Research on
the Islamic State, Syria, and Iraq
by Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi
August 1–August 31, 2016
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Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, a
research fellow at the Middle East Forum's Jihad Intel project,
writes extensively about the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) and other
armed groups in Syria and Iraq. As his writings and translations tend to be
too detailed for a general readership, we periodically compile links and
summaries for those wishing to learn about the groundbreaking work of this
prolific researcher. For all writings by Jawad al-Tamimi, click here.
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Partisans
of the Shi'a Fawj al-Imam al-Hujja militia north of Aleppo.
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Liwa Sayf al-Mahdi: A Syrian Army Shi'i Militia (Aug.
6)
Syria Comment
Profile of the Syrian Shi'a militia Liwa Sayf al-Mahdi. Unlike other Syrian
Shi'a militias profiled by the author (e.g. Quwat al-Ridha and Liwa al-Imam al-Mahdi), Liwa Sayf al-Mahdi isn't
affiliated with Lebanese or Iraqi Shi'a groups. Rather, it was set up by
and works in conjunction with the elite Fourth Armored Division of the
Syrian Army. Its operations are focused mainly on maintaining security in
areas around the Sayyida Zainab shrine in suburban Damascus and protecting
regime-held petroleum facilities.
Syrian Hezbollah Militias of Nubl and Zahara' (Aug. 15)
Syria Comment
Overview of Syrian Shi'a militias based in the Shi'a towns of Nubl and
Zahara' north of the city of Aleppo. In addition to the previously-profiled
National Ideological Resistance, Quwat al-Ridha, and Local Defence Forces (LDF), Mr. Tamimi examines two in
detail, Junud al-Mahdi and Fawj al-Imam al-Hujja, both affiliated with the
Lebanese Shi'a Hezbollah movement. Hezbollah's youth wing, the Imam Mahdi
Scouts, has a notable presence in the area as well.
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In
his first recorded message, Abu Muhammad al-Jowlani said on July 28 that
Jabhat al-Nusra was splitting from al-Qaeda.
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Al-Qa'ida
Uncoupling: Jabhat al-Nusra's Rebranding as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (Aug.
22)
CTC Sentinel
The author examines the July 28 announcement by Jabhat al-Nusra that it was
dropping its affiliation with al-Qaeda and changing its name to Jabhat
Fateh al-Sham. He concludes that the "nominal decoupling" was in
fact approved by and coordinated with senior al-Qaeda leaders in an effort
to "unify Islamist efforts in Syria and to make it more difficult for
the United States and Russia to justify targeting the group." With
Nusra/Fateh al-Sham growing in popularity and other rebel groups welcoming
the announcement, "the move appears to have paid off so far."
'Stories
of the Mujahideen': Unseen Islamic State Biographies (Aug. 24)
Jihadology
Translations of entries in an Islamic state da'wa (religious
outreach) series, Qisas al-Mujahideen (Stories of the Mujahideen),
which is distributed on the ground in IS territories but not available
online. Published by Diwan al-Da'wa wa al-Masajid (the Da'wa and
Mosques Department), each is a biography of a jihadist figure, ranging from
well-known historical figures to commanders currently in ISIS and others
exemplifying the group's ideal. It includes some profiles of women, such as
Iman Mustafa al-Bagha, a professor of Islamic jurisprudence at the
University of Dammam in Saudi Arabia who resigned her post to join IS. A
separate Diwan al-Da'wa wa al-Masajid document translated by the
author indicates that IS soldiers are the primary audience for this series,
which is aimed at "strengthening the resolve of the mujahid as a
soldier of the Caliphate."
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Left:
A Fawj Maghawir al-Badiya office in Homs governorate. Right: Closer view
of the poster at left, featuring the group's emblem and its alternative
moniker (Kata'ib al-Sheikh Suleiman al-Shwakh).
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Fawj
Maghawir al-Badiya: A Syrian Military Intelligence Branch Militia (Aug.
30)
Syria Comment
Profile of Fawj Maghawir al-Badiya (The Desert Commandos Regiment),
a militia affiliated with Syrian Military Intelligence (Shu'abat
al-Mukhabarat al-Askariya). Like many other auxiliary militias created
by the regime, it attracts recruits by offering taswiyat al-wada'
("sorting out of affairs"), a kind of amnesty for those who have
dodged the draft. Although relatively small (its leader, Suleiman
al-Shwakh, told the author that just 25 of its fighters have become
"martyrs" since its founding last year), the militia earned
accolades for its role in the recapture of Palmyra from IS in March 2016.
Islamic
State Responds to the Killing of Adnani (Aug. 30)
The author examines the reaction of IS media outlets to the killing of
Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the group's official spokesman and (according to some
accounts) external operations chief, in a U.S. airstrike earlier in the
month. Most push back against the idea that Adnani's death will hurt IS.
Indeed, an article in the IS weekly Al-Naba' argues that his killing
will bolster the resolve of true "mujahideen."
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi is a
research fellow at Middle East Forum's Jihad Intel project.
Related
Topics: Iraq, Syria | Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi
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