be an example for other Kurdish parties to follow. [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. His initiative will probably force the PUK to pursue a similar initiative, as its internal corruption has paralleled that in the KDP over the years. The other parties have little to reveal by comparison. Gorran has made its reputation by opposing and exposing the corruption in both major parties.

    The real test of this reform effort will be how much the investigators will be allowed to reveal to the public. Over the years, at least until Gorran and new independent media came along, all the dirty secrets—such as the amount of public money being diverted from the KRG treasury to the two major parties—were hidden from the public, and until recent years from each other. This is one reason why there were separate Finance ministries until very recently. Neither party could have revealed the others’ secrets anyway without indirectly revealing its own.

 

A PUK MP says Barzani’s reform orders have no value because officially he is not the KRG President. She says Barzani issued similar orders after the demonstrations in 2013 and nothing happened. [SotKurdistan]

 

A Gorran official says in a joint press conference with PUK and Islamic Group officials that the three parties are united in their demands to fix the political situation in the IKR. [SotKurdistan]

 

The PUK submitted a request to the KRG demanding to cancel the salary decrease on law enforcement employees and employees with lower salaries. The PUK submitted another request to have more decentralization in the IKR so that each governorate can manage its own affairs. [Rudaw]

 

SOUTHERN IRAQ

Qadessiya. A man was arrested on terrorism charges at his house in Diwaniya, a security spokesman said. A unit composed of intelligence and national security personnel arrested the man, described as a “dangerous” terrorist. [Ghad]

 

Babil. The Chairman of the Security Committee in Babil Provincial Council says 2 men were arrested on terrorism charges in Iskandariya in northern Babil. [Sumaria]

 

REPORTS FROM TURKEY

 

Political developments

In remarks to the press, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the United States for what he described as Washington’s reluctance to describe the PKK as a “terrorist” organization “America, how many times have I asked you, are you with us [Turkey] or with the terrorist organization PKK and YPG?” Erdogan reportedly referred to US State Department spokesman John Kirby by name in his remarks, citing what he called American reluctance to refer to the PKK and YPG as terrorist groups in spite of Turkey’s insistence. In other remarks Erdogan warned that Turkey’s patience with the Syrian crisis was limited, and called for UN intervention to prevent ethnic cleansing in Syria, saying that Iran-backed Syrian troops were carrying out “ferocious massacres” in the country. [Cihan] [Erem]

DaeshDaily comment. In fact, the US long ago labeled the PKK as a terrorist organization, as Erdogan knows. The real issue is US cooperation with the YPG, the military arm of the PYD political party that is linked to but not provably part of the PKK. The US chooses to give the YPG the benefit of the doubt, to maintain its so-far successful role as a partner in the anti-Daesh coalition. Erdogan chooses to define the PYD and YPG as part of the PKK, as this serves his political purposes of the moment. Living with the US stance on the matter would help the fight against Daesh, which is another way of saying that defeating Daesh is not Mr. Erdogan’s highest priority.

 

Security developments

Turkish border troops fired on civilians crossing the border between Syria and Turkey near Afrin, injuring one person, according to the pro-YPG Hawar. (photo). [Hawar]

 

REPORTS FROM SYRIA

 

Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)

The Syrian Army retrieved the border crossing at Al-Sarraf, located in north Raqqa Governorate, occupied by Daesh 4 years ago, and raised the Syrian national flag there after fierce clashes assisted by Russian warplanes.  Daesh supplies from Turkey are now cut off. This coincides with YPG control of Ming airport in northern Aleppo after it expelled Al-Nusra fighters from that location, also with the assistance of Russian warplanes. [PUKMedia]

DaeshDaily comment. YPG supported by Russian planes? On the west side of the Euphrates where Turkey demands they don’t go? If the report isn’t erroneous, it could be significant.

 

Daesh publishes a video of executing Syrian “spies”. The men were put inside a vehicle then a 4 year old boy pressed the remote control and blew the vehicle up. [Isdarat]

 

Daesh publishes photos of cutting off the hand of a young man in Raqqa accused of theft. [DabiqNews]

 

A field military source says Daesh shelled two villages in Kobane’s southwestern countryside with mortars and locally made rockets, wounding two young men. The source says the Kurdish forces responded by shelling Daesh locations in the Al-Shamiya hills on the western bank of the Euphrates. [BasNews]

 

Daesh “zakat” units are distributing oil and coal for home heating in areas of southern Hasaka Governorate, a local source said. [ARA]

 

Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)

Opposition militias repelled separate attacks by Daesh and the Syrian Army north of Aleppo Thursday, a militia fighter reports. Daesh attacked the allied militia factions in and around the villages of Ghazl, Baraghida, Al-Bul, and Dudyan, in an attempt to seize the strategic area on the Turkish border. Fighters of the Sultan Murad Brigade, the Al-Mu’tasam Billah Brigade and the Al-Sham Corps repelled the attack, killing five Daesh fighters, wounding others, and capturing Daesh weapons, the fighter said. The factions retaliated with shelling on Daesh sites in surrounding areas of Soran Azaz and Um Wahsh, the fighter said, inflicting further casualties, after which Coalition airstrikes on Daesh sites in the area destroyed three local Daesh command centers. [ARA]

 

Syria Democratic Forces seized the Menagh military airbase and a nearby village of the same name from other opposition militias north of Aleppo on Wednesday. [Hawar] [Welati]

Photos of the Menagh airbase. [Hawar]

 

Russia’s Ministry of Defense blamed the United States for a bombing attack on Aleppo Wednesday, according to Russian media reports that said a Pentagon spokesperson had accused Russia of bombing two hospitals in Aleppo on Wednesday. [Qasioun]

 

An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander, Col. Saadat Khawa, was reportedly killed in fighting near Aleppo, Iranian media announced Thursday (photo). [Qasioun]

 

Central and West (Damascus, Homs, Hama, etc.)

Violent clashes continued between Syrian Army troops and Daesh near the city of Dowa east of Homs, amid Syrian artillery fire on the battle lines. Daesh directed artillery fire on positions of the Syrian Army and allied Shia militias near Qaryatayn. No casualty reports are available. [Qasioun]

 

East (Deir Ez-Zor)

Unknown gunmen killed four Daesh militants in an ambush in Bukamal, east of Deir Ez-Zor. Unidentified warplanes struck Al-Shahil city east of Deir Ez-Zor, wounding four civilians including a child. Warplanes also struck an oil refinery near Al-Mayadin east of Deir Ez-Zor, igniting fires in the equipment. Daesh meanwhile staged an arrest campaign in Al-Mayadin, detaining an unspecified number of men, many of them former opposition fighters. [Qasioun]

 

Daesh sabotaged a helicopter landing strip at the Transportation Directorate in Deir Ez-Zor with mortar shells. The attack comes amid a Daesh bid to prevent helicopters from landing in Deir Ez-Zor. Violent clashes continued between Syrian Army troops and Daesh around Deir Ez-Zor’s military airport, amid Daesh shelling in and around the airport, killing or wounding an unspecified number of Syrian troops and allied militiamen. Russian planes and Syrian artillery fired on the Al-Siyasiya Bridge “continuously” on Thursday, in a bid to separate Daesh-held Deir Ez-Zor from the Daesh-held hinterland. [Qasioun]

 

Daesh publishes a video of Russian cluster bombs dropped near Hajin city in Deir Ez-Zor eastern countryside. [A3maq]

 

OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS

 

North Africa

Egypt

Egyptian helicopters fired on an Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis parade south of Sheikh Zuweid Wednesday, killing 35 militants and wounding “tens” of others, as well as destroying ten vehicles including four mounted with machine guns and carrying Daesh flags, security sources said. Residents of the area said that members of the group returned to the scene of the attack on Thursday at dawn to retrieve the corpses and body parts of fallen militiamen. [ElWatan]

Egyptian warplanes destroyed a convoy of vehicles of Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis, destroying it and killing 40 terrorists. The raid followed an explosion that targeted a police armored car and wounded two policemen. [Buratha]

 

An IED exploded in the Rawda area west of Arish on the road leading to Qantara in North Sinai, after a security detachment passed by, a security source said. No injuries were reported in the blast. [ElWatan] [VetoGate]

 

The Egyptian Minister of Higher Education has announced that four new universities are to be established in Egypt, two of them in Sinai. One new university will be located in each of the governorates of North Sinai, South Sinai, Marsa Matrouh, and Red Sea. No further details are available.

DaeshDaily comment: The move, if implemented, comes as part of Egypt’s effort to bring development to North Sinai (and other underserved areas). It is believed that recruitment in North Sinai’s armed groups is fueled in part by lack of economic opportunity.

 

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has “postponed” its WEF Middle East and North Africa conference that had been scheduled for Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh in May, citing security concerns. The WEF is known for its annual conference in Davos, Switzerland. A WEF spokesman said the decision was made last November following the apparent bombing of a Russian charter plane after it departed from Sharm El-Sheikh’s airport. Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis, which calls itself Daesh’s “Wilaya” of Sinai, claimed responsibility for the attack. [EgyptIndependent (English)]

 

Daesh says it shelled military unit units in Arish airport with Grad rockets while the Egyptian Ministers of Defense and Interior were there. [DabiqNews]

 

Libya

A troop movement from Misrata, reported earlier, was not part of military operations but was instead a show of force by the Misrata Military Council, according to Thursday’s reports. The Council carried out a military parade in a gesture directed at Daesh, local security sources said. The parade included more than 200 armed vehicles and passed east from Misrata along the Coastal Road and south through Saddada and other cities in the area. In response, Daesh carried out a parade of its own, with over 100 armed vehicles flying its black banners, through Sirte. [Wasat]

 

A member of the “Supreme Council for Tribes and Libyan Cities” has called for Tunisia to lobby against foreign intervention and airstrikes in Libya, saying that Libyans are counting on “sister countries” (i.e. from the region) to support and protect them, and that foreign intervention will only make matters worse in Libya. [AfriGate]

 

Libya’s ambassador to the League of Arab States, Ashour Bu Rashid, has (again) ruled out the possibility of a foreign ground troop presence in Libya. [AfriGate]

 

The Tripoli-based government has called for the resumption of airline flights between Tripoli and Algiers. Algerian authorities suspended air travel between Tripoli and Boumedienne International Airport in January. [AfriGate]

 

Daesh says its terrorists attacked and damaged a Libyan Army vehicle with mid-size weapons in Laithi in Benghazi. [DabiqNews]

 

Daesh says some of its terrorists sneaked into an Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade camp in west Derna and planted an IED, then detonated it remotely, killing 3 fighters and wounding others. [Ana Al-Muslim]

 

SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Facebook Page of the Day

Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade page

 

Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day

https://twitter.com/true_libyana

https://twitter.com/Kawaser_86

https://twitter.com/I_S_515

https://twitter.com/Xr9jeEnBEKdYqlQ

https://twitter.com/325ASFURAH

 

 

February 10, 2016

Haditha Tribal Fighters

Today’s Major Developments

 

Al-Abadi meets the Pope, and Italy’s Prime Minister.

Al-Jaafari meets Turkey’s Ambassador about the Turkish troops in Ninewa.

Anbar PC leader says campaign to re-take Hit and Kubaisa is just days away; tells residents to evacuate now.

Daesh attacks anticipated in Tikrit area and west of Samarra.

More Iraqi troops arriving in Ninewa; militia leaders say PMFs will be there too.

Barzani announces major anti-corruption initiative.

Sunni militia mortars Assad family burial ceremony in Syria.

 

 

Full Report

 

February 9, 2016

Displaced Families in Juwaiba

Al-Abadi plans cabinet changes based on professional criteria.

Wave of IED attacks hits Baghdad.

Army operation to clear area east of Ramadi virtually completed.

Pressure increases on Daesh in Hit-Kubaisa area.

PMF force joins pending military campaign in Kirkuk province.

Money, salary issues roil Kurdistan.

 

Full Report 

 

February 8, 2016

Iraqi Army

Today’s Major Developments

 

Al-Abadi says the Baghdad Wall will eliminate most car bombs.

Parliament members debate de-Baathification, reconciliation.

Army raises flag in Juwaiba, enters Hsaiba; Daesh leaders reportedly moving elsewhere.

Iraq sending 4,500 soldiers to Ninewa; more to come. Ninewa campaign predicted to start just after March 1.

Iran announces it’s sending no more troops to Syria, except advisors

 

Full Report 

 

February 5, 2016

Hilla Demonstrations

Today’s Major Developments

 

CoR Speaker Jubouri returns from Washington talking about Iraqi reconciliation.

First post-Daesh mass prayer service held in Ramadi grand mosque.

Daesh tries again, loses again in Baghdadi.

Daesh still trying to retake Salahuddin oilfields.

Writings on the walls multiply in Shirqat.

