This month’s In Focus analyzes the Islamic State shooting attack during Ashura Eve celebrations in a Shia mosque in Oman, marking the first officially claimed attack by the group in the country. The shooting incident joins recent attacks claimed by IS in Krasnogorsk, Istanbul, Kerman and Brussels, published by the group’s Amaq News Agency, as well as other attacks that appear to not have been uncoordinated with IS’ chain of command in Dagestan, Zurich, Belgrade and Beirut. These attacks reflect IS’ successful efforts to expand jihadi efforts toward new territories, as well as countries where the group is not conducting an active insurgency.
In the Sahel, the US completed their withdrawal from Air Base 101 in Niamey on July 7, 2024, pending their withdrawal from Air Base 201 in Agadez, scheduled for mid-September. Amid this development and following the July 2023 coup in Niger, jihadi attacks surged, especially by the IS affiliate in the Sahel. One of the group’s recent successful endeavors included their apparent involvement in the Koutoukale Prison break, where numerous jihadists were incarcerated. This attack replenishes IS ranks, and is also an important achievement for their “Breaking the Walls” (Hadm al-Aswar) prison break grand scheme.
The Al Qaeda-affiliated Jama’a Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin is exhibiting a significantly high frequency of attacks and overall operational activity. In July 2024, the group executed several prominent assaults in Mali, where they allied with the Azawad to target a joint convoy of Malian Armed Forces and Russian mercenaries near the Algerian border. JNIM units also claimed responsibility for new assaults in Togo and Benin, highlighting the group’s southward expansion and raising alarms regarding the increasing jihadi threat to the coastal nations of West Africa.
This month’s Who’s Who? analyzes a Facebook profile of an Islamic State supporter from Canada. The profile is extremely active, and posts mostly about the profile’s cultural heritage, occasionally mixing it with his support for IS. The investigation revealed numerous posts that disseminate, support and mimic IS propaganda.
This month’s Instant Messaging Applications analysis focuses on a phone number with a Netherlands country code that participates in and is also one of the admins of several IS-affiliated WhatsApp groups. A Canadian phone number was investigated as well, which participates in a radical WhatsApp group affiliated with Lebanese Hezbollah. These WhatsApp groups regularly disseminate updates and media material glorifying and/or promoting operations, individuals, and developments relevant to terrorist activities.
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