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October 23, 2021 Special Announcements No. 1118

Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Weekly: October 16 – 23, 2021

October 23, 2021
Special Announcements No. 1118

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.)

Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to media@memri.org. Please include your name, title, and organization in your email.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Jihadis Celebrate Death Of Former U.S. Secretary Of State Colin Powell, Accuse Him Of Destroying Iraq, Killing Hundreds Of Thousands Of Muslims

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

On October 18, 2021, General Colin Powell (84), who was undergoing treatment for blood cancer, died from complications of COVID-19. Powell served as chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff during the First Iraq War in the 1990s and was Secretary of State under President George W. Bush during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Article In Al-Qaeda Magazine Compares Afghan Taliban's Victory Over America With Muhammad's Victory Of Mecca, Says: 'The Unbelievers Of The World Jews And Christians Cannot Be Pleased With Us

Celebrating the Afghan Taliban's seizure of power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, and defeat of America, an Al-Qaeda forum released an article titled "Clear Victory And Our Responsibility."

 

EXCLUSIVE: Taliban Interior Minister Praises Suicide Attackers And Distributes Gifts To Their Families

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

On October 18, 2021, Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani met with the families of the organization's operatives who perpetrated suicide attacks.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Jihadis Celebrate Taliban Visit To Turkey: Ankara Finally Recognizes Its Need For A Sunni Strategic Ally

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

On October 14, 2021, jihadi clerics marked the visit of a high-level delegation of Afghanistan's interim Taliban government to Turkey, suggesting that the visit is a step in the right direction to build a constructive relationship between the two sides.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Attack On Al-Tanf Base By Resistance Axis Forces – A Turning Point In Axis Efforts To Expel U.S. Troops From Syria

On October 20, 2021, an attack was carried out against the U.S. military base in Al-Tanf, on the Syrian-Jordanian-Iraqi border, which marks an escalation in operations against the U.S. forces in Syria.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Syrian Opposition Websites: Iranian-Backed Militias Add Reinforcements, Aim Rocket-Launchers At Al-Omar Oilfield Where U.S. Forces Are Stationed

In mid-October 2021, several Syrian opposition websites reported that the Iranian-backed militias stationed in eastern Syria had augmented their forces and positioned rocket launchers facing the territory controlled by forces of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Qasyoun Companies Claim Responsibility For IED Attack On Syrian Military Bus In Damascus

On October 20, 2021, a Syrian rebel group which operates in areas controlled by the Assad regime, claimed responsibility for an IED attack on a Syrian military bus in Damascus that took place earlier that day.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Pro-Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Video Aims To Prove Preparedness Of Idlib Enclave In Syria For Anticipated Regime And Russian Attack

On October 18, 2021, a pro-HTS media outlet released a video titled, "The Battle of Steadfastness." The video focuses on the Russian forces involved in the fighting in Syria and stresses the heightened military preparedness of the rebel forces in the Idlib enclave in the event of an attack by the regime forces and their Russian allies.

 

Islamic State (ISIS) Somalia Province Claims Five Policemen Killed Or Wounded In IED Attack In Mogadishu

On October 14, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed that the Islamic State Somalia Province carried out an IED attack on a police vehicle in Mogadishu, causing five casualties among policemen.

 

In Second Attack On Afghan Shi'ites, ISKP Claims 'Double Martyrdom Operation' Against Shi'ite Mosque In 'Taliban Stronghold' Kandahar

On October 15, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) released a statement claiming dozens of casualties among Shi'ites in a "double martyrdom operation" against a Shi'ite mosque in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.

 

ISIS Escalates Attacks On Christian Villages In DRC And Nigeria

On October 12, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed that its operatives raided two Christian villages in the Beni region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) killing nine Christians and torching their houses.

 

ISIS Claims Two Attacks In Nigeria, Releases Photos Of Seized Weapons, Vehicles

On October 19, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) published a statement claiming that its operatives in West Africa raided a military base housing joint forces of the Nigerian and Cameroonian armies in Borno State, Nigeria.

 

ISIS Claims Killing Of Second 'Polytheist Hindu' In Kashmir In Two Weeks, While Pro-ISIS Media Outlets Ridicule Jihadis Who Call For Boycott Of India Instead Of Violence

On October 16, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed its operatives killed a "polytheist Hindu" in Kashmir – the second such attack on Kashmiri Hindus claimed by the group in the past two weeks.

 

Islamic State (ISIS) Photos Show Fighters Graduating From Military Training Camp In Libya

On October 18, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) released a series of photos from its Libya Province documenting fighters' training activities.

 

ISIS Weekly Confirms Death Of 'Adnan Abu Al-Walid Al-Sahrawi, Leader Of Islamic State In The Greater Sahara (ISGS)

On October 14, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) released its weekly, Al-Naba', which included the second part of an interview with 'Adnan Abu Al-Walid Al-Sahrawi, leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), who was announced dead by French authorities on September 15, 2021.