Saudi Arabia offers ground troops to fight Daesh in Syria.

 

Full Report 

February 4, 2016

IAA 2

Today’s Major Developments

 

Turks bomb inside Ninewa.

More second thoughts about the proposed Baghdad perimeter wall.

Iraq forces keep advancing around Ramadi, Falluja

Coordinated ground, air campaigns reach southern Mosul District.

 Full Report 

 

 

 

February 3, 2016

Camp Dublin

 

Today’s Major Developments

 

Plan to put a wall around Baghdad meets political opposition.

Army closes in on Falluja.

Baghdadi’s nephew, an important Daesh leader, killed in Ramadi.

Al-Qa’im airstrike kills 85 Daesh members, including several leaders.

 

REPORTS FROM IRAQ

 

BAGHDAD

Political developments

Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, Commander of Baghdad Operations, said that all cement barriers in Baghdad will be removed, and deployed as part of the Baghdad Wall! [Sumaria]

However, he seems to have made this commitment on his own authority. The Security Committee of the Baghdad Provincial Council will meet with the Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) Thursday, seeking the “truth” about the Baghdad Wall project, which was started without the Council’s approval. The Council says the BOC plan to construct a tunnel and 300 km (186 mile) wall around Baghdad is a very negative step. [AIN]

 

According to a statement issued by his office, Speaker Jubouri met with Vice President Biden in DC to discuss the political and security situation in Iraq, especially about fighting terrorism, the role of the United States in finishing the liberations of Anbar, and starting the liberation of Ninewa. They also discussed the efforts to secure and reconstruct the liberated areas and facilitate the return of the displaced people. [Rudaw]

 

Prime Minister Abadi met with the CoR’s Integrity Committee to discuss the challenges the Committee faces in its efforts to fight corruption. Abadi issued a statement saying that political differences affect the work of the government, and that reflects in a negative way on the citizens. He also says that corruption has many supporting elements including the bureaucracy, and many corrupt people are resisting the simplification of government procedures because those procedures would decrease corruption. The Chairman of the Committee says after the meeting that “big corruption targets” in some ministries were identified during the meeting, especially including arms deals.  [Sumaria] [Rudaw] [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. Daesh might have not existed without Iraq’s corruption and Iraq will never be able to stand up as a country without dealing with this problem effectively.

 

The deputy chairman of Ninewa Provincial Council says new troops from the police and army will join Ninewa Operations Command to prepare for Ninewa liberation. He demanded more help for the tribal fighters in Makhmur to speed the liberation operations. [Sumaria]

A CoR member from Ninewa says the Ninewa liberation camps should be united under the Ninewa Operations Command. He says the Minister of Defense doesn’t give a lot of attention to the NOC for political reasons. He says the NOC has not been armed and the NOC commander doesn’t have enough support. He also says it is not clear who is going to liberate Mosul—the Turkish forces, the NMFs, the Peshmerga, the tribal fighters, or the Ninewa police. [Mada]

 

The Chairman of the Citizen Bloc (the Supreme Islamic Council) in the CoR says the government is neglecting arming and financing the PMFs and warns of a plot to isolate or marginalize the PMFs. [Mada]

 

However, former Vice President Osama Nujaifi says the PMFs should not participate in Ninewa liberation because of sensitivity of the citizens and in order to eliminate any “sectarian” excuse that could be used by Daesh. He says the liberation should be done by the Iraqi forces, the Peshmerga, the Coalition and the NMFs.

DaeshDaily comment. Mr. Nujaifi of course means Turkey when he says the “Coalition.” It is transparently absurd that a supposedly national government official asks to use foreign forces and leave out Iraqi forces. (Nujaifi and his brother have called many times for Turkish intervention in Ninewa.)

 

A member of the CoR’s Security and Defense Committee says the Turkish troops raised the Turkish flag over the Fadhiliya neighborhood in Bashiqa and criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ silence about the issue. [Sumaria]

 

The Ninewa Governor says the situation at the Mosul Dam is secure and doesn’t need all the media exaggeration. [Mada] The Minister of Water Resources says the Mosul Dam situation is good and the government efforts are intended to maintain it and not to prevent it from collapsing. [Sumaria]

The spokesman of the Sadrist faction says Moqtada Al-Sadr instructed the Minister of Water Resources (a Sadrist) to stay away from the Mosul Dam issue in order not to be involved in the financial affairs of the deal and to eliminate any hint of corruption. He says this issue should be dealt with by a specialized committee appointed by the Council of Ministers. He also says using international companies is the only solution for the Dam because Iraqi companies don’t have the capacity. [Sumaria]

 

The spokesman of the Supreme Judicial Council says 6,187 persons were arrested on terrorism charges. He says in a CoR Human Rights Committee hearing that 1,203 were released and 284 were convicted. He also says the SJC received more than 4,000 complaints about human rights violations from the Iraqi Human Rights Commission. [Sumaria]

 

Security developments

BOC will close Al-Muthanna Bridge in the middle of Baghdad for maintenance, from Thursday Feb. 4 till Sunday Feb. 7. This is its second closure, as it was closed January 27-31 for the same reason. [Shafaq]

 

Brigadier General Yahya Rasoul, spokesman of the Joint Operations Command (JOC), said that he has no knowledge of the nature of the intended mission of US troops on Iraqi-Syrian borders (alluding to yesterday’s statement by the Coalition spokesman on the impending Mosul campaign). Rasoul said that once such information is available, he would announce it. [AynIraq]

 

Steve Warren, the Coalition spokesman, said that Iraq is using its F16 fighters very well in executing precision attacks on Daesh. He marked the arrival of two more F16s in Iraq, adding that arrival of the rest of the planes is linked to finalizing the training of pilots. [Mawazin]

 

Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism units today found a Daesh hideout in Um Najim village in the Taji District north of Baghdad city. A large quantity of explosives was found including 3 detonators, 90 kg of C4 and eight 20-liter containers with TNT. [Mada]

 

According to security sources:

  • An IED exploded and wounded four civilians in Husseiniya, in north Baghdad. [Sumaria]
  • Two persons were arrested on terror charges, in Adhamiya and in Taji District north of the city. [Qurtas]
  • Security troops defused an IED placed in one of the alleys of the Sabiyat neighborhood in Taji. [Ghad]
  • An IED placed in a popular market in Tarmiya District north of the city killed two civilians and wounded eight.[ Mada]
  • Armed men attacked and killed a lawyer and his son in their car, in the Shuala neighborhood in north Baghdad. [Mada]
  • An IED placed in a popular market in Al-Binouk neighborhood in northeast Baghdad killed one civilian and wounded seven. [ Mada]
  • An IED exploded in the Al-Ma’amel area in east Baghdad, killing one civilian and wounding four. [Baghdadia]
  • An IED placed near a popular restaurant in Al-Siba’ neighborhood, downtown Baghdad, killed two civilians and wounded six. [Mada]
  • A roadside IED in Arab Jabour village in Dora, south Baghdad, exploded on a patrol of Tribal Mobilization units, killing two men and wounding four. [Mada]
  • Armed men opened fire and wounded two civilians in Jurf Al-Naddaf in south Baghdad. [Ghad]
  • An IED placed near a popular restaurant in Wardiya, in Al-Mada’in District south of the city, killed two civilians and wounded 5. [Mada]
  • Armed men opened fire and killed an army major as he drove through Jisr Al-Salam in south Baghdad. [Sumaria]
  • An IED placed in a commercial area in Al-Shuhada neighborhood near Bayya in southwest Baghdad killed one civilian and wounded four.[ Mada]
  • An IED placed near a construction materials shop in west Baghdad killed two civilians and wounded five. [Etejah]
  • An IED placed in a commercial area in Suwaib in west Baghdad killed one civilian and wounded seven.[ Mada]

Total Baghdad incidents reported:   16    (Not an overall total)

 

ANBAR

Falluja

Sa’adoon Sha’alan, the Mayor of Falluja District, said that apart from the very difficult living conditions facing Falluja’s population, Daesh has booby-trapped all entry points to the city, rendering it a big jail. He said that Daesh will not mind killing the entire Falluja population.  [Sumaria]

 

Baghdad Operations Command said that the 14th army division liberated the strategic village of Albu Shijil north of Falluja.[ Mada]

Army helicopters destroyed 6 Daesh vehicles and 2 construction shovels in Albu Shijil. [Ghad]

BOC said its operations north and south of Falluja killed 20 terrorists and wounded 14 in various areas of operations in Albu Shijil and Taqsim to the north, Nuaimiya to the south, and Qarma. [AIN]

 

Security sources reported the liberation of Albu Sawda in Qarma, backed by Coalition and Iraqi warplanes and army helicopters, according to a security source. [Baghdadia]

 

Daesh publishes photos of an Iraqi soldier targeted by one of its snipers in Zoba’a. [CSSN]

 

A security source in Anbar Operations Command says Albu Shijil and Albu Bali are now liberated and troops are heading towards Hamdhiya, and then Falluja. Leaflets have been air-dropped over Falluja to encourage the population to revolt and describing available escape routes. [AIN]

 

The same AOC source says he also expects the liberation of Hit by mid-February. [AIN]

DaeshDaily comment. This is at least the third recent story indicating that Iraq will soon target Daesh in Hit. Today’s Falluja stories show Iraqi forces clearing Daesh out of areas between Ramadi and Falluja and closing in on Falluja. If the Falluja campaign works out as hoped, Hit may be next.

 

Ramadi

Army helicopters attacked and destroyed the building of the religious court in Albu Bali, in Jazeera Al-Khaldiya east of Ramadi, killing 9 Daesh leaders meeting there, including Abu Ahmed Al-Samarra’i, the nephew of Daesh’s leader, and himself a major Daesh leader. [Maalomah]

Awwad Baghdadi, the Daesh leader, is reported to have executed two of his escorts with his personal gun for failing to protect his nephew, tribal sources reported. [Mesala]

DaeshDaily comment. Unless Baghdadi is in the Ramadi area, this seems like one of those Iraqi rumors. Those who think he is there should try to apprehend him.

 

Major General Sami Al-Aridhi, commander of the 3rd special unit of Counter-Terrorism forces, said that his men, Army units, and the IFP are advancing steadily east of Ramadi in Sajariya, Juwaiba, and Hsaiba. Daesh defenses in Sajariya, including mortar positions  and machine gun positions were destroyed. [Sumaria]

 

8th Army division and security troops have fully liberated the Albu Ghanem area east of Ramadi and are heading towards Juwaiba, a security source said. [AIN]

 

Ghassan Al-Eithawi, spokesman of the tribal fighters east of Ramadi said that army units have liberated over 50% of the Sajariya area, and that the announcement of full liberation is coming very shortly. He added that Daesh lost “tens” of its fighters on the battlefield. General Al-Mahalawi, AOC Commander, said that new rocket systems called “Qahira” were deployed by the army in these operations. [Mawazin]

 

Sabah Al-Noman, spokesman for the Counter-Terrorism forces, confirmed that his forces have entered the Sajariya area with minimal resistance from Daesh, except for the multitude of IEDs in the area. [Qurtas]

 

A tribal PMF commander says more than 1,000 tribal PMF fighters in areas west of Ramadi haven’t received their salaries for 5 months. He says these fighters are holding the ground in those areas but they only have light weapons and they need more arms. [Mada]

 

A leader of tribal fighters in Anbar says the 6th battalion of Anbar PMF fighters has moved from the Habbaniya base to Sufiya, to hold the ground liberated from Daesh. [Sumaria]

 

Daesh says Coalition warplanes mistakenly bombed Iraqi troops when Daesh was attacking in Albu Risha on the northwest outskirts of Ramadi on Tuesday. [A3maq]

 

Army and security troops repelled a Daesh attack on Albu Risha and Albu Mara’i from Zangoura village and killed six of them with the help of Coalition warplanes, which also destroyed two vehicle bombs. [AIN]

 

Dr. Adel Layl al-Sabur Al-Delawi, the so-called Daesh doctor, was killed in an airstrike by army helicopters in Jazeera Al-Khaldiya east of Ramadi, a security source said, adding that the doctor previously worked in the Anbar Health office. [Maalomah]

 

The process of removing IEDs and battle remnants has started in Ramadi, beginning with the 5 Kilo area, said Captain Mohammed Hassan of the first battalion of tribal forces.  [Rudaw]

 

Hit/Haditha

Daesh says its terrorists attacked Iraqi forces in Haqlaniya with light and mid-size weapons and the attack was synchronized with heavy mortar shelling on south Haditha. Daesh says many Iraqi fighters were killed or wounded while its terrorists returned back safely. [CSSN]

 

Western Anbar

According to the Al-Suqoor Intelligence unit, 85 Daesh terrorists, including high ranking leaders, were killed today in an airstrike by the Iraqi Air Force on 4 host houses in Al-Qa’im, used as bombing factories and in one case to host Egyptian leaders. The explosions from the strike were heard 10 miles away. Among top leaders killed were

  • Abdul Rahman Ezzildeen Al-Badawi (Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir) the brother of ex-Qaeda leader Abu Ayoub Al-Masri;
  • Abu Abd Al-Mannan Al-Masri, responsible for Sinai post and money transfers from Syrian Oil and Qa’im cement factory to Sinai;
  • Haji Majeed Mohammed Al-Salamni, responsible for foreign fighters;
  • Abu Idris Diyala, from Muqdadiya, an escapee from Badoush prison.

