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Related Articles
Research
on the Islamic State, Syria, and Iraq
by Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi
June 1–July 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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Hadi
al-Adlah, a "martyr" of the Syrian Christian Quwat al-Ghadab
militia.
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The
Orlando Attacks: Islamic State Responsible (June 12)
Jihad Intel
A quick review of reaction from Arabic Islamic State-affiliated social
media outlets to the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, culminating in an
announcement by IS's Amaq News confirming that the attack "was
carried out by a fighter from the Islamic State."
Quwat
al-Ghadab: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia in Suqaylabiyah (July 3)
Syria Comment
Profile of Quwat al-Ghadab ("The Forces of Rage"), a pro-regime
Syrian militia based in the (Greek Orthodox) Christian town of
Suqaylabiyah in northwestern Hama province. Founded in 2013 and offering
recruits an alternative to compulsory military service and deployment away
from home, it functions as an auxiliary alongside the Syrian military and
pro-regime National Defence Forces (NDF) for defense of Christian areas
against rebel attacks.
"The
Dawla Has Arisen": Nasheed from Ajnad Media (July 3)
Translation of a musical chant (nasheed) released by the
Islamic State's Ajnad Media. Unlike most Islamic State nasheeds, which
use straightforward classical Arabic, this one uses Bedouin Arabic. Many
native Arabic speakers would find this nasheed "difficult to
understand," Tamimi notes.
Observations
on the New Islamic State Video 'Structure of the Caliphate' (July 6)
Mr. Tamimi discusses a new video released by Islamic State's al-Furqan
Media on the administrative divisions within group's so-called caliphate.
In total, IS counts 35 wilayas (provinces): 19 inside Iraq and Syria and
16 outside. IS hasn't added any new wilayas since the Caucasus a year
ago, suggesting that IS leaders feel wilaya announcements "lack
credibility without realisation of governance and administration on the
ground." Tunisia, Indonesia, Somalia and Bangladesh, countries where
IS has claimed operations, are not mentioned.
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Emblem
of Kata'ib al-Jabalawi.
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Kata'ib
al-Jabalawi: A Pro-Assad Militia from Homs (July 19)
Syria Comment
Profile of Kata'ib al-Jabalawi (Al-Jabalawi Brigades), one of several
pro-regime Syrian militias operating in and around Homs (others
previously profiled by Mr. Tamimi include Liwa Khaybar and the Leopards
of Homs). Mostly Alawite in composition, It is named after a
prominent Syrian commander and "martyr," Mazen Ali Ahmad
al-Jabalawi. Like the Leopards of Homs, it is affiliated with the Bustan
Association of Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of Syrian President Bashar Assad
Liwa
al-Imam al-Mahdi: A Syrian Hezbollah Formation (July 23)
Syria Comment
Profile of a pro-regime Syrian Shi'a militia set up two years ago by the
Lebanese Shi'a Hezbollah movement. The commander of the militia's Imam
Ali Battalion, Al-Hajj Waleed, told the author that the militia has
suffered a total of 25 dead and 55 wounded fighting on fronts in Deraa,
Quneitra, Ghouta, Aleppo and the Ithiriya-Raqqa route. Tamimi notes that
the creation of this relatively small militia among others similar in
composition and affiliation (others profiled by the author include Quwat
al-Ridha in Homs, the National
Ideological Resistance in the Tartous/Masyaf area, the Ja'afari
Force around Damascus, and al-Ghalibun)
reflects Hezbollah's strategy of using "multiple formations and brands,"
rather than one single Syrian affiliate.
What
Does Jabhat al-Nusra's Break with Al-Qaeda Mean? (July 28)
Jihad Intel
The author discusses the July 28 announcement by the leader of Syria's
al-Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, that his group was splitting from
al-Qaeda and henceforth calling itself Jabhat Fatah al-Sham [Front for
the Conquest of Syria]. The author suggests that the "split"
likely reflects an al-Qaeda strategy of integrating its affiliate more
deeply into the Syrian environment and protecting it from Western
airstrikes.
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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