Photo Above: Islamic State Khurasan (ISK) Assault Team on Jalalabad Prison, Nangarhar, Afghanistan
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Bottom Line Up Front:.Islamic State built upon on the increased operational tempo initiated late last month during Eid al-Adha, claiming more attacks in all but three of their regions of operation during August 2020. Despite concerted counter-terror operations undertaken by the differing branches of the Iraqi security establishment, Islamic State cells claimed 100 attacks across the country, particularly in areas previously deemed liberated from their presence; 25% increase from the month before. The car bombing in Ramadi on 1 September may presage a new Islamic State campaign in the country's urban areas. Affiliates in Nigeria, Mozambique, Sinai and Afghanistan remain a dangerous threat to the militaries charged with dislodging them. Case in point, Islamic State Central Africa have managed to hold territory, Mocimboa da Praia Port, for the last three weeks; much longer than TRAC was anticipating. |
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Image Above: Image from Joe Bigg's defunct Instagram account.
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TRAC INSIGHT: Proud Boy Joe "Rambo" Biggs Telegram Account Reports "I'm Going to Portland, Armed. I'm Bringing Everything. This Is War." |
Joe "Rambo" Biggs is an ex-Infowars reporter, founder of Borderline Alternative Media (BAM), and a two-time Purple Heart combat veteran. Mr. Biggs, under the The Proud Boys group organized and oversaw the "End Domestic Terrorism" rally in Portland in August 2019. Given Biggs' past, the Telegram threat cannot be taken lightly. He is known to threaten protesters, especially those he considers ANTIFA / Anti-Fascist Action supporters, as well as police officers with physical harm. His old Instagram account was littered with images of his arms cache combined with his vast military combat experience; the context of "I'm bringing everything" and "This is War" should be taken to mean that he will be bringing not only the entirety of his weapons cache but also many of his followers. It is should be assumed that all will not only be armed but also that there will be an abundance of amateur videographers there to document whatever transpires. |
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(Video) Ansar Al-Sharia In Yemen (ASY): "Confessions Of The Enemy Of God The Spy Mazhar Al-Youssefi," Yemen |
On 26 August, a video from Ansar al-Sharia in Yemen (ASY) circulated on Telegram. The video is entitled: "Confessions of the enemy of God the spy Mazhar Al-Youssefi." The video references the AQAP crucifixion of Yemeni dentist, Dr. Mohammed al-Yousfi convicted by the ASY kangaroo court on the charges of espionage. Shortly after the execution photos circulated Telegram, on 25 August, ASY bombed the medical center in the Al-Sumaa area in the eastern part of Al-Bayda where Dr. Mazhar worked. ASY accused the hospital staff of providing Houthi security forces intelligence on AQAP locations for drone attacks. The video reconfirms the AQAP's recent round up and arrests of 'a spy network' in al-Bayda, Yemen. To date Ansar al-Sharia militants arrested/kidnapped 12 people accused of spying in Bayda.
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Image (above): The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid circulated the statement and Tweet via his social media accounts. The VBIED allegedly destroyed the compound building and caused many casualties.
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TRAC INCIDENT REPORT: Taliban/IEA VBIED and Assault Team Target Community Protection Compound in Gardez, Paktia, Afghanistan |
On 01 September at 05:00 am local time, a Taliban VBIED detonated outside the gate to a 'Convoys Protection Unit,' or operations unit facility in Gardez. A small assault team then stormed the compound, killing at least 3 members of the security forces. The attackers allegedly were also wearing suicide vests. Per the Taliban statement, the facility was destroyed and at least 74 soldiers killed - local officials claim that the militants were killed outside the base. The compound does appear to have been destroyed by the car bomb blast. The remaining Taliban/IEA prisoners are scheduled to be released this week, though a number of setbacks have delayed during the final hurdle for intra-Afghan negotiations to begin in Doha. Operations involving suicide bombers and assault teams are deemed legitimate responses to the 'illegitimate' Kabul regime's drone and air strikes on civilian positions, per Taliban statements. |
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TRAC INCIDENT REPORT: Houthi (Ansarallah) Military Operations Against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Islamic State in Yemen Discover Dozens & Dozens of Foreign Fighter Passports in Yakla District of Bayda, Yemen |
On 27 August 2020, the Houthi Movement released a video announcing a successful military campaign against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State in Yemen (ISY) in the Ould Rabi district in Al-Bayda governorate and the surrounding areas from 18 August 2020. A video regarding the campaign and subsequent videos were posted on a Houthi telegram channel. The operation reportedly saw many causalities, the destruction of more than a dozen camps, liberation of a thousand square kilometers, the seizure of large quantities of weapons, the discovery of hundreds of explosive belts and explosive devices. The videos also highlight footage of multiple different nationality passports that the Houthis retrieved. For Islamic State Yemen (ISY) they claimed victory as well on the same day as Ansarallah. |
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Images: Screenshot from one of the videos of troop movements and battle field operations, which included a rather large discovery of foreign national identification documents such as national ID cards and passports in Yakla District of Bayda.
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(Video) 2LT US Army Field Artillery Officer and TikTok Influencer, Relieved From Leadership After Posting Anti-Semitic Holocaust Joke From Fort Stewart, Georgia.
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TRAC's Weekly Analyst Review is a small curated list of many events.
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TRAC Weekly Analyst Briefing
As many of our clients know, we invite one organization a week to sit in on our Analyst Briefing. The briefings take place at 10 AM US eastern time and last an hour. We meet virtually in TRAC's online conference center.
If your organization is interested in attending, please schedule with the link below. We look forward to having you join us and ask questions.
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