Islamic State (IS) claimed responsability for the targeted attack in in the Crocus City Hall, Krasnogorsk outskirts, Moscow, Russia, "the most violent targeting it in years"

  

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On the evening of  March 22nd, 4 armed men with machine guns fired toward visitors at a cinema in the Crocus City Hall, a shopping center in Moscow, Russia, killing more than 60 people and wounding at least 250 then, a fire started in the building, which has been creating difficulties in determining the accurate number of victims. Moreover, a series of explosions were heard in the building

Later on, the Islamic State ( IS) published on Amaq News Agency the claim of the attack but didn’t specify which province the militants were related to: the IS Khorasan Province (ISKP), due to its recent attacks against Russian targets in Afghanistan; or IS– Caucasus Province[1], due to the location of the attack.

It declared the fighters armed assault with various weapons a large gathering of “Christians” in the Krasnogorsk outskirts, Moscow city, Russia, which led to the killing and wounding of hundreds and caused massive damage and destruction to the place where the attack was perpetrated, affirming they safely from the area.

The next day, on March 23rd, the IS published the above infographic describing the attack and showing some footage of the perpetrators of the attack in the Crocus City Hall, Krasnogorsk outskirts, Moscow, Russia, stating itself it was “the most violent targeting it in years in the heart of Russia.”

On the Amaq News Agency,  the IS stated: “… a coordinated attack was launched by Islamic State fighters on Friday against a large crowd of Christians in the Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of the capital, Moscow… “ which were attending “… a mass party inside a hall located within a large commercial complex in the city.” ( in referring to the cinema in the Crocus City Hall, a shopping center in Moscow).

After a previous surveillance operation of the place, according to IS, the fighters stormed to the building hall with machine guns, a pistol, knives, and incendiary bombs. Three of them shot towards the crowd, while the fourth set on fire the hall using improvised incendiary bombs prepared before.

Moreover, according to the Amaq News Agency source, dozens of civilians were shot head and many others were slaughtered inside the hall and its corridors, resulting in the end of the massive attack that killed and wounded at least 300 people, with also a major fire which destroyed two-thirds of the hall and caused the collapse of large parts.

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[1]  IS-Caucasus Province is an IS wilayah that is active in the North Caucasus region of Russia.

Amaq News Agency: ISKP Suicide attack against Taliban in Kandahar

  

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On March 21st, through Amaq News Agency, the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the suicide improvised explosive device (IED) belt against a Taliban militia gathering in  District 1, Kandahar City, Southern Afghanistan,  in which dozens of them were killed and wounded.

Amaq News Agency reported that on the morning of Thursday, March 21st, Khorasan Province (ISKP) fighter named Muawiya Panjshiri, who was allegedly originally from Panjshir Province, Pakistan, walked into a crowd of around 150 Taliban and government members and employees, who were at the time attending to take their salaries from a bank in District I in the city of  Kandahar, Afghanistan. Then, he detonated his improvised explosive belt, which led to the killing and injuring of dozens of people. Among the victims, it has been identified Mansur Ahmed, one of the Taliban commanders.

Moreover, it has been noticed that,  despite the efforts of the Taliban regime to disclose information about the terrorist attack, images and footage appeared online showing some of the victims taken to the city hospital.

Amaq News Agency: ISWAP clashes and suicide operation with African union militia

  

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On March 21st, through Amaq News Agency, the Islamic State published a photo report, consisting of 4 images, showing an armed attack of ISWAP mujahideen against the Nigerian African coalition forces, which happened on March 13th, near the border town of Gashakar, Borno State.

Through an analysis of the footage released, the ambush was conducted using various weapons, likely Small arms and light weapons, likely guns and rifles, including Technical vehicles  (civilian vehicles, in general, Toyota,  with improvised weapons installation), and four-wheel drive vehicle.  During the clashes, one of the ISWAP soldiers, named Abu Adam Al-Nigeri, was able to conduct a suicide vehicle improvised devices (SVBIED) operation, which led to the killing and wounded of a number of them, including two officers, while the rest fled, as reported by IS Central official statement. 

Moreover,  later on the same day, IS Central published also on Amaq News Agency a video clip representing the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED)  towards a Nigerian army (NA) vehicle on March 19th on the road between Maiduguri and Damboa in Borno State, Northern Nigeria.

Amaq News Agency: photo reports about ambush and clashes against Al-Qaeda militia

  

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On March 18th, through Amaq News Agency,  the Islamic State published two photo reports showing a series of armed attacks and clashes in different areas in Burkina Faso and Mali against Al-Qaeda militia, which is likely referring to Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) due to its activity in the area.

The first photo report, consisting of 14 images,  represents the confirmation of the attack that happened on March 9th and reported on Nazar[1], in which the IS-Sahel province mujahideen ambushed members of the Al-Qaeda militia near the village of Ousadiya in the Gao province, Northeastern Mali, killing during the fight 16 al-Qaeda fighters, including 4 prisoners.

 

 

 

Through an analysis of the footage released, the ambush was conducted using various weapons, likely Small arms and light weapons, likely guns and rifles, including Technical vehicles  (civilian vehicles, in general, Toyota,  with improvised weapons installation), and four-wheel drive armored fighting vehicles.

 

 

Moreover, as shown in the images above, IS-Sahel soldiers were able to seize different rifles, including AK-103 rifles and Romanian PM MD, 90 rifles, AKM rifles, Chinese Type 56-1 rifles, Type 2 AKS-74 rifles, and an armed vehicle with a W85 heavy machine gun.