 

Slain Islamic State Greater Sahara (ISGS) Commander Abu Al-Walid Al-Sahrawi Accused West African Governments And Al-Qaeda Of Exploiting Ethnic Tensions To Advance Their Agendas

On October 14, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) released its weekly newspaper, Al-Naba', which included the second part of an interview with 'Adnan Abu Al-Walid Al-Sahrawi, the slain leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), in which he accused the governments of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, as well as Al-Qaeda, of exploiting ethnic tensions between tribes to advance their agendas in the region.

 

ISIS Editorial Lashes Out At Al-Qaeda, The Taliban, And The Muslim Brotherhood For Condemning ISIS Attacks Against Shi'ites, Vows Attacks Will Continue

On October 14, 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) released its weekly, Al-Naba', which included an editorial lashing out at Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) for condemning ISIS attacks against Shi'ites, accusing the other groups of deviating from Islamic creed, and vowing to continue attacking Shi'ites on all fronts.

 

ISIS Weekly Focuses On Suicide Bombing Targeting Shi'ite Hazaras In Afghanistan, Includes Infographic Justifying Attacks On Hazaras

An issue of Al-Naba', the official weekly magazine published by the Islamic State (ISIS), focused on the recent Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) suicide bombing at a Shi'ite mosque in Afghanistan, which killed or wounded more than 100 members of the Hazara ethnic group during Friday prayers.


 

ISIS Supporters Celebrate Norway Bow-And-Arrow Attack, Speculate Perpetrator Is ISIS Operative

On October 14, 2021, Islamic State (ISIS) supporters rejoiced at the bow-and-arrow attack carried out the previous day in Kongsberg, Norway, which killed five people.

 

Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Outlets Seek Media Operatives

Over the past few days, several pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media groups published content urging supporters to join their media operations.

 

Essay By Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Group Urges Media Operatives To Focus On Promotion Of Ideology, Treat Muslims Who Do Not Support ISIS Kindly

On October 9, 2021, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) outlet published a two-page essay urging ISIS supporters to focus their "media jihad" efforts on spreading ISIS ideology and to exhibit understanding and patience toward Muslims who do not support the organization.

 

British Pro-ISIS Preacher Rejects Media Report Tying Him To Suspect In Murder Of MP, Accuses UK Of Oppressing Muslims With 'Draconian Laws'

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

On October 15, 2021, David Amess, a Member of Parliament belonging to the UK's Conservative Party, was stabbed to death while meeting with constituents in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Ali Harbi Ali, a 25-year-old from London, born to Somali parents, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murdering Amess.

 

British Pro-ISIS Preacher Organizes Social Media Campaign To Call For Release Of Imprisoned Moroccan-Belgian Jihadi Cleric

In an October 17, 2021 Telegram post, a British pro-Islamic State (ISIS) preacher implored "all Muslims" to join a social media campaign calling for the immediate release of jihadi cleric Fouad "Abu Imran" Belkacem from a Belgian prison.

 

Pro-ISIS British Preacher: Implementing The Caliphate Is The Fundamental Duty Of Every Muslim

On October 19, 2021, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) British preacher published an article in Arabic on his Telegram channel in which he argued that establishing a governing system that abides by Islamic shari'a is the fundamental duty of every Muslim.

 

Pro-ISIS Telegram Channel Publishes Poster Advocating Violence Against 'Polytheists,' Glorifies Perpetrators Of Recent Attacks On Afghan Shi'ites

On October 19, 2021, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Telegram channel published a poster in Arabic, English, and Urdu, depicting the perpetrators of recent ISIS attacks targeting Afghan Shi'ites.

 

Pro-ISIS Outlet Recounts Biography Of ISIS's Infamous Executioner 'Jihadi John'

On October 16, 2021, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media outlet published a series of posters which included a brief biography of infamous slain ISIS fighter and media operative Mohammed Emwazi, a.k.a. Abu Muharib Al-Muhajir or Jihadi John.

 

Prominent Female ISIS Supporter Praises ISIS For Defending Muslims By Targeting Hindus In Kashmir

On October 20, 2021, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Telegram channel published a short essay by a prominent pro-ISIS writer in which she commented on news reports that Hindus are fleeing Indian-controlled Kashmir due to an uptick in jihadi attacks.

 

ISIS Essay In French Addresses Judge Presiding Over Trial Of 2015 Paris Attack Perpetrators, Praises Surviving Terrorist Abdeslam: The Attacks Were Justified Revenge Against Anti-ISIS Coalition

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

On October 10, 2021, the Islamic State's (ISIS) An-Nur Media Center released a three-page essay in French titled "To Mr. Jean-Pierre Périès, President of the [Special Criminal Assize] Court, [and] to All French People."

 

Family Of French Jihadi Omar Omsen Releases Statement Saying He Is On Hunger Strike Over Prolonged Detainment By Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS)

On October 18, 2021, the family of French Jihadi Omar Omsen released a statement saying he is on a hunger strike in protest over his now 14-month detainment by Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).

 

Al-Qaeda (AQ) Somali Affiliate Al-Shabab Claims 15 Kenyan Soldiers Killed In IED Attack In Kenya, And Attacks Against African And Government Forces In Somalia

On October 17, 2021, the media outlet of the Somalia-based organizational-Qaeda affiliate Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab) reported that Al-Shabab operatives in Kenya detonated an IED on a foot patrol in Kenya, in which several Kenyan soldiers were killed or wounded.

