Islamic State Intensifies Attacks: Christians Targeted in Nigeria and Congo

 

Alessandra Ciffo

On June  4th,  the Islamic State (IS) published on Amaq News Agency a three images photo report from the killing of 3 Christian civilians with machine guns that happened the day before, on June 3rd, on the Kamuya-Burate road, Borno State, in northern  Nigeria.

According to the official IS statement above, the ISWAP mujahideen captured 3 Christians on the Kamuya-Burate road in the Borno State, then killed them using small arms and light weapons such as machine guns. 

It seems that the IS has been enhancing military operativeness against Christians and civilians throughout all its wilayat due to the recent rising number of captures and killings.

For example, on June 3rd, there have been monitored two different armed assaults in Beni region, Eastern Congo, against Christians conducted by ISCAP militants, one near Ndalia village, in which one civilian was captured and slaughtered, and the other near Mangina Town, in which 3 Christians were captured and slaughtered.

Moreover, on June 4th, the IS claimed a double target armed attack of the ISCAP mujahideen on the Mashua village, Beni Region, eastern Congo, which resulted in the slaughtering of 19 Christians.

Amaq News Agency photo report: IS West Africa SVBIED operation against African Union Forces in Borno State, Nigeria

 

Alessandra Ciffo

On May 30th, the Islamic State (IS) published on Amaq News Agency a 7 images photo report, showing the armed clash and the Suicide Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) perpetrated by Abu Fatima al-Ansari towards the position of the Multinational Joint Task Force troops of the African Union Forces near Tomboma town, Borno State, northern Nigeria, happened on May 26th,  which dozens of them were killed and wounded, destroying and damaging 4 of vehicles. 

Through a deep examination of the evidence collected, the mujahideen, besides using the up-armored SVBIED, carried the armed assault against the African Union Forces with heavy and light weapons such as RPG-7 launchers, PG-7V rocket, 'Saegheh' rocket, W85 heavy machine gun, PK/Type 80 machine guns, and AKM/Type 56 rifles. 

Among IS supporters and militants, it has been spreading the word that the African Union

militias have been engaged for a few weeks now in a military counter-terrorism operation

against groups of IS mujahideen around the Lake Chad region.

Recently, the operativeness of the West Africa Province(ISWAP) has deeply increased the military operativeness throughout Northern Nigeria, especially Borno and Yobe States, enhancing the insecurity in those areas and the lack of trust in the Nigerian Army (NA) and African Union Coalition militias to attempt and measures to counter response and secure the Northern region.

Simultaneously, the IS wilayah is continuing to pursue its strategy to the establishment of IS administration systems in a few local government jurisdictions with taxation, legal,  and politics, which has been settled for several years now.

Amaq News Agency: Suicide car bomb operation against the central site of the PKK militia headquarters in Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Eastern Syria

 

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On May 11th, through Amaq News Agency, the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the suicide vehicle improvised explosive device (SVBIED) against PKK militia headquarters in Al-Shuhayl town, al-Busayrah, Deir ez-Zor, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria, happened the day before, on May 10th,  in which dozens of them were killed and wounded, including vehicles’  destruction and damage.

Amaq News Agency reported that on Friday night, May 10th,   Wilayah Al-Sham Province - Al-Khair mujahideen named Abu Ibrahim Al-Ansari, after penetrating the PKK militia security fortifications and reaching its headquarters, detonated an IED set off on board his car, which led the killing and wounding of about 23 PKK members, the destruction and damage of various vehicles, besides the headquarters itself. The Amaq News Agency sources’ reported that during the suicide operation at the PKK headquarters, a few PKK militias were massively alert about the risk of a potential IS military attack.

Moreover, it has been stated that the motive behind this suicide operation is related to quoting” the recent PKK launched campaigns supported by the USA, against the families and women of Al-Hawl camp.” It  has also been observed that, recently, the Islamic State spokesman, Abu Huzaifa Al-Ansari,  expressed during his last speech a threat to the PKK in his latest speech, calling on  Caliphate mujahideen to take revenge for the female captives, urging them to assign “martyrdom fighters for this mission.”

Amaq News Agency photo report: Mozambique State armed assault a Christian village in Chiure District, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique

 

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On May 07^th, through Amaq News Agency, the Islamic State (IS) published a photo report, consisting of 7 images, showing the armed assault of Mozambique State mujahideen against the Christian village Nakoja, in Chiure District, Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique, which happened on May 03^rd.

Through an analysis of the footage released, the attack was conducted using various weapons, likely small arms and light weapons, such as machine guns like Yugo Zastava M84 and rifles like AKM rifles and Chinese Type 56-1 rifles.   During the attacks, one civilian was captured and slaughtered by the IS-MP militants, and at least 40 houses were burned.