A Saudi terrorist Khalid Al-Khamaali, was badly wounded. [Mada]

 

Mid-Euphrates Command forces executed an airdrop in Jisr Al-Rawdah, 20 km (12.5 miles) from the Kerbala border, and destroyed two car bombs, while defusing 4 1000-liter containers packed with explosives, placed under the road of a major bridge. [AIN]

 

SALAHUDDIN

Shirqat

Two women were executed by Daesh in Shirqat, on charges of insulting Daesh, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

Ali Dahdoh, the Mayor of Shirqat District, says that the number of Daesh fighters in Shirqat is around 1,000, all of them Iraqis, as foreign terrorists have left for Mosul.  He added that 600 of them are on the left side of the city, and 200 are in the center of the district. [Mawazin]

 

A gathering of 50 Daesh terrorists was observed by intelligence personnel in a gas station near Shirqat. They called for Coalition support. The resulting airstrike killed 20 Daesh and destroying 3 vehicles. Another mobile gas station was targeted in Karabla, Salahuddin by the Iraqi Air Force, which destroyed two tankers. [AIN]

 

Unidentified armed men kidnapped two Daesh leaders in Shirqat after setting up a fake checkpoint, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

Baiji

Security forces today arrested 27 Daesh terrorists after an operation in Al-Fatha north of Baiji, a security source said. [Baghdadia]

 

Army helicopters executed several strikes in Salahuddin, destroying two vehicles near Fatha Bridge north of Baiji, a Daesh command center in Tel Al-Dhahab village in northeast Makhoul Mountains, and an armored vehicle north of Allas and Ajil oil fields. [Ghad]

 

Tikrit

A spokesman of the PMF organization, Ahmed Al-Asadi, said that Daesh controls only 15% of Salahuddin province, mainly Shirqat, west Tikrit desert, parts of south Samarra, and northeast Himrin Hills, adding that the PMFs are repelling Daesh attacks almost daily. [Mawazin]

 

Following Tuesday’s incident, when a civilian shot dead a Daesh terrorist in Al-Ali south of Al-Alam subdistrict, a wide security campaign was initiated to search and clear the area with the support of army helicopters. The campaign discovered weapons caches and food storage and killed three Daesh terrorists hiding in bushes and caves in the area. One was a suicide attacker who wounded five of the approaching policemen, a security source reported.  [Ghad]

 

The Saraya Al-Aqida militia said it repelled a violent Daesh attack in Himrin Hills, killing 35 attackers. A statement by the militia said that army helicopters intervened and destroyed a booby-trapped construction shovel approaching the militia’s defensive lines. [Buratha]

 

It was reported that following a paratroop drop near Tikrit, a special American force killed a PMF leader called Abu Sajjad Al-Zerejawi, and ordered PMF forces in Speicher camp to evacuate the area within three days. [Altaghier]

DaeshDaily comment. There is much to doubt about this anti-PMF story, given the dubious affiliations of the website and TV station, but it serves to show how some sources fabricate stories.

 

General Shakir Jawdat, Commander of the Iraq Federal Police (IFP) forces, reported the destruction of a Daesh command post and communications tower in the Al-Fatha area north of Baiji, killing 8 terrorists near Shirqat Bridge, 3 more near the fertilizer factory on the road to the city, capturing two Daesh vehicles in Albu Badri  in Samarra, and arresting two terrorists including the Daesh security official of Mohammadi north of Ramadi, [Sumaria]

 

Samarra

PMFs destroyed a Daesh convoy carrying a car bomb. west of Samarra. The car bomb exploded during the operation, the IWMC said. [AIN]

 

Tooz

BasNews reports that the PKK is conducting military and cultural training for youth in Tooz. [BasNews]

DaeshDaily comment. Is this somehow a parallel story to the Turkish military training Ninewa separatists in Bashiqa?

 

DIYALA

Baquba

An IED placed in a popular market in Hibhib, west of Baquba, exploded and killed one civilian and wounded four, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

A civilian was shot dead by armed men in Kanaan subdistrict east of Baquba, a police source said. [Mawqif]

 

KIRKUK

A local source says Daesh confiscated houses of people in Hawija because some of their family members escaped Daesh controlled areas. The source says Daesh forced these families to pay a monthly rent to remain in their houses. [Sumaria]

 

Daesh arrested and executed two men trying to escape Hawija District toward Himrin Hills and then to the safe areas controlled by the army. The two were shot in the middle of Hawija, a security source said. [Mada]

 

An armed group in a car opened fire on Al-Baghdadi fish restaurant, on Hisabat Street east of Kirkuk, wounding a restaurant worker. [Mada]

 

Daesh terrorists fired a Katyusha rocket from Al-Bashir on Taza subdistrict south of Kirkuk, which fell on a house, causing damage but no casualties. [Mada]

 

NINEWA

Mosul

Daesh executed 12 university students in front of the university campus in Mosul on charges of cooperating with Iraqi security forces, a source in Mosul said. [BasNews]

 

Another Daesh video about its “achievements”. [CSSN]

 

Daesh publishes photos of the reconstruction of the mosque at the Mosul hospital. [CSSN]

 

Nineveh Plain

Coalition warplanes attacked Daesh positions in the Shabak villages of Al-Khazna, Bazwaya, and Al-Ghadeer, killing 18 terrorists including foreigners and wounding 6 of them, according to a Ninewa Police source. [BasNews]

 

Atheel al-Nujaifi, ex-Mosul governor, denied raising the Turkish flag in Fadhiliya village in Bashiqa, adding that the village is still under Daesh control. He says only Iraqi and Kurdish flags will be raised in liberated areas. The security committee of the CoR reported earlier the alleged incident with the Turkish flag. [AynIraq]

 

Two Katyusha rockets fell on Zilkan camp in Bashiqa where the “National Mobilization Forces” headed by Atheel al-Nujaifi are being trained by Turks. No human casualties were reported, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

Makhmur

Burhan al-Lahibi, a tribal mobilization leader in south Mosul, said engineers are currently clearing the village of Kodila of mines and IEDs. The village was liberated earlier with the support of the Peshmerga and Coalition warplanes. [Mada]

 

70 Daesh terrorists were killed and 22 arrested, while tribal mobilization lost 15 in the fighting for Kodila, a field tribal commander said. [Shafaq]

 

Ninewa Operations Command said that the 91st army brigade, tribal fighters, and Peshmerga units, with Coalition air cover, had liberated Kodila and Khattab villages west of Makhmur city. Mahmoud Sorachi, National Mobilization spokesman, said the Peshmerga and tribal fighters launched an attack on Daesh west of Makhmur and the attack will continue to Qayara.  [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. How did Sorachi get into this?

 

A PUK official said that Peshmerga forces shelled the village of Mahana, near Kodila and the Mosul District line, and killed “tens” of Daesh terrorists with the assistance of Coalition warplanes. [PUKMedia]

 

Peshmerga units blocked today a Daesh attack on a checkpoint in Makhmur, killing several of them. [Maalomah]

 

Northwest Ninewa (Tal Afar, Sinjar)

Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists in Batisha village near Kasik. [CSSN]

 

Other Governorates  

KURDISTAN

The KRG spokesman says the KRG approved 7 procedures to deal with the financial crisis. The procedures include lowering the salaries of government employees (other than Peshmerga and security personnel); establishing a committee selected from different ministries to audit the oil and gas revenues in coordination with international firms; selling oil by public auction (except the oil transported by pipes); using a decentralized system for managing oil and gas production; and establishing an IT system for paying KRG salaries. [Rudaw]

DaeshDaily comment. One of the basic-level defects of Iraq and KRG financial management is that they still pay obligations in cash, which in turn requires moving huge amounts of cash  around. This includes paying salaries. Of course, all that cash in motion contributes to the loss or theft of some of it (There have been huge incidents).    

January salaries will be paid starting next week while the salaries for the previous month will be “saved” for later payment. [Rudaw]

 

The PUK bloc in the KRG Parliament issued a statement demanding an investigation into the foreign bank accounts of the “political party companies” and some officials. Several media reports mentioned recently that KRG officials and companies belong to political parties have accumulated millions of dollars in foreign banks. [Sumaria]

 

Slovenia is sending military trainers to train Peshmerga forces Erbil, local Slovenian Radio said. [AIN]

 

Italy is sending 130 military personnel to be based in Erbil and assist in providing medical support in fire fronts, Italy’s Ministry of Defense said. [Maalomah]

 

SOUTHERN IRAQ

Babil. Babil Police announced the arrest of 63 wanted persons, three of them on terrorism charges. [Mada]

 

Basra. Prime Minister Al-Abadi transferred security responsibility in Basra from the Ministry of Defense to the Ministry of Interior, said Basra Governor Majid Al-Nasrawi. [Maalomah]

 

The Basra Governor says “unusual” movements for foreign diplomats were detected in Basra and some diplomats are visiting the governorate and meeting with people (politicians and non-politicians) without informing the provincial government. He says the diplomats will not be allowed to meet with anyone without informing the provincial authorities; otherwise they would be prevented from entering the governorate. Many foreign diplomats visit Basra and the last one was the French Ambassador who met with the chairman of the Provincial Council. [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. We were not aware that foreign diplomats, or anyone else for that matter, require the permission of provincial governors to enter their province.

 

Basra police arrested 44 wanted persons, including one wanted on terror charges, a security source in the city said. [AIN]

 

Basra Police arrested a person suspected of participating in the IED attack on the head of the Basra appeals court, a police source said. [IraqPress]

 

Muthanna. Muthanna Police are reinforcing security measures along the province’s large desert perimeter to “prevent entry of terrorist groups” from the desert area, into an area which is a “tourism attraction,” said Saad Al-Eajibi , Muthanna Chief of Police. [Mada]

 

Dhi Qar. A foreign convict sentenced to death on terrorism charges since 2013, was executed in Nasariya, according to the Minister of Justice. The delay was due to a retrial after an appeal, the Minister indicated. [Mesala]

 

REPORTS FROM TURKEY

 

Retaliating for Daesh mortar fire, Turkish tanks fired more than 20 tank shells at Daesh positions across the border in Jarabulus on Wednesday, killing eight Daesh militants and injuring a number of others, as well as damaging buildings on the Syrian side. [Qasioun]

 

REPORTS FROM SYRIA

 

Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)

The YPG announced that it killed 98 Daesh militants in January. [ARA]

 

Coalition planes struck Daesh positions in Shaddadi on Tuesday, causing casualties and physical damage, a resident said. [ARA]

 

Daesh-planted land mines and hidden IEDs are hampering the return of residents to Al-Hawl and other areas in Hasaka that were retaken from Daesh. [ARA]

 

A local activist says Daesh moved thousands of tons of grain from the silos in Hasaka southern countryside to Shaddadi and Deir Ez-Zor, taking advantage of the halt in the Syria Democratic Forces operations in the area. Daesh recaptured the silos from the SDF on January 21st. [BasNews]

 

Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)

Al-Nusra Front has deployed fighters to the northwestern Aleppo countryside in a bid to check advances by the Syrian military, Daesh, and the Syria Democratic Forces in the area as other opposition militias lose ground. An unspecified number of Nusra militants arrived in Nabal and Al-Zahra, both under siege by opposition militias. [Qasioun]

 

Daesh struck a concentration of Syrian Army troops south of Aleppo with a vehicle bomb, killing around 25 Syrian soldiers, according to an activist in the area. The two sides fought violent battles in the aftermath of the bombing, as well as clashing east of Aleppo as Syrian troops continue to drive into Daesh-held territory. [ARA]

 

The YPG establishes a special operations room in Afrin to manage the thousands of civilians who escaped the ongoing attack by Syrian troops, supported by Russian warplanes, on Aleppo’s northern countryside. [BasNews]

 

Daesh shelled the villages of Al-Qubba and Tal Al-Abr, southwest of Kobane, from its positions in Jarabulus, a YPG fighter said. [ARA]

 

Daesh has been forcing fighting age young men into conscription in Manbij, residents report, even as the Daesh presence in the city is thinning and the hisbah units have reportedly disappeared from the city streets. [Hawar]

 

Central and West (Homs, Hama, etc.)