The second 4 images' photo report on Amaq News Agency exposes the results of clashes between IS-Sahel and members of JNIM  near the village of Gurgaji, Dori region, Burkina Faso, in which a few JNIM militants were killed and the IS-Sahel mujahideen spoiled different of their equipment, ammunition, and weapons.

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[1] https://nazarbonjuk.blogspot.com/2024/03/allegedly-clashes-occurred-between-jnim.html

Allegedly Clashes occurred between the JNIM Battalion and IS in Gao Province, Mali

  

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On March 9th, it has reported an armed attack perpetrated by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslim in (JNIM)[1] battalion areas in Gurma District, Western Gao province, Mali, which is known to be under the control of Islamic State (IS). As various sources reported, JNIM militants assaulted Zorani village, Gao province, and robbed different residents. Later on, near the Osadia village, Ansongo District, Mali, it observed the IS armed attack against the JNIM battalion, killing more than 12, and intercepting the car of  Ilyas Amad Mussa[2], one of the major Al-Qaeda field commanders, as stated by one of the various versions reported, capturing and executing him. 

In 2020, rumors were circulating regarding the attempts of  JNIM members to negotiate a ceasefire in the Sahel region with the Islamic State (IS), intending to concentrate forces against the Wagner PMC Group and National Security Armed Forces like the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA)[3], which, however,  allegedly, didn’t bring any stable and enduring agreement between the two groups due to the JNIM trespass on IS territories.

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[1] Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) is a Salafi-jihadist coalition formed in 2017, consisting of pre-existing jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda, including Ansar Dine, Al-Mourabitoun, and Al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). It operates in the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, along the border with Niger, and, in some cases, crossing into these countries.

[2] It’s been reported that last year Ilyas Amad Mussa recorded a message before attacking IS positions. Moreover, allegedly, he was suspected as one of the provocateurs of the tension and conflict with the IS.

[3] According to research data, approximately 90% of FAMa operations have been conducted with the support of Wagner units.

IS West Africa Province (ISWAP) Amaq Agency reportages showing clashes and SVBIED Operation in Borno State, Nigeria and Diffa region, Niger

  

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On March 7th,  on Amaq Agency, the Islamic State (IS) released two different photo reports showing the results of the clashes and armed conducted in Nigeria and Niger  by the IS West Africa Province (ISWAP)[1].

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[1] ISWAP is one of the official “wilayah” (province) recognized by the IS Central covering the Western Africa area, mostly active in Nigeria, Niger, and  Chad.

 

The first reportage shows in 8 photos the results of a series of clashes and a Suicide Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) (SVBIED)[2] with various types of weapons[3], from February 28th to March 3rd, between ISWAP mujahideen and Nigerian Army (NA) and Nigerian African Union militias patrols and foot patrol near Algarno forests, Borno State, areas known to be IS controlled due to the presence of numerous ISWAP positions. The attacks led to the killing of at least 20  and the injuring of others among NA and Nigerian African Union militia members, the escape of others, the damage of several vehicles, and the destruction of a four-wheel drive vehicle.

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[2] The SVBIED happened during the attacks on February 28^th. The IS recognized the “martyr” as Harun Al-Ansari.

[3] Through a deep examination of the footage collected, there were different weapons involved, including Technical vehicles  (civilian vehicles, in general, Toyota,  with improvised weapons installation), wheeled armored fighting vehicles, Improvised Explosive Devices (IED),  and soft light weapons.

The second 4 images photo report published by Amaq Agency shows the results of the armed assault of ISWAP militants against a Nigerien Army barracks in Bana town, Diffa region, Niger using diverse weapons, during which one soldier was killed and others were injured. Moreover, as shown in one of the footage collected above, the mujahideen were able to seize numerous weapons and personal equipment, including a few helmets, a four-wheel drive vehicle, and some ammunition.

 

IS Militants allegedly have taken control Quirimba Island on the Northern coast of Mozambique

  

Alessandra Ciffo

 

On March 3rd, a few pro-IS mujahideen allegedly landed on Quirimba[1] island, on the Northern coast of Mozambique, and clashed with Mozambican Military and Security Forces, which resulted in the killing of two soldiers and some Christian civilians, the fleeing of the rest of the Security Forces, the escaping of some local residents into the forest[2], and the total control of the island by the IS. Later on that day,  the militants also seized a series of the local government properties and redistributed them among people who needed promising not to harm them with any violence, then invited some of the people hidden in the forest to step out, join them to the victory celebrations, and Sharia laws. 

 

The mujahideen came from Kissanga city, Kissanga District, Cabo Delgado Province, after capturing it with an armed assault the day before, on March 2nd, in which they looted a series of local stores and government buildings, then, as observed from different local footage, they arrived at Mussomero village, Kissanga District, Cabo Delgado Province, which did not involve any violent and military actions, instead, the IS militants bought some food and talked to the local residents. 

The IS Mozambique province is still pursuing military operativeness and violent actions against Christian villages and civilians as well as against the Mozambican Security Forces and indistinctive targets in Cabo Delgado Province, such as the recent destructions of various trucks near the Okuva village.

 

Due to the lack of the Mozambican Security Forces's proper counter response and its inefficiency in guaranteeing safety and protection to civilians among different pro-IS militants, there is the idea that the attacks and military operations targeting the Christian population from Cabo Delgado will very likely endure, pursuing more violence against Christian targets, humans, and properties, resulting in a mass expulsion with the increase of the number of refugees, threatening civilians to convert to Islam or agreed to be ruled by the Islamic State to stop the losses.

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[1] The second largest island in The Quirimbas Archipelago, reachable by boat from Cabo Delgado Province.

[2] According to some IS sources, IS militants did not pursue the residents due to the presence of some Muslims among them.