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On 26 May 2022, Turkish media released reports that Turkish anti-terrorism units had captured a man that they claimed to be Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, the new Caliph of the Islamic State. Purportedly, the operation was personally led by the Istanbul Police Chief, Zafer Aktaş, and the successful capture took place "before a single bullet was fired." Being taken without firing a shot seems odd, as the previous Counter Terrorism Operations (CTOs) against both Islamic State Caliphs ended with martyrdom. The ease of this operation leads one to speculate as to the nature of the CTO. Was the captured suspect working with the Intelligence operatives?
To date, Turkish officials refuse to confirm that the captured man is Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, but do confirm that the man in custody is from Islamic State's top leadership. TRAC is doubtful that Turkish authorities have captured the new Caliph, as material evidence is lacking despite the media's persistent speculation. A typo in last week's issue of Al-Naba (#33) sent the IS supporter community into a tailspin and thus, the capture of the Caliph, if true, would stir a similar existential confusion. Until further information becomes available, TRAC urges caution in jumping to conclusions and being swayed by the media cycle.
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TRAC Incident Report:
Old Glory Knights of Ku Klux Klan (KKK) Recruitment Flyer Found at Historically Black Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Desoto County, Mississippi, United States
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Image: Header/Logo of KKK Recruitment Flyer | |
On 30 May 2022, an Old Glory Knights of Ku Klux Klan (KKK) recruitment flyer was found at a historically black church, Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Desoto County, Mississippi. The flyer, meant to be an intimidation tactic, boasts of expansion into several states and should be of great concern. The states listed were Tennessee, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Mississippi, Illinois, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, and Florida. What also should be noted is the "old-time" language used, asking those with interest to "Join Your Local Klavern." The last Old Glory Knights KKK flyers were seen in Georgia in April 2022 and previous flyers were seen nearly a year before, bringing their expansion into 15 separate states, both north and south of the Mason-Dixon line. | |
TRAC Incident Report:
Islamic State Central Africa (ISCA / Shabaab Cult) Ambush Dried Fish Truck, Kidnap and Murder Passengers, in Unidade, Mocímboa da Praia, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique
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Image: Flag used by Islamic State Central Africa aka Wilayat Wasat Ifriqiyah or Madinat al Tawhid wal Muwahedeen | |
On 01 June 2022 during broad daylight, around 1:30pm local time, Islamic State Central Africa (Wilayat Wasat Ifriqiyah / ISCA) ambushed a truck carrying dried fish from Palma for Mueda in Unidade. ISCA militants killed one, injured two, and kidnapped two female passengers traveling on the truck. Only two days earlier, ISCA militants ambushed a vehicle in the village of Tete and the fate of those travelers is unknown. It is important to note that a joint CTO mission between South Africa and Mozambique forces just claimed to have cleared ISCA fighters out of Mocímboa da Praia, which had been noted by Islamic State supporters on Telegram. TRAC has been made aware that ISCA is currently operating surveillance drones in Cabo Delgado and the air support is assisting them in their evasion of security forces. | |
TRAC Incident Report:
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK/YPG) Militants Launched a Rocket Attack on the Tel Abyad District Center Killing 2 and Injuring 12 Civilians, Tel Abyad, Raqqa Governorate, Syria
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Image: Aftermath of the rocket attack | |
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On 02 June 2022, militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK/YPG) launched a rocket attack into the Tel Abyad District Center in Raqqa Governorate, Syria. The attack killed 2 and injured 12 other civilians. President Erdogan’s recently disclosed his plan to rid Syria’s Tal Rifaat and Manbij areas of terrorists, thereby confirming Turkey’s intention to launch a new operation into Syria. Erdogan specifically wants to crush the US-backed SDF that Erdogan sees as merely the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK/YPG) militia. He has long wanted to create what he considers a 'buffer zone' into Syria, which is nothing more than an expansion of Turkey’s official boundaries into Syria.
This causes serious concern for the US and all NATO members as Erdogan's plans will open a gap for Islamic State to step through. IS is already expanding globally and has gained significant momentum in 2022, as Islamic State West Africa (ISWA/ISWAP) and Islamic State Central Africa (Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamo/Ansar al-Sunna (Shabaab Cult)) have aggressively breached multiple new states in Nigeria and Mozambique. At the same time, Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) has expanded from Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia into Thailand and Myanmar. Any newly triggered instabilities in Syria are very likely to have dramatic after-effects for the re-emergence of Islamic State (IS).
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Photo Report:
The Taliban (IEA) Publish Images Featuring a Mass Amount of Weapons Seized from Alleged NRF Fighters in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
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