Daesh publishes photos of executing Syrian government “spies” publicly in Homs. [CSSN]

 

Daesh says its terrorists sneaked into Syrian Army positions and killed four soldiers in East Qalamoun in Homs. [A3maq]

 

East (Deir Ez-Zor)

A Daesh mortar shell killed three civilians and injured three others in the neighborhoods of Al-Jawra and Al-Qusour in Deir Ez-Zor. Daesh also fired rockets and artillery on Syrian Army and Lebanese Hezbollah positions near the Deir Ez-Zor military airport, and engaged Syrian troops in ground battles in various neighborhoods of the city, including Al-Rashidiya and Al-Haweiqa. Coalition planes struck the oilfield in Bukamal, causing fires in the area.

Daesh also conducted a campaign of raids and searches in the city of Mayadin east of Deir Ez-Zor, arresting at least ten civilians. [Qasioun]

 

South

“Jaysh Tahrir Al-Sham” has declared war on Daesh in the Rif Damashq Governorate, over what it described in a statement as Daesh provocations. Jaysh Tahrir Al-Sham had remained neutral in earlier fighting between Daesh and other militias in Rif Damashq. [Qasioun]

 

OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS

 

Neighboring countries

Lebanon

Lebanese Army troops killed two Daesh militants and captured 27 others in operations in the northwestern border area near Arsal on Wednesday, according to a Lebanese security source. The captives reportedly include Abu Bakr Al-Riqawi, a local Daesh commander. The Army staged the raid after receiving intelligence on the Daesh militants’ whereabouts. [Hawar]

 

North Africa

Egypt

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Samih Shoukry has denied reports that an African intervention force is being assembled with Egyptian leadership for intervention in Libya. Shoukry’s remarks came at a press conference in Cairo with his Czech counterpart on Tuesday. [AfriGate]

 

North Sinai

Daesh-affiliated Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis executed as many as three civilians in Rafah on charges of collaborating with the Army. The bodies of two young men, one decapitated, were recovered in different areas of Rafah on Wednesday, El-Watan writes. The decapitated victim, Wail Al-Shaeir, had been abducted from his home a week ago. A report on VetoGate refers to three victims, bearing gunshot wounds to the head. The Ansar group also abducted five other civilians on Wednesday morning in the Al-Rasm neighborhood of Rafah. VetoGate refers to three [ElWatan] [VetoGate]

 

Egyptian troops killed the personal guard of the commander of Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis in a desert area of central Sinai, in heavy fighting in which two Ansar militants were killed and another captured. One of those killed was identified as Ramadan Salima Salama, personal guard to Muhammad Musa Muhaysen, the central Sinai Ansar commander. [VetoGate]

 

Residents reported sounds of five explosions and gunfire in Arish on Wednesday. A security source linked these sounds to military operations against Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis, who, the source said, were using motorcycle bombs. According to intelligence, Ansar elements were preparing to conduct attacks in the coming days, prompting Egyptian security agencies to strike, the source added. [ElWatan] [ElWatan]

 

An IED exploded near an Egyptian armored military vehicle south of Sheikh Zuweid, on the road to the village of Abu Zamat near the Israeli border, but the blast came after the vehicle had passed and no damage or casualties occurred, a security source said. [ElWatan]

 

Egyptian troops performed sweep and search operations in and around Sheikh Zuweid and Arish, looking for Ansar members and roadside bombs. [ElWatan]

 

Photos of the Egyptian Army uncovering a buried weapons cache in Sinai. [EgyArmySpoxFB]

 

Daesh publishes photos of detonating an IED on an Egyptian minesweeper east of Arish. [DawaAlhaq]

 

Libya

Daesh arrested 14 young men in eastern areas of Sirte on charges of not having declared their repentance, eyewitnesses in Sirte reported. The same sources added that Daesh set up checkpoints in the streets of Sirte after going into hiding for the previous two days under air raid attack. [AfriGate]

 

A Sudanese Daesh commander known as “Abu Aisha” was killed and 12 other Daesh members captured in Derna by another unidentified “terrorist group” in fighting over the last two days, according to an unnamed security source in the city. One Daesh fighter reportedly surrendered to the other “terrorist group” after withdrawing from the battlefield, the source said. [Libya24]

 

Daesh publishes photos of executing “spies” in Sirte. One of the executioners was sitting in a wheelchair. [CSSN]

 

Tunisia

The Tunisia Ministry of Interior says 3 terrorists were killed in the ongoing search campaign in a mountain area in Gabes. [Sumaria]

 

Other countries

Yemen

Daesh publishes a video of its training and operations in Hadhramaut. [DawaAlhaq]

 

Afghanistan

The radio station broadcasting Daesh’s “Voice of the Caliphate” programming in eastern Afghanistan, reported last week, has been destroyed by airstrikes, according to local officials, who say the broadcast ceased on Tuesday. [Aawsat]

 

SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Facebook Page of the Day

Ahmed Mansour page, Al-Jazeera presenter and a Muslim Brothers’ mouthpiece

 

Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day

https://twitter.com/83_hsaert

https://twitter.com/To0oBa_56

https://twitter.com/Qaydar132

https://twitter.com/Dabi9Tu

https://twitter.com/22_04_1437

 

Other Daesh media   

Daesh audio newsletter for today in English [CSSN]

 

February 2, 2016

1

Today’s Major Developments

 

US will send helicopters and more advisors to help with Mosul campaign.

US now has 3,600 military trainers and advisors in Iraq.

Several more Daesh leaders killed in Anbar, Salahuddin.

Haditha District Council warns of impending major Daesh attack.

Daesh executions resume in Shirqat, Mosul.

Anti-Daesh attacks kill many Daesh members in Ninewa.

 

REPORTS FROM IRAQ

 

BAGHDAD

Political developments

Steve Warren, the Coalition spokesman, says the Turkish troops in Bashiqa are not a part of the Coalition and the US didn’t give them a green light to fight in Iraq. [Sumaria] In a separate press report, Warren described the Bashiqa camp issue as a strictly Iraq-Turkish problem that should be solved by direct discussions. [IraqPress]

DaeshDaily comment. Turkey and its collaborators in Iraq have continued to say that its troops in Bashiqa are part of the Coalition effort. This has gotten no support from the US, though the US has been careful not to offend Turkey, which is cooperating in some ways with the Coalition effort. We wonder what explanation Turkey will give after Warren’s comments.

 

The Council of Ministers approves the hiring of an Italian company, Trevi, to maintain the Mosul Dam. [Mada]

 

Security developments

General Sean McFarland, the Commander of Coalition forces, says that the US is sending Apache helicopters and more advisors to assist Iraq to liberate the city of Mosul. He added that 17,500 soldiers and 2,000 policemen were trained so far, while 3,000 more are currently being trained. [Maalomah]

 

Steve Warren says the US has 3600 soldiers in Iraq as trainers and advisors. It has also provided US$ 600 Million as financial support to Iraq and the displaced people. [Baghdadia] Warren also said that the involvement of the Coalition in Mosul will be through air support only, except that a small American special forces unit will be placed on the Iraq-Syria border to prevent Daesh terrorists from movement across the borders. [AIN]  Warren also says the liberation of Mosul will be long and difficult and estimated that there are 5-8 thousand Daesh fighters in the city. [Sumaria]

He added that the city of Ramadi was liberated in full, and that Falluja is being surrounded. [AIN]

 

Baghdad Operations Command said that its operations south of Falluja killed 52 terrorists and wounded 46, in addition to the destruction of a vehicle, several artillery pieces, a mortar unit, 13 fighting positions, 5 hideouts, and two boats in Nuaimiya and in Albu Shijil to the northwest. [AIN]

 

Lt. General Abdul Kareem Al-Shimarri, Commander of Baghdad Operations, said that the “Baghdad Wall” Project has started. This includes cement walls and tunnels around the capital, and confining entry to 8 access points only. [AIN]

 

The High Criminal Tribunal today sentenced a Daesh member to death on charges of hosting Iraqi and foreign terrorists in Al-Qa’im, west of Anbar. The convict confessed on all charges. [Mada]

 

The MoD says Iraq received a new group of F16 jets, and more are coming soon. [MoD Website]

The CoR’s Security and Defense Committee had said earlier that Iraq was going to receive 5 jets. [Mada]

 

Moqtada Al-Sadr asks his followers for continuous support for Saraya Al-Salam with money and weapons, saying anyone who doesn’t support them is a traitor to the country and religion. [Mada]

 

The Ministry of Interior said today that a K9 team detected a large quantity of explosives near an entrance to Khadimiya in north Baghdad, coming from northwest of Baghdad. [Ghad]

 

Security forces captured a Daesh member in the 9 Nissan area in east Baghdad. [IWMC Report]

 

According to security sources:

  • An IED placed in a popular market in Sheikh Hamad, in Tarmiya in northern Baghdad Governorate, killed two civilians and wounded five others. [Maalomah]
  • 4 persons were arrested on terror charges in Tarmiya, Rashidiya, and Adhamiya in north Baghdad, and Dora in south Baghdad. [Mada]
  • A vehicle packed with weapons and explosives was caught at Al-Shaab checkpoint in north Baghdad. [Baghdadia]
  • An IED placed in a commercial area in Shaab killed one civilian and wounded seven. [Baghdadia]
  • Armed men in a 4-wheel drive car kidnapped a female school student in Talbiya, east Baghdad. [Ghad]
  • An IED placed in an industrial area in Talbiya killed one civilian and wounded four. [Mada]
  • A private generator owner was killed in an armed attack on Palestine Street in east Baghdad. [Mada]
  • A sticky bomb attached to a minibus exploded in Sadr City, killing one passenger and wounding six. [Mada]
  • Armed men shot dead a civilian in Sheikh Omar, downtown Baghdad. [Ghad]
  • The body of a woman shot to death was found in Zafaraniya, southeast Baghdad. [Sumaria]
  • An IED placed near a popular coffee shop in Mada’in, in southern Baghdad Governorate, killed two civilians and wounded nine others. [Mada]
  • A roadside IED placed in Arab Jabour village in Dora, south Baghdad, killed one civilian and wounded four. [Baghdadia]
  • Armed men today kidnapped a civilian in Abu Dsheer in Dora. [Ghad]
  • A roadside IED went off in Yusufiyah, in southern Baghdad Governorate, when a police patrol was passing by, killing one policeman and wounding four, in addition to damaging their vehicle. [Mada]
  • An IED placed in a popular market for fruits and vegetables in Ameriya junction, west Baghdad, killed one civilian and wounded eight others. [Mada]
  • An IED placed in a fish market in Khernabat, in Abu Ghraib District in western Baghdad Governorate, killed two civilians and wounded six. [Maalomah]

 

Total Baghdad incidents reported:   16    (Not an overall total)

 

Coalition warplanes initiated 26 attacks, 20 of them in Iraq, the Coalition said. The raids in Iraq were on Ramadi, Habbaniya, and Albu Hayat; Qayara, Kasik, Mosul, and Sinjar. Those in Syria were on Deir Ez-Zor, Manbij, and Raqqa. The targets, were tactical units, fighting positions, vehicles, and explosives caches. [Rudaw]

 

Australian warplanes participated in the airstrikes on several targets in Iraq, Joint Operations Command said. [Mawazin]

 

ANBAR

Falluja

A member of Anbar Provincial Council says Iraqi forces liberated the areas between Jazeera Khaldiya and the Japanese Bridge near Falluja. He says Iraqi forces cut off Daesh supply lines between Falluja and Jazeera Khaldiya and between Falluja and Saqlawiya. [Buratha]

A video of PMFs clearing areas in Saqlawiya [Harbi]

 

The Anbar Governor asked the Coalition to drop humanitarian supplies to the people of Falluja. He says it’s the only way since Daesh planted IEDs all over the roads and prevented the citizens from leaving the city. [Rudaw]

 

The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights says Daesh is committing a crime against humanity by using the people of Falluja as human shields and preventing the humanitarian aid. It says that more than 100,000 civilians are trapped in Falluja, which requires serious action by the Iraqi government to solve the humanitarian situation. [Mada]

 

A Rapid Intervention Unit killed 4 Daesh terrorists, including a Tunisian and 2 Syrians, and wounded 13 others and destroyed 2 hideouts and a vehicle carrying a machine gun in Hay Al-Askari in Falluja. [BOC Facebook Page]

 

Abu Dajana Al-Masri, the religious mufti of Daesh, was killed today by a Coalition airstrike on a Daesh position in Jazeera Al-Khaldiya. A vehicle, rocket launching platform, and a cache of explosives were also destroyed, the Khaldiya subdistrict council reported. [Mada] Amir Hameed Al-Essawi, a Daesh commander, was also killed in the operation. [Baghdadia]

DaeshDaily comment. Al-Masri used to be a soccer referee in Egypt and his family disowned him because of his shameful behavior; then he joined Daesh and his family disowned him again. He was reported killed a couple of times earlier, including by detonating himself. 

