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.)
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The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On March 25, 2020, a Syrian opposition website known for leaking intelligence documents claimed that Hizbullah in Lebanon has established a dozen military bases south of the Syrian capital, Damascus, including a drone base.
The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating terror-related activity/sympathies.
Platform: Twitter
On March 23, 2020, Salafi-Jihadi ideologue Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi published an opinion piece on his Telegram Channel in which he discusses the coronavirus epidemic and its "hidden benefits" to Muslim societies, arguing that it has advanced the jihadist discourse in many ways.
The latest issue of Nawa-i-Afghan Jihad (the Voice of Afghan Jihad) – an Urdu-language jihadi magazine under the editorial control of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) – has an article by Al-Qaeda leader Sheikh Ayman Al-Zawahiri titled: "Who Will Take Revenge For Dr. Aafia?"
The March 2020 issue of Nawa-i-Afghan Jihad (the Voice of Afghan Jihad) – an Urdu-language jihadi magazine that Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) took over in 2019 – is devoted to the Afghan Taliban's "victory" over the U.S.
Pro Al-Qaeda Outlet Urges Muslims In India To Join Jihad In Response To Hindu Nationalist Violence
On March 21, 2020, a pro-Al-Qaeda media outlet affiliated with the Kashmiri-based Al-Qaeda group Ansar Ghazwat Al-Hind (AGH), released a "statement of condolences and incitement."
Al-Qaeda Affiliate In The Sahel Claims Attack On Malian Military Base
On March 21, 2020, the official media outlet of the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the Sahel region, released a statement claiming responsibility for a recent attack on a Malian military base.
On March 19, 2020, a rocket attack southwest of Idlib, killed two Turkish soldiers and wounded a third. Turkey's Defense Ministry blames the attack on "radical groups."
Pro-Al-Qaeda News Outlet Releases 'Version 1.2' App Update
On March 20, 2020, a pro-Al-Qaeda media outlet announced on Telegram a new update to its Android app.
On March 20, 2020 and March 21, 2020, a pro-Al-Qaeda media outlet published messages on its channel stating that it is actively seeking new recruits to join its team.
The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating terror-related activity / sympathies.
Platform: Facebook
ISIS Claims Rocket Attack On Bagram Air Base
On March 21, 2020, the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.
ISIS Claims Deadly Attack On Sikh Center In Kabul
On March 25, 2020, the Islamic State (ISIS) Khurasan province claimed responsibility for an attack on a Sikh place of worship in Kabul, Afghanistan.
ISIS Escalates Attacks In Northern Sinai Town Of Bir Al-Abd
In recent days, the situation in Bir Al-Abd has escalated as the Islamic State (ISIS) Sinai Province intensifies its attacks in and around the town in the northern Sinai Governorate.
ISIS Claims Killing Dozens Of Soldiers, Policemen In Attacks On Five Military Sites In Mozambique
On March 24, 2020, the Islamic State (ISIS) in Central Africa released a statement claiming that its fighters killed dozens of soldiers and policemen and injured others in attacks on five military sites in the town of Mocimboa da Praia, in Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique.
ISIS's West Africa Province Claims Killing Over 100 Soldiers In Clashes In Northeast Nigeria
On March 25, 2020, the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for killing more than 100 Nigerian soldiers and wounding others in clashes in north-eastern Nigeria.
On March 23, 2020, a pro-Islamic State media group released a poster showing Coronavirus attacking some Western countries, including the United States, Italy, Spain, and China.
On March 17, 2020, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization), tweeted pictures of Taliban fighters undergoing training somewhere in Afghanistan.
On March 19, 2020, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization) released a statement regarding the mistreatment of Afghan refugees in Iran amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Afghan Website: Explosives-Laden Humvee Explodes Prematurely, Four Taliban Fighters Killed
On March 24, 2020, Afghan media reported that an explosive-laden Humvee armored carrier exploded prematurely killing at least four Taliban fighters.
On March 18, 2020, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization) issued a statement regarding the spread of coronavirus in Afghanistan.
On March 22, 2020, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization) released a statement saying that Allah has shown his power through the coronavirus.
