The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to jttmsubs@memri.org with "Membership" in the subject line.)
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On March 12, 2023, Al-Sahab Foundation, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's central command, published a 14-page Arabic-language essay titled "The Symbol – Between Religion and Man," discussing the unique traits of important figures in Islam and their influence on the believers.
Amid the growing internal rifts in the Taliban government in Afghanistan, the recent killing of the head of the Bamyan Nuclear Energy Department has drawn attention to the Taliban's ongoing push for a nuclear energy program. According to a Dari-language report published by Afghan daily Etilaat Roz, which did not name the slain official, another employee of the department was wounded in the fighting among the Taliban officials in Bamyan province.
On March 8, 2023, Al-Kataib, the media arm of the Somalia-based Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Shabab, released a 15-minute 55-second Somali-language video documenting the group's March 7 attack on a military base of Somali Special Forces and government-affiliated militias in southern Somalia's Juba State.
On March 9, 2023, an English-language Telegram channel associated with a U.S.-based pro-ISIS preacher shared the Italian translation of an eight-minute video of a lecture by the preacher.
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On March 12, 2023, the pro-ISIS Al-'Adiyat Foundation released a poster in Arabic, English, and French versions titled "We Say to the Swedish Effeminate Taghut [Un-Islamic Ruler]," showing an ISIS fighter brandishing a knife, along with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and Danish-Swedish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
In an unexpected move on March 10, 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran declared that they had reached an agreement to renew relations after a seven-year hiatus. Through Chinese mediation, the two countries agreed to reopen their respective embassies within two months, and to reactivate past Saudi-Iran agreements, among them a 2001 security cooperation agreement. Over the following days, various jihadi groups and clerics around the Middle East reacted to the development. Below is a review of their commentaries.
ISIS Weekly Editorial Criticizes International Humanitarian Response To Turkey-Syria Earthquake
On March 9, 2023, ISIS released issue 381 of its weekly newsletter, Al-Naba'. The issue's feature article, titled "The People of Syria and the Betrayal of the World," lambasted the international humanitarian response to the February 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake.
WARNING – GRAPHIC: Islamic State Iraq Province Beheads Iraqi Security Forces Member Near Kirkuk
On March 10, 2023, Islamic State Iraq Province issued a claim of responsibility for the execution of a member of the Iraqi security forces the previous day. Two days later, on March 12, the group released graphic photos of the man being beheaded.
Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) Claims Killing 35 Christians In Eastern DRC
On March 10, ISIS claimed that on March 8, fighters from its Central Africa Province attacked a Christian village in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In the attack, at least 35 Christians were reportedly killed, and others injured.
On March 14, 2023 ISIS published a claim stating that on March 13, members of Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) killed at least 30 Christians in the eastern Beni region of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
ISIS Claims Deaths Of Dozens Of Christians In Wave Of Attacks In Eastern DRC
On March 14, 2023, ISIS 'Amaq News Agency published a claim of responsibility for the deaths of approximately 65 Christians in a series of "consecutive and wide-ranging" attacks that it reportedly perpetrated in the several days prior to that date against Christian villages in the Beni Territory of North Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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On March 12, 2023, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for the detonation of an IED in a Shi'ite center in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh Province in northern Afghanistan.
The cover article in Issue 23 of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) which defines itself as a supporting entity for ISIS, claims that ISIS set off explosives in Indian cities of Coimbatore and Mangalore in October and November of 2022.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
Issue 23 of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by Al-Azaim Media Foundation, a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for ISIS, warns of attacks in India, advances the view that jihadis engaged in media war are spokesmen of Islam, and ridicules the American superpower for being scared of balloons, among other such articles promoting jihad.
A lead article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by Al-Azaim Media Foundation, a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for ISIS, accuses Pakistan's Islamic religious scholars like Maulana Fazlur Rahman of: allying with the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI); creating jihadi groups for fighting in Kashmir, handing over jihadi fighters to the U.S.; and participating in institutions of unbelief such as Parliament and democracy.
On March 9, 2023, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for a "martyrdom" attack that same day that killed the Afghan Taliban governor of the Balkh province inside his office. In a statement, ISIS's Amaq News Agency reported that the Taliban official was killed in "a qualitative strike" carried out by an ISKP operative. Amaq also released a photo of the ISKP fighter who carried out the attack.
On February 16, a newly created pro-ISIS Telegram channel announced that it will be sharing content in support of the group, including official and non-official content.