 

Tribal Coalition fighters and PMFs repelled a Daesh attack on the Albu Shijil crossing north of Fallujah, hours after the Iraqi military troops captured the area, Col. Juma’a Al-Jumaili, commander of the tribal forces said. “Tens’ of terrorists were killed, and six car bombs were destroyed in the attack. [Maalomah]

 

6 Daesh terrorists were killed in artillery shelling at Tatar checkpoint, in Nuaimiya south of Falluja, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

Baghdad Operations Command says its troops killed 45 Daesh terrorists and wounded 32 and destroyed a vehicle and a construction shovel bomb in addition to 13 locations and hideouts and 2 boats in Nuaimiya and Albu Shijil. [BOC Facebook Page]

 

Two Daesh leaders, Dhar Sabah Al-Eissawi and Mustafa Hamdi were killed in clashes between army units and Daesh terrorists in the Albu Shijil area in Jazeera Al-Khaldiya, a security source said. [Sumaria]

 

Daesh executed 6 of its own members after they escaped the battle in Albu Shijil. [IWMC Report]

 

The Ministry of Defense said an operation by the 17th army brigade in Bustan Al-Tikriti east of Falluja resulted in killing 2 terrorists and wounding 3, in addition to finding a weapons cache containing 10 grenade launchers, an aircraft missile, 3 pistols, detonators, and 250 BKC bullets. [IraqPress]

 

PMF said today that Saraya Al-Jihad, a PMF militia, repelled an attack by a suicide car bomb on its defense line southeast of Thirthar. The vehicle was detained and defused, while the two terrorists in it escaped. [Ghad]

 

Col. Al-Jumaili, commander of the 1st battalion of tribal mobilization forces in Falluja, said that all preparations are finalized to liberate the rest of Qarma subdistrict after the arrival of reinforcements from Baghdad. [Maalomah]

 

BOC troops killed one terrorist and wounded another and defused 10 IEDs in Qarma.

[BOC Facebook Page]

A BOC sniper killed a Daesh terrorist in Albu Sawda in Qarma. [BOC Facebook Page]

 

Ramadi

East

Abu Fatima, the Daesh security commander of east Ramadi, was killed with 15 other terrorists in a Coalition airstrike on Hsaiba, east of Ramadi, the head of the security committee in Khaldiya reported. [Ghad]

 

IFP commander Major General Shakir Jawdat said that the 3rd brigade of IFP killed 5 Daesh terrorists and destroyed 3 machine gun positions near Andalus School in Hsaiba. [Mawazin]

 

A security source says 3 Counter Terrorism Service battalions arrived in Sajariya to liberate the remaining areas under Daesh control. [Baghdadia]

 

Iraqi forces defused 7 booby-trapped houses and 40 IEDs in the Al-Soura area east of Ramadi. [IWMC Report]

 

An Anbar Operations Command source says they attacked a Daesh hideout in Jazeera Khaldiya and killed the Daesh military commander of the area, Amer Hamid Al-Eithawi, and 2 of his associates. [Maalomah]

 

West

Major General Ismail Al-Mahalawi, commander of the Anbar Operations Command (AOC), said three battalions of special operations units arrived in western Ramadi to finalize liberation of remaining areas around the city. He added that a comprehensive campaign to clear the entire Ramadi District has not started yet. [Maalomah]

 

Brigadier Khalid Abdullah, commander of the 16th army division, announced liberation of Albu Risha area just northwest of Ramadi in full, after a lengthy battle in the area’s orchards that killed 33 terrorists and destroyed “tens” of their vehicles, with the support of the Iraqi Air Force. He said that 90% of Daesh’s supply line from Hit to Ramadi is blocked, which will make liberation of Albu Dhiab and Albu Jassem north of Ramadi easier. This will also cut the supply line of Daesh to locations east of the city, including Hsaiba, Juwaiba, and Jazeera Al-Khaldiya. [Buratha] Photos of Albu Risha after liberation [IraqPress]

DaeshDaily comment. The Albu Risha area is also symbolic in the fight against Daesh because the late Sheikh Abdul Al-Sattar Abu Risha started the Sahwa project that defeated AQI there.

 

Iraqi forces found a Daesh vehicle bomb and destroyed it under control in Albu Risha. [IWMC Report]

Photos from Albu Risha after the liberation [Sumaria]

 

Daesh says its terrorists attacked Iraqi forces in Albu Risha, killing 16 soldiers and wounding 27 and capturing 3 positions. [A3maq]

DaeshDaily comment. Daesh has never reported loosing Albu Risha in the first place.

 

Iraqi forces stopped a Daesh attack on Zangoura west of Ramadi, killing 14 terrorists and destroying 2 vehicles. [IWMC Report]

 

Daesh also says it shelled Iraqi forces in the Adnaniya and Kilo 18 areas west of Ramadi with mortars and Katyushas. [CSSN]
Daesh publishes a video about its attacks in Anbar. [CSSN]

 

Hit/Haditha

Army helicopters destroyed three Daesh vehicles in the Albu Hayat area of Haditha, IWMC said. [Mawazin]

 

Haditha District Council says Daesh is mobilizing to attack Haditha from 4 directions, including Sagra and Zawiya from the north, Gabat and the storehouses from the south, and Zera’a and the Rawa vicinity from the west. It called for utmost caution and preparedness. [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. This warning should be taken seriously. Daesh could offset its losses elsewhere in Anbar by getting control of the Haditha Dam, which controls the water flow through much of southern Iraq.

 

Daesh publishes photos of an attack on Iraqi forces north of Haditha. [CSSN]

 

A security source says Iraqi forces rocketed Daesh in Jazeera Baghdadi, killing “tens” of terrorists and destroying 5 vehicles. [Baghdadia]

 

Lt. Col. Muhib Al-Ubaidi, is the new Commander of Baghdadi police, succeeding Lt. Col. Basim Shakir, killed in clashes with Daesh last week, Baghdadi subdistrict council said. [Mawqif]

 

Western Anbar

Daesh publishes a video, “Stories from the land of the caliphate,” in Russian. [CSSN]

 

SALAHUDDIN

Shirqat

Daesh executed 4 doctors in the Shirqat District, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

An informed source says Daesh executed 6 men in Shirqat for opposing Daesh. [Sumaria]

 

Baiji

The IFP Commander says an IFP commandos unit killed 50 Daesh terrorists and destroyed 7 vehicles in a preemptive operation north of Baiji. [Baghdadia]

 

A CH4 Iraqi drone destroyed two machine gun mounted vehicles in Makhoul Mountains and killed the terrorists inside, said a security source. [Qurtas]

Daesh publishes photos of destroying an Iraqi military position in the Makhoul Mountains area. [CSSN]

 

A PMF source claimed today that its fighters killed several soldiers of the Saudi National Guard fighting alongside Daesh terrorists (photos). [Maalomah]

DaeshDaily comment. Shia-supported media tries to show that Saudi Arabia is directly supporting Daesh. The photos are taken from a video we published yesterday of a dead Daesh terrorist wearing a Saudi national guard uniform. 

 

Tikrit

Jabbar Al-Maamouri, a PMF commander, said that three major Daesh leaders in the wilayat of Kirkuk and Salahuddin were killed in battles around Allas and Ajeel oil fields yesterday, in addition to the deputy military commander of Daesh in the area, killed in an airstrike in Al-Riyadh subdistrict. He added that Daesh suffered very heavy human casualties in their failed attacks. [Mawqif]

 

A local tribal PMF commander says Daesh launched 20 attacks on Allas and Ajeel oil fields since it lost them last year, with no success. He says Daesh keeps attacking because it’s in bad need for revenues. [Mada]

 

Daesh publishes photos of a battle near Allas oil field. [CSSN]

 

A civilian coal trader killed a Daesh terrorist trying to sneak into the southwest part of Al-Alam subdistrict, a Salahuddin police source said. [Ghad]

 

PMF command said that the results of the mistaken shelling of PMF forces west of Speicher base were revealed and that Salahuddin and the Joint Operations Command are 100% responsible for the attack executed by an Iraqi drone. [AynIraq]

 

The Ministry of Defense approved enrolling tribal fighters in the regular army, provided that they were not members in the Saddam-era armed forces, with the age range of 14-40, said Yazen Mishaan Al-Jubouri, a PMF commander. [Mawazin]

DaeshDaily comment. This gentleman is the son of Mishaan Al-Jubouri, a Saddam loyalist who became an opposition figure, then a Coalition supporter and contractor, then an AQI supporter, then an AQI enemy and Baath loyalist again, then a Maliki supporter, and then on the PMF side. Now he is part of government efforts to mobilize tribes in Salahuddin against Daesh. This is an example of why the Daesh story in Iraq is not an easy one to tell. 

 

4 Daesh terrorists including a suicide bomber were killed, and three government SWAT soldiers were wounded in clashes in the Al-Ali area south of Al-Alam subdistrict east of Tikrit, the security committee of Salahuddin Provincial Council said. [Mada]

 

Two women were killed and three men of the same family were wounded when an IED exploded on an off-road path in Himrin Hills, a source in the Joint Command Forces said. [Mada]

 

A Joint Operations Command (JOC) statement said an attack by army helicopters destroyed a cave in Himrin Hills used by Daesh as a command center, killing 10 of them. A vehicle was also destroyed and 5 terrorists killed in the area, while the Iraqi Air Force destroyed a vehicle carrying 18 Daesh terrorists and killed them all near Al-Asfar village. [AIN]

 

The PMF announced that its forces in Himrin Hills occupied several Daesh positions there after killing several terrorists. [AIN]

 

Samarra

Violent clashes were initiated west of Samarra when Daesh terrorists attacked areas in the Strategic Line area. Samarra Operations Command (SOC) said that the attack was repelled, but a curfew was imposed in Samarra city. [Ghad]

 

SOC troops stopped a Daesh attack in Jazeera Samarra west of the Strategic Line, destroying 3 Daesh vehicles. [IWMC Report]

 

The IFP commander says an IFP unit rocketed a Daesh hideout west of Samarra, killing 8 terrorists. [Mawazin]

 

Tooz

Dijla Operations Command troops stopped a Daesh attack in the Zarqa area in eastern Salahuddin and destroyed a Daesh vehicle bomb. Daesh terrorists tried to camouflage their vehicles by raising Shia flags. [IWMC Report]

 

The Badr commander in Tooz says his fighters will cut off the road between Tooz and Kirkuk if the government doesn’t pay their salaries in full. He says the government didn’t pay for 3 months and then this month they paid 500,000 ID (around $400) instead of 750,000 IED (around $610). [Mada]

 

Armed men shot and killed a civilian near his house near Tuz Khurmatu hospital. [Ghad]

 

DIYALA

Muqdadiya/Abu Saida

An IED targeting a police patrol exploded in Dazkiya village in Wajihiya, south of Muqdadiya, killing one policeman and wounding three. [IraqPress]

 

Northern Diyala

Two IEDS exploded near a private generator in northeast Diyala, killing two civilians and wounding six. [IraqPress]

 

Daesh says it killed four PMF fighters by detonating an IED on their vehicle in Udhaim. [A3maq]

 

A Peshmerga force freed three kidnapped persons in Tolkana, Khanaqin District, in northeast Diyala, after an extended search process, a Diyala source said. Three Peshmerga fighters were killed and two wounded when an IED exploded on their patrol two days ago while they were looking for the same people. [Sumaria]

 

KIRKUK

A person wanted on terror charges was arrested in Banja Ali neighborhood, in east Kirkuk, Asayesh (Kurdish security) sources said today. The man is a resident of Suleiman Beg subdistrict. [Mada]

 

NINEWA

Mosul

Daesh executed four major sheikhs of the Al-Jubour tribe in Qayara south of Mosul on charges of joining the tribal liberation council and cooperating with the Army and Peshmerga. The sheikhs are Abdullah Abd Rabbo Al-Jubouri, Hajim Munaim Al-Jubouri, Khalaf Saddam Al-Jubouri, and Shihab Barakat Al-Jubouri, a PUK media spokesman said. [Qurtas]

 

A security source said that Daesh gunmen are escaping Qayara towards Mosul, following the recent pressure of Iraqi forces and Coalition air attacks. He added that recent airstrikes on Qayara killed 27 terrorists. Daesh withdrew from Al-Haj Ali village and booby-trapped Qayara Bridge recently, the source said. [BasNews[

Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar Al-Lahibi, the commander of south Mosul tribal mobilization, said that his forces are about to liberate Al-Haj Ali village in Qayara after clearing its surroundings from Daesh terrorists, adding that “surprises” are coming in the next few days. [Karemlash]