 

Al-Naba issue 439 : special report about the military campaign against Al-Shabaab soldiers on Eastern Somalia

  

Alessandra Ciffo  

 

 

On Al-Naba issue 439, the Islamic State (IS) dedicated a spot with a special report and infographic about the military campaign with bombing and fires against the Al-Shabaab militia, especially in their positions in the Cal Miskaad mountains range in Northern Somalia at the end of the Ramadan month, which occurred to be around the first two weeks of April, which led the killing and wounding more than 50 Al-Shabaab militants, the seizing various weapons and ammunition, and the control of the zone. 

It has been reported, besides the bombing and clashes, the intensification against the Al-Qaeda militia, however, IS fighters attempted to advise them multiple times during the past two months, repeatedly calling on Al-Shabaab members and a few leaders to “repent of their apostasy” warning them of the consequences of “continuing to walk in this dark tunnel in the shadows of subordination and loyalty to the apostate Taliban militia…, but these calls were met every time with arrogance and aggression.”

The IS also mentioned the most notable armed operations that occurred recently against the Al-Shabaab soldiers.

The first attack happened back on 24/ Shaaban, which corresponds to March 5^th, 2024,  in the Arabi area, Somalia, using various weapons against Al-Shabaab positions, which led to the killing and wounding of 16 members, the seizure of quantities of weapons and ammunition, and the control of the positions.

 Next, on 21/ Ramadan, which corresponds to March 31st, 2024,  near Jais village, known to be “full of weapons and miscellaneous,” the mujahideen targeted Al-Shabaab militias, killing and injuring  10 members, including a leader, and seizing weapons. 

Amaq News Agency : Wilayah al-Sham Homs killed 20 Liwa al-Quds militia in an ambush in al-Sukhna desert road, Homs Governorate

 

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On April  20th, through Amaq News Agency, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the ambush attack that happened on April 18th against the Liwa al-Quds militia[1] vehicle traveling on the al-Sukhna desert road, eastern Homs governorate, Central Syria, in which dozens of them were killed.

Amaq News Agency reported that on Thursday, April 18th, Wilayah al-Sham Homs mujahideen prepared a complex ambush towards a Liwa al-Quds militia vehicle, which was traveling across the al-Sukhna desert road, in eastern Homs Governorate. They targeted the wheel with heavy machine gun fire, which led to the overturning of the vehicle and the killing of several Liwa al-Quds militia members.

         

It has been stated that after the overturn of the vehicle, the Wilayah al-Sham Homs militants killed those who survived the targeted attack, including a few of those who attempted to escape from the area, resulting in the killing of at least 20 soldiers, and also seizing around 12 rifles.

The al-Sukhna desert area, the axes, and the roads nearby, passing through the Homs Governorate and connecting with the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, such as the M20 road, is known to be a very likely battleground for IS similar modus operandi attack towards Syrian Forces and militias vehicles and patrols.

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[1] The Liwa al-Quds militia, also known as the Jerusalem Brigade, is a Syrian Palestinian Brigade formed in 2013 by  Col. Muhammad al-Sa'eed in the Palestinian refugee camp al-Nayrab near Aleppo, which operates with the Syrian Armed Forces in the Syrian Civil War.

Amaq News Agency : 5 official IS photo reports showing ISWAP celebrations of Eid al-Fitr in different areas

 

Alessandra Ciffo

 

From April  12th to April 14th, on Amaq News Agency the Islamic State (IS) released 5 photo reports showing moments of  Eid al-Fitr celebrations, which all belonged to West Africa Province (ISWAP) in different areas under its control, such as Krinwa region, Sambisa forests, Timbuktu Triangle, [1] Lake Chad Region, and Banki town, in Northeastern Nigeria, on the borders with Cameroon and Chad.  

The first ISWAP photo report shows in 17 photos Eid al-Fitr in the borders of the Buhaira area, Northern Nigeria, from the Lake Chad sub-province.

The official IS second 13 images photo report published shows Eid al-Fitr of the ISWAP sub-province in the borders of the Al-Farouq area, in the Timbuktu Triangle, Northeastern Nigeria, where through the observation of the material six different cells are likely appearing,  then,  the third 7 images photo report was referring to the ISWAP militants in the Kirenowa area, near Cameroon borders, Borno State, Nigeria. 

The fourth IS official photo report is composed of 6 footage showing the Eid al-Fitr celebration of ISWAP mujahideen in Sambisa, Nigeria,  where through the evidence collected, it has been observed three diverse cells, and the fifth ISWAP photo report, which shows 6 images of the Eid al-Fitr from Banki in Nigeria. 

 

As part of the IS official propagandistic materials, these  ISWAP Amaq News Agency photo reports consist of evidence of the West Africa Province's control over these areas, which the IS wilayah has already settled for several years by now through the establishment of IS administration systems in a few local government jurisdictions, despite the Nigerian Army and National Security Forces attempt and measures to counter response and secure the Northern area. 

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[1] the Timbuktu Triangle is a region characterized by bushes, deserted vegetation, tall grasses, and deserted open lands. It spans across four local government areas in Borno State (Damboa, Jere, Kaga, and Konduga) and one in Yobe (Gujba).