Category: Wilāyat Khurāsān

Check out my new ‘Policy Watch’ for the Washington Institute: “One Year of the Islamic State Worldwide Activity Map”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

On March 21, 2023, The Washington Institute launched the Islamic State Select Worldwide Activity Map as a way to better track and understand the global jihadist organization’s status. The ongoing project includes data on IS propaganda, claims of responsibility, financial sanctions, arrests, and other factors, providing a more holistic view of the group than attack data alone.

A year later, the data collectively paints a sobering picture. Although the core IS “provinces” in Iraq and Syria remain degraded, the group has been able to diversify at the periphery, with the Khorasan province in Afghanistan (aka IS-K) spearheading external operations while various other provinces establish territorial control in Africa. IS supporters continue to plot major terrorist attacks as well, especially in Turkey, though most of these have been thwarted by law enforcement (with the notable exception of the January 2024 bombings in Kerman, Iran). Given these evolving threats, it is worthwhile to explore the findings of the IS Activity Map project in greater detail, since they can provide a clearer picture of where the organization stands today amid growing calls to dissolve the global coalition tasked with fighting IS.

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New magazine issue from The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān: “Voice of Khurāsān #33″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior issues see: #32, #31, #30, #29, #28, #27, #26, #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1.

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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān — “Voice of Khurāsān #33″

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Source: RocketChat

New magazine issue from The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān: “Voice of Khurāsān #29″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior issues see: #28, #27, #26, #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1.

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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān — “Voice of Khurāsān #29 (Pashto)

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Source: RocketChat

New video message from The Islamic State: “And Fight Against the Disbelievers Collectively – Wilāyat Khurāsān”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

The title of this release is in reference to Qur’anic verse 9:36. Here it is in full: “Indeed, the number of months with God is twelve [lunar] months in the register of God [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that God is with the righteous [who fear Him].”

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Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this video message for a fee email: [email protected]

New magazine issue from The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān: “Voice of Khurāsān #28″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior issues see: #27, #26, #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1.

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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State’s Wilāyat Khurāsān — “Voice of Khurāsān #28 (Pashto)

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Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this magazine issue for a fee email: [email protected]

Check out my new ‘Policy Watch’ for the Washington Institute: “The Islamic State Hits Turkey After Years of Plotting”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

On January 28, two Islamic State (IS) gunmen attacked the Roman Catholic Church of Santa Maria in Istanbul, killing one person and injuring another. It was the group’s first successful attack in Turkey since January 1, 2017, when thirty-nine people were killed and seventy-nine injured in a shooting at the Reina nightclub. The toll of the church incident would likely have been much higher if the perpetrators’ guns had not jammed, averting an even worse tragedy.

The long gap between these IS attacks was not for lack of trying, however. IS external operations networks from Syria and Afghanistan had tried and failed to strike Turkey for the previous seven years, and many homegrown plots had been disrupted as well. Indeed, the scale of this plotting has been voluminous, illustrating Ankara’s ability to thwart the group’s goal of undermining security in Turkey.

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