 

Writings on the walls of Al-Qahira and Al-Bakr neighborhoods east of Mosul threatening Daesh of slaughter and expulsion from Mosul, and calling on the population to cooperate with the liberation forces that are arriving shortly, reportedly terrorized Daesh terrorists who initiated search campaigns in these areas. Similar slogans have appeared in Mosul in the past few months in various areas. [Karemlash]

 

An IED placed in a popular restaurant in Dawasa, downtown Mosul, where Daesh terrorists were having breakfast, exploded and killed 17 of them. [Maalomah]

 

Abu Loay Al-Masri, Daesh terrorist responsible for recruiting women suicide bombers, was shot dead by unidentified armed men in Hamidat, west of Mosul, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

Kata’eb Al-Mosul says its fighters shot and killed 2 Daesh terrorists and damaged their vehicle. [KM Facebook Page]

Kata’eb Al-Mosul also says they destroyed a Daesh pickup killing 3 terrorists south of Mosul. [KM Facebook Page]

 

An IED targeting a Daesh vehicle in Okab valley west of Mosul exploded, killing three terrorists, a KDP source said.[ Mada]

 

Daesh arrested three internet service providers in Mosul for allowing subscribers to watch sports and movies, a security source said. [Mada]

 

A security source says 7 Daesh terrorists were killed in clashes with the Peshmerga in the Al-Khazer area. [Mada]

 

Daesh publishes photos of targeting a Peshmerga position in Fadhliya with a 23mm weapon. [CSSN]

 

Nineveh Plain

KDP media spokesman said that artillery shelling by the Peshmerga killed four Daesh terrorists near the asphalt factory in Bashiqa. [Mada]

 

Other Governorates  

KURDISTAN

KRG President Masoud Barzani issues a statement saying the time for the independence referendum has come and the Kurdish people should decide their destiny and not wait for others to decide for them. He says Scotland, Catalonia and Quebec had referendums, with the right to decide their destiny; so do the Kurds. He also says the referendum doesn’t mean announcing the Kurdish state but it will show the will of the Kurdish people, and the political leadership will execute this will in the right time. [Rudaw]

 

The Peshmerga is training 750 Christian fighters in the Zirfani (elite) camp in Erbil to be ready to defend their areas in the Nineveh Plain. (photos) [Rudaw]

 

The Saudi Ambassador to Iraq says his country will open a consulate in Erbil in the coming days. [Rudaw]

 

Nechirvan Barzani says the salaries of KRG employees will be distributed within days. [Rudaw]

 

SOUTHERN IRAQ

Basra. The head of the Basra appeals court, Judge Adil Abdul Razzaq, survived an attack by a roadside IED on his way home in Kut Al-Hajjaj in Basra. The judge was unharmed but damage was caused. [Baghdadia]

 

Qadessiya. A man was arrested on terror charges in the Al-Saray area, downtown Diwaniya, an intelligence unit of the Ministry of Interior said. [Mada]

 

Dhi Qar. Three persons were arrested on terror charges in Dhi Qar province, three of them in Nasariya, and one in Karmat Bani Saeed, in Souq Al-Sheyoukh District. [AIN]

 

Two persons carrying 50 kg of poisonous chlorine material were arrested in Shamiya District in Qadessiya, a security source said.  [Ghad]

 

REPORTS FROM TURKEY

 

Military developments

The Syria Foreign Ministry says Turkey fired artillery across the border into Latakia province in western Syria, causing civilian casualties, according to Syrian media reports. [Cihan]

 

Turkish troops engaged in cross-border fighting with Daesh militants near Jarabulus on Tuesday afternoon, a Turkish security source said. The source said that Turkish troops came under fire from Daesh positions in Syria as they were clearing mines from the Karnafil area near the city of Karkamış opposite the border from Jarabulus. Turkish troops returned fire, but no casualties were reported. [ARA]

DaeshDaily comment. Wait a minute! Turkish troops were clearing mines on their own side of the border? And who would have planted them?

 

REPORTS FROM SYRIA

 

The Syria Democratic Council, the political wing of the Syria Democratic Forces, has suspended its participation in the Geneva negotiations after six of its delegates (five Kurds and one Turkmen) did not receive invitations from the UN, according to remarks from Geneva by Haytham Manaa, the Chairman of the Council. [Welati]

 

Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)

Kurdish fighters repelled a Daesh attack on Ain Eissa and Tishrin Dam south of Kobane, Kurdish sources said, adding that Daesh shelled Ain Eissa with several mortar shells. [BasNews]

 

Daesh says its terrorists sneaked into Syria Opposition locations east of Ain Eissa and killed four fighters. [A3maq]

 

Photos and video of Mabrouka Camp near Ras Al-Ayn, hosting refugees who fled Daesh from northern Iraq. [Hawar]

 

Photos and testimony of Arab and Turkmen fighters in the Syria Democratic Forces who say they are ready to fight Daesh. [Hawar]

 

Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)

The Syria Democratic Forces destroyed three Daesh vehicles northeast of Aleppo while responding to Daesh shelling of the village of Zur Maghar, 35 km (22 miles) west of Kobane, and the Shuyoukh subdistrict, 5 km (3 miles) east of Jarabulus, according to “a military source in Kobane.” [Welati]

 

Daesh reportedly exchanged fire with Turkish troops across the border near Jarabulus and the Syrian Foreign Ministry claims that Turkish artillery fired on the city of Latakia, see under Turkey above.

 

Daesh publishes a video about the “good life” in Aleppo narrated by a terrorist from Belgium. [CSSN]

 

South

Opposition factions have announced that they now control a number of Daesh’s former sites in the Wadi Barada after recent fighting in Rif Damashq Governorate. Opposition activists report that the militia factions have seized three Daesh positions in Deir Muqaran in Rif Damashq, three positions in Efra in Rif Damashq, and another in Husayniya in Homs. [ARA]

 

Daesh says it killed a National Defense (Syrian government militia) official and his associate by detonating an IED on their vehicle in West Qalamoun. [A3maq]

 

Daesh says its terrorists attacked Nusra Front in Wadi Hamid area in West Qalamoun killing 6 Nusra fighters. [A3maq]

 

Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists in the Damascus area. [CSSN]

 

OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS

 

Neighboring countries

Saudi Arabia. A Twitter user sent a suggestion to the Riyadh municipality that it change the name of a street in the Riyadh neighborhood of Al-Murouj that coincidentally bears the assumed name of the leader of Daesh. As noted in the linked article, “Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi Street” was not named for Awwad Baghdadi the Daesh leader. However the municipality tweeted back that the suggestion had been forwarded to the relevant administration for consideration (photo). [Arabi21]

 

North Africa

Egypt

Egyptian troops fought with suspected members of Daesh-affiliated Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis south of Sheikh Zuweid in the village of Al-Lufaytat on Tuesday after a suspected Ansar IED-planting cell was discovered in the area. Nine militants were killed in the ensuing clashes and another 15 were wounded. Egyptian troops also conducted raids in the border village of Al-Barth near Rafah, triggering fighting in which five militants were killed and another 15 were wounded. [VetoGate] [ElWatan]

 

Libya

Libya’s delegate to the Arab League, Ashour Bu Rashid, has said that the West is preparing an intervention in Libya to combat Daesh, but that the operation would be limited to airstrikes on Daesh targets and not include ground forces. [Libya24]

 

As leaders from over 20 states gather in Rome to discuss confronting Daesh in Libya, Erem news spoke to a number of Libyan academics and other intellectuals, most of whom express opposition to the idea of a Western intervention in Libya. A Western intervention will play into the hands of Muslim Brotherhood–aligned militias, one professor said. Another intellectual said that Western intervention would be a pretext for foreign interests controlling Libyan resources and could result in a humanitarian catastrophe for Libya. Daesh could escalate its tactics, he said, suggesting that the group might deploy chemical attacks if threatened by Western powers. Another political analyst argued that the Western position of supporting airstrikes on Daesh in Libya but refusing to arm the Libyan Army suggests that the West wants to weaken Daesh without eliminating it completely from Libya. [Erem]

 

Maintenance crews are trying to repair damage to a pipeline that exploded on Monday in an apparent attack near Zueitina, the Oil Facilities Protection Guard spokesman has announced. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast. [AfriGate]

 

Misrata’s local government has called for Libyans to unite to fight against Daesh. [Hadath]

 

Daesh has been stockpiling weapons and ammunition gathered from the arsenal of the fallen Gaddafi regime in hotel buildings in Sirte according to a local source. Daesh has been moving arms to the “Conferences Hotel” [Funduq Al-Mu`tamarat] in the last few days, a local source said on Monday. A military source said that Daesh had told residents on “Radio Sirte” not to leave the city. The same source said that Daesh members in Sirte were fearful of airstrikes that could hit their locations at any time. Many Daesh members have remained inside while others have moved to the outskirts of the city, the source added, noting a palpable drop in Daesh presence in Sirte’s streets.  [Ewan]

 

Daesh says its terrorists detonated 3 IEDs on a Libyan Army gathering in Laithi area in Benghazi, then its terrorists attacked an army position, killing the soldiers inside it, and then planted an IED before returning safely. Daesh says it detonated the IED when the soldiers came to take the bodies of the dead soldiers. Daesh says 22 soldiers were killed and many others wounded in the attacks. [CSSN]

 

Algeria

Algerian police have determined the identity of the person who recruited 21 Algerians, including 8 women, to join Daesh in Syria in exchange for offers of money. The 36 year old communications engineer known as “Abu Al-Mara” from Boumadou in Boumerdes state reportedly had 200 million Algerian dinars (around $1.8 million USD) at his disposal as financial inducement to his recruits. The suspect reportedly joined Daesh in 2013. His wife was not aware of his alleged association with Daesh, while one of his daughters has been in prison since January on charges of recruiting women to join Daesh. [AfriGate]

 

Other countries

Cyprus. Eighteen people have been prevented from traveling from Cyprus in the last two years on suspicion they intended to join Daesh, and 15 have successfully made the journey to Syria, an unnamed official said. [Hadath]

 

SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Facebook Page of the Day

Another anti-Daesh page from Ramadi that publishes photos and info about Daesh local members

 

Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day

https://twitter.com/isis_Q78

https://twitter.com/ushfhsrwtw1

https://twitter.com/asLkjhgfdsa19

https://twitter.com/nsjshdhxhx

https://twitter.com/saa2adzoop7

 

Other Daesh media   

Daesh publishes infographics of 85 suicide operations its terrorists conducted in Iraq and Syria in January. [A3maq]

And another infographic showing it killed 588 Syrian soldiers in January. [A3maq]

 

Daesh publishes the new issue of its Al-Naba’ magazine. [CSSN] And a new issue of its Dar Al-Islam magazine in French. [CSSN]
Daesh publishes infographics of instructions on how to avoid the swine flu. [CSSN]

 

 

 

February 1, 2016

Baghdad

Today’s Major Developments

 

Leaders’ meeting in Baghdad focuses on the growing financial crisis.

Parliament member says Turkmen prefer to stay in Iraq.

Daesh kills 8 Peshmerga with mortar attack; blows up Shabak houses.

Residents of Sirte, Libya fleeing the city in reaction to Daesh executions.

Boko Haram kills at least 85 people in Nigerian village.

Full Report 

 

 

 

 

January 29, 2016

Iraq Olympic Team

Today’s Major Developments

 

Iraq soccer team qualifies for the Olympics. Citizens told to hold fire.

Ten Shirqat citizens who raised the Iraqi flag are executed by Daesh.

KDP makes overt move to support Ninewa separatists.

Turkish authorities report finding Daesh plans for more attacks in Turkey.

EgyptAir mechanic suspected in downing of Russian airliner.

 

REPORTS FROM IRAQ

 

BAGHDAD

Political developments

Hundreds of people demonstrated in Baghdad again today, demanding constitutional changes and early elections. [Mada]

Tens of people also demonstrated in Maysan, Wasit, Diwaniya and Babel demanding reforms, and asking the government to deal seriously with the financial crisis. [Sumaria]

Tens of people demonstrated in Najaf asking the government for more reform and to fight corruption. [Mada] The demonstrators in Dhi Qar demanded that weapons should be only in the government’s hands. [Mada] In Basra, demonstrators demanded to fire a local electricity official accusing him of polluting the Shatt Al-Arab river. [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. Friday in Iraq has been demonstration day for some months now. The crowds are smaller, but weekly protests over such a long period of time are unusual. The consistent theme is Iraq’s corruption and the demonstrators are keeping this issue before the public. In general, they are behind the Prime Minister’s reform program, but are not satisfied with how fast it is working. The next national elections are not scheduled until 2018.