 

New Pro-Al-Qaeda (AQ) Website Includes Archival Material From Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri

During September and October 2021, Al-Qaeda (AQ) supporters on social media promoted a recently-launched pro-AQ website.

 

Syrian Jihadi Group Denies Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Claim Of Arresting Official; Al-Qaeda Supporters Call HTS 'Guard Dogs Of The Secular Turkish Army'

On October 14, 2021, the General Security Service (GSS), which is linked to Syrian jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), issued a statement announcing that it had apprehended an official belonging to a Syria-based jihadi group.

 

Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Media Affiliate Circulates Text Of Decree Issued By Syrian Salvation Government To Establish Military College

On October 20, 2021, a pro-Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Telegram channel circulated a decree issued by the HTS-backed Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) in Idlib, which calls for establishing a military college.


Allies of Syria Operations Room: The Response To The Attack On Our Positions In Palmyra Will Be Very Harsh; The Planes Flew Through Airspace Above Jordan And Al-Tanf

On October 13, 2021, the Syrian government news agency reported that Israel's Air Force planes attacked south of the city of Palmyra in the Homs Governorate in Syria. The Syrian opposition website, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that four people were killed in the attack.

 

Pro-Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Jihadi Clerics Condemn Attacks On Turkish Forces In Idlib, Equate Them With ISIS Attacks In Afghanistan

Jihadi clerics who support Syrian jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) wrote Telegram posts condemning attacks which target Turkish forces in Syria's Idlib area and equating them with Islamic State (ISIS) attacks in Afghanistan.

 

Jihadi Trainer Condemns Targeting Of Turkish Forces In Syria: No Muslim Would Approve Your Attacks

On October 15, 2021, a Syrian jihadi military trainer and writer wrote a Telegram post condemning the land mine attack that targeted a Turkish military convoy, on the same day in Syria's Idlib.

 

 

Iran-Backed Shi'ite Militias In Iraq Accuse Jordan, UAE, UN Of Tampering With Election Results, Threaten To Kill Electoral Commission Staff

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

On October 18, 2021, the Coordinating Body of the Iraqi Resistance, a joint organ of Iran-backed Shi'ite militias, issued a statement commenting on the results of the Iraqi parliamentary elections, which witnessed a significant drop in the number of seats won by parties that represent these militias, and urging supporters to demonstrate "peacefully" against of the results.

 

Enraged By Results Of Iraqi Elections, Iran-Backed Militias Release Poster Demonizing UN Special Representative To Iraq

On October 15, 2021, a Telegram channel affiliated with Iran-backed militias in Iraq released a poster depicting Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, as the horror movie character "Chucky."

 

Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias Escalate Struggle Against Election Results, Call For Prosecution Of PM, Incite Against Electoral Commission, UN Representative, And UAE

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

On October 17, 2021, the Independent High Electoral Commission in Iraq published the final results of the parliamentary elections which were held on October 10, 2021. The results show that Muqtada Al-Sadr's Alliance Toward Reforms party is the largest, with 73 of the 329 seats, while with 47 seats, the Progress Party of the Speaker of Parliament, Muhammad Al-Halbousi, is the second largest.

 

Commander Of Iran-Backed Iraqi Shi'ite Militia In Response to Islamic State (ISIS) Attacks On Afghan Mosques: Afghan Shi'ites Should Consider Establishing An Afghan PMU

During the first two weeks of October 2021, the Islamic State (ISIS) carried out two suicide attacks at Shi'ite mosques in Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of dozens of worshippers.

 

Telegram Channel Affiliated With Iran-Backed Shi'ite Militias In Iraq Publishes Statement Praising Protests Of Election Results, Demanding Trial And Punishment Of Electoral Commission Officials

On October 20, 2021, a Telegram channel affiliated with Iran-backed Shi'ite militias in Iraq published a statement praising the protesters who took to the streets of Iraq to reject the results of the elections and demand that the officials of Iraq's electoral commission be tried and punished.

 

During Week Ending October 17, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Carried Out Ambush, IED, And Sniper Attacks, Killing Five Pakistani Soldiers

This report reviews details of attacks claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during the week ending in October 17, 2021.

 

Little-Known Terror Group In Kashmir Valley Claims Responsibility For Killings Of Non-Kashmiri Migrant Laborers

A little-known terror group that has been active in Kashmir Valley over the past year has claimed responsibility for a series of targeted killings of non-Kashmiri laborers working in the region recently, according to an Indian website.

 

During Week Ending October 9, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Attacked Targets Including Peshawar's Badaber Police Station, Which Pakistan Air Force Uses

This report will review the details of attacks claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during the week ending October 9, 2021.

 

Jihadi Group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Pays Tribute To Pakistan's Rogue Nuclear Scientist Dr. AQ Khan, Accuses Pakistani Military Of Torturing Him On Behalf Of 'Unbelievers'

The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) released a statement expressing grief over the death of Pakistan's rogue nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and concern that the controversial father of Pakistan's nuclear program might have been assassinated.

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