In this month’s In Focus, we examine the Sahel region, which has experienced major changes since French forces ended their presence in Burkina Faso, holding a flag lowering ceremony on February 19, 2023. On March 3, 2023, the Az-Zallaqa Media Foundation released the “Harvest” (summary) of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen’s jihadi operations throughout the Muslim month of Rajab 1444 (January 23 – February 22, 2023.) According to the infographic, JNIM claimed its Mujahideen carried out over 20 attacks in one month. Notably, this was twice the average number of attacks perpetrated in November and December 2022, which totaled about nine attacks per month. While most of the attacks targeted the Malian Armed Forces, JNIM has also expanded its operations against the Burkinabe Defense and Security Forces, in Burkina Faso territory.
In Afghanistan, since September 2022, the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province has ramped up its anti-China sentiment in its propaganda activities, with increased threats against Chinese targets, while at the same time, it has escalated its rhetoric to appeal to Uyghur Muslims by condemning Chinese policy in Xinjiang. Less than a week after Taliban and Chinese representatives announced the Islamic Emirate’s first major energy extraction agreement with the Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Company to drill for oil in the Amu Darya basin, on January 11, 2023, ISKP claimed responsibility for a PBIED attack against the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul. Ten days earlier, another deadly suicide bombing at Kabul Airport was claimed by the group. The blast reportedly took place as a Chinese delegation was meeting with Taliban officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In February 2023, the ISKP-linked Al-Azaim Media published additional Uyghur-focused propaganda in languages Uyghur communities are familiar with.
In Yemen, on January 14, 2023, a 17-minute videotaped speech was released by the official Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Al-Malahem media channel, featuring AQAP Emir Khalid Batarfi. The Emir blamed the alliance between the USA, the Jews, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the dire situation in Yemen, stating their efforts to disharmonize the relationship between AQAP and the Shabwah and Abyan tribes had all failed. Another video, a rare 11-minute video published by Al-Malahem on February 13, 2023, featured high-ranking AQAP commander Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki urging the tribes in Shabwah and Abyan to aid AQAP in their fight, stating it is the obligation of all Muslims, not just AQ. Recently, two high profile AQAP members were eliminated in alleged US airstrikes.
This month’s Who’s Who? features a Facebook profile by the name of “Abu Shuhada,” active since October 2022. Abu Shuhada uses Filipino and Ilocano, two languages spoken in the Philippines, and throughout his profile, he demonstrates a clear and distinct support for IS, especially the Islamic State in East Asia. He recently added the word “Ghareeb” to his profile name (in brackets,) which together with posts he published, indicates his willingness to perform hijra and migrate, possibly to Mozambique or some other active jihadi arena in Africa.
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