 

A Sistani rep says the financial crisis in Iraq has reached dangerous levels and the government should use international experts to put together an emergency plan. He also says that the government should take austerity measures but they procedures should not affect the citizens or the fighters. [Mada] [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. It sounds so American. Cut the budget but don’t cut anything that helps me. Iraq’s financial situation is extremely bad, as we are reminded every time we buy gas for our cars. The price of oil has tanked and is not expected to rise soon. Iraq failed over the decades to diversify its economy and is one of the countries most dependent on oil revenue, even compared to other oil-producing countries. It may soon need not just an international plan but an international bailout.

 

US officials said that the kidnapping of 3 American citizens was due to criminal rather than political motives, adding that ransom money or exchange of prisoners could be the intention. They added that they are not sure yet which militia is responsible for the kidnapping. [Ghad]

 

An advisor for the Ministry of Water Resources says the Ministry doesn’t have any indications that the Mosul Dam will fail. Several people, including the Coalition Commander, have warned that the Dam might collapse. [Sumaria]

 

Baghdad Operations Command issued a statement asking citizens not to fire in the air to celebrate the Iraqi soccer team qualifying for the Rio Olympics. The Iraqi team won 2-1 over Qatar in the final game of the qualifying tournament. Several Iraqi leaders including the PM, the President, the CoR Speaker and others issued a statement congratulating the team. [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. This seems like a reasonable request under the circumstances, but it’s a severe disappointment to a lot of Iraqis. We know from experience that Iraqis like to shoot into the air to celebrate happy events—and to keep firing until all the ammo is gone.

 

Videos of Iraqis celebrating the victory the Iraq team [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube]

 

Security developments

Based on its ongoing internal investigations, the Coalition military command stated that 5 civilians have been killed and 8 wounded in its airstrikes on Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria. This is the fifth statement of the kind this month. [Shafaq]

 

Steve Warren, the Coalition spokesman, said the Iraqi government is fully aware of the details of the mistaken bombing of Iraqi army and PMF units by Coalition warplanes. He added that the Coalition does not have enough time to concentrate on Daesh movements between Mosul and Raqqa, due to the priority given the support of Iraqi Army operations. [Buratha]

 

The US announced the death of an American soldier in a “non-combat situation” in Iraq. Details will be published after the completion of investigations, the US Army said. [Shafaq]

 

A battalion of special forces graduated today after being trained in special camps by American, New Zealand, and Australian experts. [Mawazin]

 

Based on its ongoing internal investigations, the Coalition military command stated that 5 civilians have been killed and 8 wounded in its airstrikes on Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria. This is the fifth statement of this kind this month. [Shafaq]

 

According to security sources:

  • An IED placed near a popular restaurant in Shula, northwest Baghdad, wounded 5 civilians. [AIN]
  • A roadside IED exploded when an army patrol was passing through Al-Meshahda subdistrict in Tarmiya District, northern Baghdad Governorate. One soldier was killed and four wounded, including an officer. [Mada]
  • An IED placed near commercial shops in Husseiniya in north Baghdad killed two and wounded eight civilians. [Mada]
  • Armed men in a car opened fire on a popular coffee shop in Baladiyat, east Baghdad, but a security patrol confronted them, killing one, wounding another, while the third escaped. Automatic rifles and guns with silencers were found in their car. [Mada]
  • An IED exploded near a popular coffee shop in Al-Turath neighborhood south Baghdad, killing one and wounding nine civilians. [Mada]
  • An IED placed in a popular livestock market in Mada’in in southern Baghdad Governorate killed one civilian and wounded 5 others. [Mada]
  • An IED placed in a vegetables market in Ameriya junction west Baghdad, killing one civilian and wounding seven others.[Mada]

Total Baghdad incidents reported:   7      (Not an overall total)

 

The Coalition announced 24 strikes on Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria, 14 in Iraq. The strikes were on targets in Habbaniya, Hit, and Ramadi; Hawija; and Mosul, Tel Afar, and Sinjar; and destroyed several Daesh tactical units and vehicles. In Syria, the strikes were on Hasaka, Raqqa, Mare’, and Manbij, and targeted Daesh tactical units and buildings. [Mada]

 

ANBAR

Falluja

The Provincial Council of Anbar said that the Falluja liberation battle will be different from that of Ramadi. New tactics aimed at preserving civilians’ lives will be adopted. The elite Iraqi land troops, Coalition warplanes, in addition to Iraqi Army Aviation (IAA) helicopters will be involved. [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. They did not mention the PMFs, who are already participating in the fighting around Falluja. This may be inadvertent, or a statement of preference from a Sunni council not involved in military decisions, but the omission is noteworthy.

 

Khaldiya subdistrict council says the Army has liberated wide areas north of Falluja, from Albu Shijil towards Saqlawiya Bridge, which connects areas north of Falluja to areas east of Ramadi. [Maalomah]

DaeshDaily comment. This helps to confirm our impression that part of the military strategy for retaking Falluja is to first get full control of the territory between it and Ramadi.

 

Baghdad Operations Command announced that 16 Daesh terrorists were killed and 33 wounded in the past 24 hours in its field of operation. 7 vehicles, 22 fighting positions, a boat, and 37 IEDs were destroyed in the areas of Albu Shijil northwest of the city and Nuaimiya just to the south. [Mawazin]

 

An Iraqi Air force (IAF) strike based on national intelligence agency information, destroyed oil storage facilities and 4 oil tankers in Falluja, the IWMC said. [Baghdadia]

 

Ali Al-Shinawi Al-Saaidi, a commander in the Al-Muntadhar Brigade of the PMFs was killed in combat with Daesh in Al-Thirthar, a PMF source announced. [Buratha]

 

Army artillery killed 4 Daesh terrorists, targeting a house in which they were hiding, in Albu Arsan village in Zoba’a, southeast of Falluja. [Maalomah]

 

Ramadi

IAF warplanes destroyed 4 Daesh positions in Juwaiba, east of Ramadi, a security source said. [Mawqif]

 

General Ismail Al-Mahalawi, Commander of Anbar Operations Command (AOC), said Coalition warplanes destroyed two Daesh hideouts in Jazeera Al-Ramadi, killing all terrorists inside. [Sumaria]

 

General Al-Mahalawi said “tens” of Daesh terrorists were killed and several tunnels and boats they used for escape were destroyed. He also said operations in Sajariya, Hsaiba, and Juwaiba east of Ramadi are progressing as planned and that only a few areas remain to be liberated. [BasNews]

 

Al-Mahalawi dismissed Col. Majid Al-Fatlawi, the commander of the 8th army brigade for failure to follow orders. The Commander said in a press statement that the colonel was delaying the attack on Sajariya, east of Ramadi, despite his commander’s orders. [Maalomah]

 

The Chairman of Anbar Provincial Council, Faleh Al-Eissawi, said the slow advance of the Army in Sajariya is because of the large quantities of IEDs. He says Daesh booby-trapped all buildings and most of the roads in the area, which makes the advance slow and careful. He added that the delay in liberating areas east of Ramadi city will leave the city vulnerable to car bomb attacks. [Maalomah]

 

The identities of 18 out of 40 remains found in a mass grave in Ramadi were determined, the Khaldiya subdistrict council said, adding that most were army and security soldiers or tribal fighters, in addition to some women and children. The grave was found less than a week ago. [Maalomah]

 

A video of an IAA helicopter targeting Daesh in Ramadi [YouTube]

A video of the destruction in Ramadi [YouTube]

A video of Counter Terrorism troops securing families in Ramadi [Harbi]

A video of 2 Daesh terrorists captured, and beaten up, by Counter Terrorism troops [YouTube]

 

Hit/Haditha

A unit of the 7th army division secured the arrival of 442 trucks loaded with foodstuffs and fuel supplies to the city of Haditha and the Baghdadi subdistrict in Hit District. The food shipments were arranged by the Ministry of Trade, while the fuel shipments were the regular allocations.

[Sumaria]

 

Daesh says it detonated several IEDs on an Iraqi Army convoy on the road to Ain Al-Asad base, killing ten soldiers and destroying 3 trucks and a Humvee. [A3maq]

Daesh publishes a video of the destroyed trucks. [A3maq]

 

Six Daesh terrorists were killed while approaching a military checkpoint near Baghdadi, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

SALAHUDDIN

Shirqat

10 civilians were arrested and executed by Daesh in the heart of Shirqat, in front of an audience, on charges of cooperating with security forces and raising the Iraqi flag, a PMF source said. [Mada]

DaeshDaily comment. Even amidst all the trauma of life in Daesh-occupied areas of Iraq, this is a truly tragic story. Unfortunately, it is far from an isolated story. Iraq and its US advisors have a military plan that is unfolding, successfully so far, but not quickly. There are many brave and patriotic people—in Shirqat, Mosul, and other places—who desperately want to support the liberation of their home areas but are not in on the military timetable. Instead of being part of a triumphant victory, their heroism becomes an isolated gesture, and they end up dead. Shirqat looked like the logical next target a few months ago, but the only action has been some occasional loose talk. Today’s tragedy is one of the consequences.

 

Baiji

The commander of Sayyed Al-Shuhada, a Shia militia, threatens to withdraw from Baiji if the salaries of his troops for the last few months are not paid. He is asking the Shia Marj’iya, the President, the Council of Ministers, and the CoR leadership to intervene. [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. This is the same gentleman who said yesterday that his militia is not obliged to follow any decision about the future of the PMFs.

 

Jabbar Al-Maamouri, a leading PMF figure, said PMFs engaged a Daesh unit that attacked PMF positions in the Makhoul Mountains, killing three of them, one wearing an explosives belt.  [Sumaria]

 

The Ansar Al-Aqida regiment, a PMF militia, repelled a Daesh attack in Himrin Hills, destroying two fighting positions and several vehicles, a PMF source said. Artillery shelling by the regiment on Daesh positions followed the battle. [Buratha]

 

A video of a Daesh tunnel found recently in Baiji [Harbi]

 

Tikrit

Armed men in 4-wheel drive vehicles kidnapped a university student as he was exiting the College of Education on Al-Basha street, downtown Tikrit, a police source said. [Ghad]

 

IAA helicopters attacked and destroyed two bomb-rigged tankers on Al-Awashir bridge near Tel Gsaiba in Tikrit, a security source said.

 

A security source said PMFs repelled a Daesh assault in Jazirat Ain Al-Faras near Awja, south of Tikrit, destroying two armored vehicles and killing those inside.  [Ghad]

 

A campaign was started by Tikrit police to remove the war remnants in the city. Police have started to remove mines, unexploded shells, and berms. [Ghad]

 

Samarra

Waadallah militia of the PMFs, assisted by IFP troops, advanced two kilometers and took control of the roadway from Daesh terrorists after a battle with light, medium, and heavy weapons in Sharif Abbas west of Samarra, a spokesman of the militia said. [AIN]

 

DIYALA

Baquba

A woman shot to death after being raped was found west of Baquba, a security source said. [Maalomah]

 

Seven persons were arrested in different parts of Diyala, three of them on terror charges, said the Ministry of interior. [AIN]

 

Muqdadiya/Abu Saida

Haqi Al-Jebouri, Diyala Provincial Council member and a tribal mobilization official in northern Muqdadiya District, demanded that the government equip the tribes in northern Muqdadiya with better arms to confront Daesh. He says that light arms, rifles at best, are no match for Daesh modern weapons, snipers, and night vision equipment. [Sumaria]

 

8 mortar shells fell on the agricultural Al-Lahibat village north of Muqdadiya, causing damage without human casualties, a security source said. This is the fourth incident of this kind in the past 12 weeks. [Baghdadia]

 

Northern Diyala

Daesh says a PMF commander and 3 of his associates as well as two military engineers were killed by an IED in Udhaim in northeast Diyala on Thursday. [A3maq]

 

Southern Diyala

Daesh says it detonated a parked car bomb on a several vehicles carrying Iranian Shia pilgrims in Mandali. [DawaAlhaq]

 

KIRKUK

Sheikh Maythem Al-Zaidi, the supervisor of the Abbas Division, a PMF militia, said that Ali Al-Akbar and Imam Ali brigades, PMF groups formed by the Sistani-led Najaf religious authority, are joining his division in an operation to liberate Al-Bashir village in Kirkuk. (Bashir is a Shia Turkmen village southwest of Kirkuk city near Taza, and has been fought over repeatedly). He added that the PMF 16th division, the Peshmerga, and possibly Counter-Terrorism Service forces will participate in the operations. [Buratha]

The Daquq police chief says a big PMF force accompanied by 3 tanks, 3 armored vehicles, and several trucks arrived from Kerbala to Taza preparing for an attack on Bashir. [Rudaw]

A video of the military reinforcements arriving in Taza [YouTube]

 

A major explosion damaged the gas pipeline extending from Qadir Karam east of Kirkuk to Erbil, the KRG Ministry of Interior said. The director of district and subdistrict police in Kirkuk Police said that the fire was under control, and an investigation has started. [Rudaw]

 

Coalition initiated three airstrikes on tunnels west of Kirkuk in support of the 10th brigade of Peshmerga forces, according to a Peshmerga military source, who added that at least 6 terrorists were confirmed as killed.  [BasNews]

 

NINEWA

Mosul

Sheikh Ali Al-Hussein Yousuf Al-Juhaishi, a dignitary of the Al-Juhaish tribe, was executed by Daesh in Mosul for his “opposition to the organization”, a security source said. [Buratha]

 

A traditional black eye makeup commonly used by females is now sanctioned for males by Daesh in Mosul and all districts and subdistricts, including police and militants, as part of their version of Islamic Sharia, a source in Mosul said. Severe penalties will be applied to violators. [Karemlash]

DaeshDaily comment. We have hardly ever seen men with this makeup and wonder why Daesh is suddenly supporting gender equality. We will wait for the confirmation.