On March 14, 2023, a pro-ISIS media outlet which reports on the Indian Subcontinent released the second issue of its English-language magazine. The issue's feature article, titled "The Collaborators," condemned "so-called Muslim leaders" in India who promote democracy, secularism, and religious coexistence.
Australian Pro-ISIS Cleric Argues LGBTQ+ Movement Meets Criteria For Terrorist Movement
On March 15, 2023, an Australian pro-ISIS preacher published a post on his Telegram channel inciting violence against the LGBTQ+ community, describing the movement as "terrorist."
Pro-ISIS Telegram Channel Urges Supporters To Take Precautions When Using Phones, Social Media
A pro-ISIS Telegram channel has urged its members to take certain precautions while using social media accounts, citing the case of a supporter who was recently arrested after failing to exercise caution while using her phone.
On March 14, 2023, the Shahada News Agency, the official media outlet of the Somalia-based Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabab group, reported that Al-Shabab fighters carried out a "martyrdom operation" in southwestern Somalia, targeting the meeting place of senior officials and officers of the Somali government who were planning to launch a campaign targeting the areas controlled by Al-Shabab in Somalia.
Over the past days, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab) claimed responsibility for several attacks on Somali forces and pro-Somali government militias. Statements issued by the group's official media further claimed that fighters carried out an execution in a public square and assassinated a senior Somali security officer.
Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims Attacks Against Troops In Burkina Faso
On March 15, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM) claimed a pair of attacks against Burkinabe troops via Al-Zallaqa, its official news agency.
Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims IED Attack In Mali, Releases Photo Of 'Damaged' Army Vehicle
On March 12, 2023, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM) claimed responsibility for an attack on the Malian military that took place few days earlier.
Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims Capturing Dozens Of Weapons In First Attack In Niger In 2023
On March 10, 2023, Al-Zallaqa, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (Group for Support of Islam and Muslims — GSIM), released a claim of responsibility for a March 5 attack on a Nigerien army barracks in Niger's Torodi region, near the Burkina Faso border.
Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Claims Six Attacks On Malian And Burkinabe Armed Forces
Al-Zallaqa, the media arm of the Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (Group for Support of Islam and Muslims — GSIM), released several statements claiming responsibility for multiple attacks against Malian and Burkinabe armed forces between 26 February and March 8, 2023.
On March 10, 2023, a pro-Al-Qaeda outlet published an essay in Arabic, French, and English versions titled "Killing Leaders and How to Deal with the Event."
On March 14, 2023, Al-Sahab, Al-Qaeda's official media outlet, published an 18-page essay attacking Egyptian TV host Ibrahim Eissa for openly promoting gay rights in a TV show.
Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Praises Sacrifices, Reiterates Promises After 12 Years Of War In Syria
An official statement from the Syrian jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) has been released, commemorating the sacrifices of the Syrian people on the 12th anniversary of the Syrian revolution and reiterating the group's commitment to regime change.
On March 14, 2023, a U.S.-born jihadi journalist published an English-language article his website which accused Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) of allying with Turkey to persecute foreign fighters in Syria.
Syrian Kurdish Jihadi Group Ansar Al-Islam Releases Infographic Tallying Sniper Operations In 2023
On March 8, 2023, Ansar Al-Islam, a Kurdish jihadi group that is active in Syria, released an infographic detailing the group's sniper attacks during the first quarter of 2023.
On March 13, 2023, the UK-based Hizb ut-Tahrir released a statement blaming the government of Bangladesh for the recent fire that broke out in a crowded Cox's Bazaar Rohingya refugee camp in southeastern Bangladesh as well as the acts of arson affecting the Muslim Ahmadiyya community in the country's northern region of Panchagarh.
In a meeting with human resource directors of various government departments and ministries in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Afghan Taliban emir Mullah Hibbatullah Akhundzada has instructed the Taliban mujahideen to prepare to take the jihad outside Afghanistan's borders, a Dari-language report, titled "Hibbatullah Is Committed To Global Jihad, Taliban Are Preparing For War Beyond [Afghanistan's] Border," published by an Afghan daily has claimed.
Ethnic rifts are opening in the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, i.e., the Afghan Taliban) as some Taliban leaders have started publicly criticizing the top leadership for favoring Pashtuns in appointments to government positions. Recently, Maulvi Abdul Qadeer Muradi, the attorney general of Balkh province, criticized the Taliban leadership, especially naming IEA emir Mullah Hibbatullah Akhundzada. Muradi has since been fired and put under house arrest.
