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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At about 5 am local time on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a wide-scale military offensive against Ukraine after broadcasting a speech announcing a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "denazify" the neighboring country.
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On February 22, 2022, jihadi social media users continued to comment on the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, arguing that European countries such as Germany and France will not extend enough support to Ukraine to help it deter a Russian incursion, because they share economic interests with Russia.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On the evening of February 21, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia has recognized the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), two self-proclaimed breakaway states in eastern Ukraine which declared their independence in 2014 and are not recognized by any other country.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he recognizes the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, located in eastern Ukraine, several countries which belong to the anti-American axis, such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Serbia, hurried to praise the decision and to also recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
In late February 2022, jihadis on social media reacted to the escalating tension as Russia faced off against Ukraine, Europe, and the U.S. Several posts on Telegram urged jihadis in Syria to exploit the crisis and attack Russia-backed militias in the area, while others expressed hope that a war would break out and weaken the West.
ISIS Claims Three Attacks In One Day On Military, 'Christian' Targets In Northeastern Mozambique
On February 23, 2022, ISIS claimed that its fighters had made three attacks that day on Mozambique army positions in "Christian villages" in Macomia, a district of Cabo Delgado Province in the northeast of the country.
On February 17, 2022, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue number 326 of its weekly newspaper Al-Naba', which included an editorial stressing that the extreme fear inflicted by ISIS upon its enemies is a divine weapon in their hands, one which should be developed and explored by both ISIS fighters and jihadi media operatives.
An article in the first issue of ISIS's English-language magazine laments that the world has become atheistic and Muslims are silent spectators to the persecution of the mujahideen.
On February 17 and 18, 2022, two pro-Al-Qaeda accounts on social media, published posts about the possible identity of the next leader of the Islamic State (ISIS).
On February 21, 2022, a "non-profit magazine" sent to Muslim prisoners which has been endorsed by Islamic State (ISIS) supporters announced it will be releasing a special issue of its English-language magazine to mark the holy month of Ramadan.
Pro-ISIS Outlet Releases Video Guide On Installing, Using 'Locker' Phone Data Erasing App
On February 18, 2022, a pro-ISIS outlet released a short video clip in Arabic and English with a guide on how to install and use the open-source "Locker" smart-phone app, which allows users to set their phones to automatically erase all data after a predetermined number of unsuccessful attempts to unlock the phone.
Pro-ISIS Telegram Channel Advises Supporters On Recruiting Adherents For ISIS On Social Media
On February 22, 2022, an Islamic State (ISIS) supporter published a Telegram post advising his fellow ISIS supporters on how to promote the organization and gain supporters for it on social media.
A Canadian jihadi cryptocurrency miner has uploaded to his Instagram account numerous photos of himself posing with guns.
On TikTok, numerous users have made original videos and shared collages which call for the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a jailed Pakistani neuroscientist linked to Al-Qaeda.
On February 22, 2022 a jihadi user of the encrypted social media platform Chirpwire, published the second issue of an English-language magazine that included a threat addressing "the disbelievers."
On February 6, 2022, a Canada-based pro-Al-Qaeda cleric shared a YouTube video titled "Sweden Stealing Kids from Muslim Parents."
On February 19, 2022, Al-Qaeda's official central media outlet released the sixth issue of its Arabic-language magazine.
On February 19, 2022, Al-Qaeda's official central media outlet released the sixth issue of its Arabic-language magazine, with an editorial on the victory of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Afghan Taliban) when it re-took the country in August 2021.
On February 19, 2022 the media outlet of the Somalia-based Al-Shabab jihadi organization reported that Al-Shabab operatives perpetrated a suicide attack at a conference of government officials held in central Somalia.
On February 18, 2022, a new Telegram bot operated by a prominent Al-Qaeda supporter published an article discussing the identity of the next leader of the Islamic State (ISIS).
On February 16, 2022, an anti-ISIS channel on the Al-Qaeda-operated Rocket.Chat server published what purports to be an official statement from ISIS Syria Province.
Anti-ISIS Channel On Pro-Al-Qaeda Server Provides Details About Top Candidate For Next ISIS Leader
On February 17, 2022, an anti-ISIS channel on the Al-Qaeda-operated Rocket.Chat server shared two posts. In the first post, the channel denounced ISIS supporters who dismissed a statement purportedly released by the ISIS Syria Province.
On February 20, 2022, a user in the Al-Qaeda-operated Rocket.Chat server shared an article which criticized the role of citizenship in Arab and Muslim countries in informing ties between individuals regardless of their ideological affiliations.
On February 17, 2022, the media office of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) issued a statement in response to recent reports that the militant groups evicted a number of foreign fighters from their residences in Idlib, Syria.
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On February 17, 2022, Syrian jihadi cleric Abu Yahya Al-Shami, a fierce critic of Syrian jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) published a post on Telegram accusing it of expelling several foreign jihadis from the city.
On February 24, 2022, following the decision by the Australian government on February 16 to designate Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and other organizations, including Hurras Al-Din, as terrorist organizations, the HTS Information Bureau released a statement in which it rejects the decision.
On February 19, 2022, Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham's (HTS) official news outlet, published a video that addresses the mujahideen and discusses the many difficulties and challenges that stand before them.
On February 18, 2022, Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) released an eight-minute video on its website documenting a visit by a religious official with the group's fighters deployed on the front lines.
Iran-Backed Shi'ite Militias In Iraq Claim Five Attacks On U.S. Forces In Recent Days
On February 22, 2022, two Iran-backed Shi'ite militias claimed that they had carried out five attacks in the last few days in Iraq against logistics convoys of the U.S. forces.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Afghan Taliban jihadi organization that seized power on August 15, 2021) has established a special forces unit as part of the Afghan armed forces to be called the "Panipat Operational Unit."
In a series of videos posted on Twitter by the defense ministry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), the Taliban's Special Forces can be seen conducting mock operations against enemy forces.
This report will review details of attacks claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (the Movement of Pakistani Taliban, TTP) during the week ending February 20, 2022.