 

Coalition warplanes bombed and destroyed the house of Hammam Hamoudi Al-Joaani, the “media minister” of Daesh in the 17th of July neighborhood on the right (west) side of Mosul. Al-Joaani and several others were killed in the attack, according to a PUK spokesman. [PUKMedia]

 

An airstrike by the Iraqi Air Force on Hatra District south of Mosul killed 22 terrorists including a leader called Jalal Al-Ne’ma, a security source in Ninewa said. [Mada]

 

The KDP PR official in Ninewa says the KDP is starting a campaign to gather signatures supporting a “Ninewa Region” after the governorate is liberated from Daesh. He says the Ninewa KDP met with several political parties from Ninewa about the issue. [Sumaria]

DaeshDaily comment. The former Ninewa governor told us once he wants to establish a Ninewa Region and not a Sunni region. If one takes that at face value, it seems to show a non-sectarian perspective. The larger truth is probably closer to this.

  • It’s still an anti-Iraq proposal, even if it promotes a self-governing region, and that makes it look like another sectarian scheme against a Shia-majority government.
  • This agenda is being driven in Ninewa by separatists led by the above-referenced former governor who have been shown so far to represent a distinct minority in Ninewa.
  • The ongoing involvement of the KDP only underscores that Barzani and the KDP are in on the plot.
  • The Ninewa “region” advocated will be much smaller than the current province, the rest of it having been given to the Kurds as part of the deal.
  • The presence of Turkish troops in Bashiqa has nothing to do with helping Iraq to fight Daesh.

 

A video of civilians who escaped from Daesh in Mosul to Erbil describes the difficult life under Daesh rule. [Sumaria]

 

Southern Ninewa (Baaj, Hatra)

Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists in Al-Alam village. [DawaAlhaq]

 

Other Governorates  

KURDISTAN

Turkish warplanes bombed PKK positions in Sedkan in northern Erbil governorate. [Rudaw]

 

The German parliament approved sending 50 more soldiers to join their 100 colleagues already training Peshmerga units in the Kurdistan region. [PUKMedia]

 

SOUTHERN IRAQ

Babel

Seven 200-liter barrels packed with high explosive ammonium nitrate, with detonators, in addition to 250 kg of TNT and other explosives were found in Jarasha village in Al-Buhairat subdistrict north of Hilla, a Babel Police source said. They were moved to a safe location. [Mada]

 

Dhi Qar

A medical source says 23 people died of A/H1N1 virus in Dhi Qar, including children, and the Ministry of Health is trying to cover up the story. [Ghad]

DaeshDaily comment. A few earlier reports about spreading diseases turned out to be not true, but we are waiting an official statement from the Ministry.  

 

Basra

A person wanted on terror charges was arrested in Zubayr district west of Basra, a security source said. [Buratha]

 

REPORTS FROM TURKEY

 

Turkish security authorities have reportedly found documents showing plans for future attacks in Turkey, on the computer of Younis Durmaz, the alleged mastermind of the deadly double-suicide attack in Ankara last October that killed 102 people, which Turkey has attributed to Daesh.

According to security sources, the documents contain maps and plans of a Daesh cell to attack other prominent targets in Turkey, including the G20 Summit that convened in Antalya in November. Turkish security found plans for 26 attacks in 19 different Turkish provinces, and a list of 60 members of the alleged Daesh cell that was purportedly planning to execute the attacks. Turkish police have acted on the basis of the intelligence contained in the computer to thwart attacks and target suspects, the security sources said. [IslamMemo]

 

Turkish police arrested three foreigners in the southern province of Karaman, on suspicion of Daesh membership and involvement in human trafficking, security sources said. Two of the suspects are Moroccan nationals and one is an Australian national, security sources said. [Anadolu]

 

REPORTS FROM SYRIA

 

A Syrian medical source says 177 hospitals were destroyed and 700 medical workers killed by airstrikes between August 2012 and December 2015. [BasNews]

 

Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)

Daesh released 16 Assyrian Christian captives on Friday, the leader of the Assyrian Charity Association said. The 16 are reportedly from the Tal Tamr area east of Hasaka. With today’s release, 43 captives remain in Daesh hands of the over 200 Assyrians who were abducted by Daesh in February of last year before many were released in exchange for payment, the source said. [ARA]

 

Turkish artillery units opened fire in response to a gathering of Kurdish civilians in the border village of Sarmsakh near Derik in the Hasaka countryside, without causing any casualties. The group gathered Friday afternoon to protest alleged Turkish border violations in the village and the artillery units fired as the group approached the border, prompting them to scatter and flee. [ARA]

 

Russian planes staged multiple airstrikes east of Raqqa targeting the villages of Al-Suwayda and Albu Ramadan, where the planes also targeted civilians with heavy bullet fire as they were going out from the mosques from Friday afternoon prayers, according to a local source in Raqqa. The attacks in Albu Ramadan, located near the city of Maadan, killed four civilians and wounded four others, the source said. [ARA]

 

Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)

Russian planes struck Mare’ north of Aleppo and Awn Al-Dadat village east of Aleppo on Friday, where a child was killed and others injured in the airstrikes, according to an activist in Manbij. Russian planes struck Manbij three times on Friday, the activist said, and also struck Al-Bab amid heavy continued fighting between Daesh and Syrian Army troops near the Al-Harara Station, which Syrian troops are attempting to seize from Daesh. [Qasioun] [Qasioun] [ARA]

 

Local source say Russian warplanes bombed Syrian trucks reportedly carrying humanitarian aid from Turkey to Syria, killing two people and wounding ten. [Anadolu]

 

The Syria Democratic Forces spokesman has denied reports, which circulated yesterday, that the SDF is preparing to launch a campaign in the Aleppo countryside on sites such as Jarabulus, Manbij, and Azaz.

 

Daesh renewed its mortar fire on areas west of Kobane on Friday, launching the shells from its positions south of Jarabulus. The shells reportedly fell on Qara Abra and Qara Dhat. Coalition planes targeted Daesh positions south of Jarabulus, according to residents of Kobane who witnessed the strikes from across the Euphrates. [Welati]

 

Daesh says it conducted a suicide attack on Syrian troops in Afash village west of Kowaires airbase, killing 23 soldiers. [A3maq]  Daesh also says it destroyed a Syrian Army armored vehicle in Afash. [A3maq]

 

Daesh says 25,000 people from villages in Aleppo’s eastern countryside attended its 10-day sharia seminar. Daesh says this is a part of a campaign for all the villages under its control. [A3maq]

DaeshDaily comment. The first goal of spreading its sharia is recruitment. Even if 1% of these people believed in Daesh it would mean 250 potential suicide bombers in that area. 

 

Central and West (Homs, Hama, etc.)

Daesh fighters battled Syrian Army troops around the city of Qaryatayn east of Homs, amid Syrian artillery strikes on the Daesh-held city on Friday. [Qasioun]

 

Daesh says Nusra Front launched a surprise attack from 3 sides on its position in Zamarani Valley in west Qalamoun on Wednesday but it stopped the attack, killing 2 Nusra fighters and wounding 6 and forcing the rest to retreat. [A3maq]

Daesh says its terrorists separately attacked Nusra in Zamarani killing 7 and capturing 6 before returning safely to their positions. [A3maq]

Daesh publishes photos of the battle and the prisoners. [DawaAlhaq]

 

East (Deir Ez-Zor)

Daesh publishes a video of interviews with some of its terrorists in northern Deir Ez-Zor. [A3maq]

 

OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS

 

Neighboring countries

Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Ministry of Interior says 2 suicide bombers tried to detonate themselves in a Shia mosque in Al-Ahsaa. The first one detonated himself when the security prevented him from getting in while the other was shot and captured. Two worshipers were killed and seven wounded. [Aawsat]

Video of the Ahsaa terrorist attack [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube] [YouTube]

Videos of capturing the terrorist in Ahsaa [YouTube] [YouTube]

 

Daesh publishes a video about the mosque attack in Saudi Arabia. [Isdarat]

 

North Africa

Egypt

Reuters reported that an EgyptAir mechanic is suspected of loading a bomb onto the ill-fated Russian charter flight that broke apart over Sinai in October, killing 224 people. EgyptAir has denied that any of its workers were involved in bringing down the flight. [AswatMasriya]

 

An IED exploded on a police armored vehicle near a school in Arish, killing a police captain and a first lieutenant, the Interior Ministry announced. Five other policemen were injured in the blast. [EgyMoIFB] [ElWatan]

Photos of the aftermath of the blast in Arish. [VetoGate]

Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack in Arish and says eight policemen were killed or wounded. [A3maq]

 

The Daesh-affiliated Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis group has executed a policeman from the Sheikh Zuweid police department, a security source said. The body of the policeman, who was abducted eight days ago, was found bearing gunshot wounds on Friday south of Sheikh Zuweid. [ElWatan]

Daesh publishes photos of executing a policeman in Sheikh Zuweid. [DawaAlhaq]

Unknown gunmen shot dead a police sentry who was guarding the Sheikh Zuweid police department. [ElWatan]

 

A security source says a soldier was killed and an officer and two other soldiers wounded when an IED exploded on their vehicle south of Sheikh Zuweid. [IslamMemo]

 

A seventh day has passed without running water for residents of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah. [ElWatan]

 

Two men, of Saudi and Jordanian nationality respectively, have been brought to Cairo for interrogation after being detained in Arish in North Sinai, a North Sinai security source said. The source explained that the men’s presence in North Sinai at this time raised suspicions as there is no tourism in North Sinai. They are being investigated for ties to armed groups in North Sinai. [ElWatan]

 

Libya

Senior Libyan military officials have been in Cairo recently, according to media reports, prompting speculation that preparations are being made for Western intervention in Libya. Momentum for an intervention seems to be building in France, Britain, and Italy. Relatedly, US President Barack Obama announced Friday that he instructed his national security team to counter Daesh’s efforts to expand in Libya, after a US Defense Department spokesman said on Wednesday that the US was “studying military options” in Libya. [Hadath] [Reuters (English)]

 

Daesh executed three guards of the Oil Facilities Protection Guard (OFP), an OFP official said. Daesh announced the executions in a video it released online. The three were abducted on January 14 near Ras Lanuf, the official said. [Arabiya]

 

Daesh publishes photos of normal life in Abu Hadi in south Sirte. [CSNN]

And photos of its sharia seminars in Sirte. [CSNN]

 

Daesh publishes photos of battles in Sabri in Benghazi. [CSNN]

 

Algeria

Daesh says two Algerian Army soldiers were killed and four wounded when an IED it planted exploded on them while they were on a search campaign in Skikda woods, killing two soldiers and wounding four. [A3maq]

 

Other countries

Yemen. After Daesh claimed responsibility for yesterday’s deadly suicide vehicle bombing at the presidential palace in the capital, Sanaa, Yemen’s Foreign Minister, Abd Al-Malik Al-Makhlafi denied there is any Daesh presence in Yemen, instead telling Al-Hayat newspaper that Yemen’s previous government (led by Ali Abdullah Saleh) had allowed Al-Qaeda to establish a presence in the country. This view was echoed by a number of Yemeni analysts who said that Saleh and his Houthi allies are using the specter of Daesh in Yemen to create panic that advances their own interests in the country. [IslamMemo] [Erem]

 

Daesh says it conducted a suicide attack on a security barrier in Aden, killing 15 Yemeni security personnel. [A3maq]

 

SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Facebook Page of the Day

A Mosul anti-Daesh page

 

Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day

https://twitter.com/libyana_libya

https://twitter.com/IQkrarZ

https://twitter.com/adman257

https://twitter.com/IBNALMOSIL

https://twitter.com/ash3th_moslam4

 

Other Daesh media   

Daesh audio newsletter for today in English