ISIS’S EXPANDING CAMPAIGN IN EUROPE

Sourced : Institute for the Study of War By Jennifer Cafarella with Jason Zhou ISIS’s attack campaign in Europe is expanding despite ISIS’s losses of terrain and senior leadership in the Middle East and North Africa. ISIS continues to plan, resource, and execute attacks from its remaining safe havens in Syria, Iraq, and Libya. ISIS… Continue reading ISIS’S EXPANDING CAMPAIGN IN EUROPE

ISIS “FINANCE EMIR FOR MOSUL” RELOCATED TO TURKEY, USA SAYS

Sourced : Long War Journal By Thomas Joscelyn On Aug. 29, the Treasury Department announced that a senior Islamic State official, Salim Mustafa Muhammad al-Mansur, had been added to the US government’s list of specially designated global terrorists. The move was carried out in conjunction with the Iraqi government, which seeks “to bar Mansur from… Continue reading ISIS “FINANCE EMIR FOR MOSUL” RELOCATED TO TURKEY, USA SAYS

BALKAN JIHADIS RETURN DISILLUSIONED WITH ISIS “CALIPHATE”

Sourced : Balkan Insight By Jovo Martinovic Hilmi, an ethnic Bosniak, travelled to Syria hoping that life in Islamic State’s‘caliphate would be an ideal religious environment – but he managed to escape 16 months later, disillusioned with what he had found there. “There was nothing there, no electricity, no books, no internet, nothing,” Hilmi told… Continue reading BALKAN JIHADIS RETURN DISILLUSIONED WITH ISIS “CALIPHATE”

TURKISH MILITARY BUILDUP IN NORTHERN SYRIA THREATENS AL-RAQQAH OPERATION

Sourced : Military Times By: Shawn Snow Kurdish activists claim Turkey is building up its military forces in northern Syria for an assault on the Kurdish held district of Afrin, a development that could cause serious setbacks in the ongoing American-backed operation to liberate the defacto capital of ISIS, Raqqa. U.S. officials in Baghdad say… Continue reading TURKISH MILITARY BUILDUP IN NORTHERN SYRIA THREATENS AL-RAQQAH OPERATION

GREEK COURT JAILS 2 SWEDISH MEN OVER ISIS MEMBERSHIP

Sourced : ekathimerini A Greek court has convicted two Swedish nationals of belonging to the Islamic State group, and sentenced them to 15 years imprisonment. The men’s lawyer says they were also found guilty of arms possession – a pair of hunting knives – with the intent of supplying a terrorist group. The men, aged… Continue reading GREEK COURT JAILS 2 SWEDISH MEN OVER ISIS MEMBERSHIP

SO TRUMP IS ARMING KURDS…THEN WHAT ?

Sourced : Defense One By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon Council on Foreign Relations An overnight decision months in the making is now official U.S. policy: America will directly arm the Syrian Kurds. NATO ally Turkey may see Syrian Kurdish fighters as terrorists, but the Pentagon sees them as the most effective local force in the fight… Continue reading SO TRUMP IS ARMING KURDS…THEN WHAT ?

IRAQI UNIT WITH US AND AUSTRALIAN ADVISERS HIT BY ISIS CHEMICAL WEAPONS

Sourced : Military Times By Shawn Snow Twenty five Iraqi soldiers required medical treatment after their unit was hit with a mustard agent fired from an ISIS rocket on Sunday, according to  CBS News. Their unit included American and Australian advisers, none of whom were reported injured in the attack. “Daesh has used chemicals in… Continue reading IRAQI UNIT WITH US AND AUSTRALIAN ADVISERS HIT BY ISIS CHEMICAL WEAPONS

ISIS CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR PALM SUNDAY CHURCH BOMBINGS IN EGYPT

Sourced : CNN By Joe Sterling, Faith Karimi, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Hamdi Alkhshali, Egypt’s President says he will declare a state of emergency after two deadly bombings targeted Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks, which were aimed at a vulnerable religious minority on one of the most important days… Continue reading ISIS CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR PALM SUNDAY CHURCH BOMBINGS IN EGYPT

US GENERAL SAYS SDF FORCES NEED HEAVY WEAPONS TO DESTROY ISIS IN AL-RAQQAH

Sourced: ARA News By: Wladimir van Wilgenburg Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, who recently visited the Raqqa frontline said that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces need more than the AK-47s weapons –that will be issued after 20 days of training– in the fight against ISIS. “Anti-tank weapons systems to… Continue reading US GENERAL SAYS SDF FORCES NEED HEAVY WEAPONS TO DESTROY ISIS IN AL-RAQQAH

ISIS REINFORCES POSITIONS IN AL-BAB CITY

Sourced : Al-Monitor By : Khaled al-Khateb Military operations are ongoing near al-Bab, northeast of Aleppo, between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions and special Turkish forces on the one hand, and the Islamic State (IS) on the other. The battles that the armed Syrian opposition is waging with Turkish air and land support in… Continue reading ISIS REINFORCES POSITIONS IN AL-BAB CITY