Research
on the Islamic State, Syria, and Iraq
by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
November 1–December 31, 2015
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This
pamphlet from the Da'wa and Guidance Office of Syrian Al-Qaeda
affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, translated by
Jawad al-Tamimi, contrasts notably with Islamic State materials.
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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.
Articles
Is Assad's
Russian-Backed Offensive in Syria Paying Off? (Nov. 11)
Syria Deeply
A short op-ed arguing that on-the-ground results of Russia's military
intervention "do not show the sweeping victories [Syrian President
Bashar] Assad and his backers hoped for."
The
Paris Attacks Reflect Intelligence Failure, Not Change in ISIS Strategy
(Nov. 20)
The Huffington Post
Jawad al-Tamimi disputes the claim that the November 13 Paris terror
attacks were a desperate response to military defeats in Iraq and Syria.
He notes that these attack "required planning and procurement of
provisions predating ISIS's latest setbacks." In any case, he adds,
these setbacks "do not represent a decisive shift away" from
the stalemate in Syria and Iraq.
The
Islamic State 'Master Plan' of Administration: Some Analytical Notes
(Dec. 7)
The author discusses the degree to which the Islamic State's
administrative master plan, which he translated
for the Guardian newspaper on December 7, is being implemented on
the ground. In particular, he cites evidence that the document's call for
IS battalions organized around single ethnicities to be folded into
integrated military units is being implemented.
Naming
the Islamic State (Dec. 9)
The author discusses various aspects of the Islamic State's internal
nomenclature and historiography, highlighting apparent inconsistencies as
to when its "Caliphate" officially came into being.
Quwat
al-Jalil: A Pro-Assad Palestinian Syrian Militia (Dec. 23)
Syria Comment
Jawad al-Tamimi examines Quwat al-Jalil, a Palestinian militia fighting
with pro-regime forces in Syria (See here for the
author's profiles of two other pro-regime Palestinian Syrian militias:
Liwa al-Quds in Aleppo province and Jaysh al-Tahrir al-Falastini in the
Damascus area). Unlike other Palestinian militias, Quwat al-Jalil claims
to have operated on fronts throughout Syria.
Guide
to Islamic State Document Hoaxes (Dec. 24)
Jihad Intel
The author notes recent cases in which forged Islamic State documents
have gained widespread traction in outside media reporting and explains
how to tell the real from the fake. Most of the forgeries, examples of
which are displayed in the article, are poorly produced. "Unlike,
say, the realms of sports and Nazi memorabilia, the fakers of Islamic
State documents generally do a bad job of trying to convey
authenticity."
Translations
Hallili
Samar al-Hirab: New Nasheed from the Islamic State (Nov. 28)
Translation of a musical chant (nasheed) released by the
Islamic State's Ajnad Media. Excerpt: "Rain down on them, drive them
with tribulations and devastation ... Pour the molten metal with
calamities and punishment / And thrust the sharp swords into the foreparts
of the head and the necks."
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"Principles
in the Administration of the Islamic State"
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Principles
in the Administration of the Islamic State: Full Text and Translation
(Dec. 7)
The Guardian
The author's translation of a 24-page IS document outlines principles for
governing territory under its control, bolstering its military strength,
and building a viable state. Topics include healthcare, education,
commerce, and combatant training.
A
Complete History of Jamaat Ansar al-Islam – Translation (Dec. 15)
Translation of a lengthy history of Jamaat Ansar al-Islam, a jihadi
group of Iraqi origin that expanded into Syria after the onset of its
civil war, published by Abu al-Waleed al-Salafi line-by-line on Twitter
in November. See here
for Jawad al-Tamimi's early 2014 general overview of the group, here
for his account of its Iraq branch's decline due to defections to IS
through summer 2014, and here
on false claims of the dissolution of the group's Syrian branch in early
2015.
'Until Our
Hearts Submit To The Shari'a': Da'wa Pamphlet from Jabhat al-Nusra
(Dec. 21)
Jihadology
Translation of a da'wa [religious outreach] pamphlet by the Maktab
al-Da'wa wa al-Irshad (Da'wa and Guidance Office) of Jabhat al-Nusra,
the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda. In contrast to Islamic State da'wa
materials, the author notes, this pamphlet advocates "a more
gradualist approach to implementing Islamic law in society, with the
title emphasizing the need for people's hearts to submit willingly to the
Shari'a." He also notes that the pamphlet reserves the application
of hudud (harsh punishments, like cutting off the hand for thieves
and executing adulterers) to rare and exceptional cases, "an
implicit contrast" with the Islamic State's widespread displays of hudud
punishments in its propaganda.
Unseen
Islamic State Pamphlet on Slavery (Dec. 29)
Translation of an Islamic State pamphlet on slavery upon which Reuters
has previously
reported, but hitherto unavailable in English. The pamphlet, issued
by the Diwan al-'Iftaa wa al-Buhuth (Fatwa Issuing and Research
Department), outlines basic justifications for the practice of slavery in
areas under IS control, particularly regarding concubines.
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi is a
research fellow at the Middle East Forum's Jihad Intel project.
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