Islamic State in Libya Activities: Week of 24 February-01 March 2016

24 February:

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Libya Security Monitor

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Mar 2, 2016

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• Following a small deployment of the Rada Militia and local Sabratha fighters, over 100 IS fighters stormed important positions within the city of Sabratha including the bank and main hospital. The fighters beheaded 12 members of the Sabratha local security before being heavily engaged by security forces including the al-Wadi Brigade, Zawiya militias, and local forces who expelled IS from the city. At least 30 IS members were killed and over 17 Sabratha fighters are reportedly dead. (Twitter)(Libya Observer)(Twitter)(Libya 24 TV)(Afrigate)(Sabratha Municipal Council Statement)(Afrigate)(al-Wasat)(Afrigate)(Afrigate)
• Rada militiamen allegedly captured the head of IS forces in Sabratha, Mohammad Said al-Tajouri (aka Abu Suliman) as he moved between Sirte and Sabratha. (Twitter)(Libya Observer)

25 February:

• Social media sources reported that fighters from Rajaban, Zintan, and Ajaylat participated in the anti-IS fight in Sabratha. (Twitter)
• Fighting continued near Sabratha as IS forces continued their offensive. Security forces appear to have contained the fighting to localized areas such as Zwaga outside of the city. (Afrigate)(Twitter)(Libya News 1)
• The Islamic State released a statement claiming to have repelled an LNA attack in the Zarirayat area of Sabri destroying a number of tanks and armored vehicles. (IS Media Office of Barqa)

• Yet another senior IS leader was killed in Sabratha as several reliable sources reported that Abdullah Dabbashi died in clashes with GNC forces. (al-Wasat)(Libya Observer)
• Rada Militia forces released the alleged confession of Mohamed Saad Tajuri (Abu Suleiman), the alleged IS emir in Sabratha arrested in the Tajoura neighborhood of Tripoli on 24 February. From Derna, Tajuri allegedly fought in Iraq after 2003, before returning to Libya and being imprisoned from 2004/2005 through 2011. He joined IS in Sirte, and was appointed as head of IS in Sirte by IS’ alleged Sirte Emir, Ahmed Saleh Al-Hamali (Abu Abdullah). Salem Abdulsalam Ammari, the deputy emir for Sabratha, was also arrested with Tajuri, and is allegedly from Sirte. According to the IS members, IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s representative in Sirte is allegedly a Saudi named Abu Amer Al-Jazrawi. (Libya Herald)

26 February:

• Local sources claim that Noureddin Chouchane, the IS militant targeted by an American airstrike on 19 FEB, was killed during clashes in Sabratha. The U.S. government did not claim to have killed Chouchane, although they believed he was in the farmhouse when he was targeted. (Twitter)(Libya Observer)
• Sabratha fighters and allied militias retook control of the Souq al-Alalaqa area from IS forces in the vicinity of Sabratha, west of Tripoli, killing 7 IS fighters, including 3 women. Two Sabratha fighter and one al-Zawiya fighter was killed, and 20 wounded. Sabrathan and allied forces also allegedly seized IS positions in the Zawagha area and its surroundings.The Mayor of the Sabratha Municipality stated that Sabrathan and allied forces surrounded IS fighters in a building in on the coastal road as clashed between IS and local forces continued near the western entrance to the city. A female IS member was allegedly arrested wearing an SVEST during the fighting. (Libya 24 TV)(Libya 24 TV)(Libya Observer)(Afrigate)(Afrigate)(LNA Statement)(LNA Statement)(Libya 24 TV)(Akhbar Libya 24)(Twitter)(Twitter)
• IS claimed credit for a Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) attack targeting LNA forces in the Hawari District in Benghazi, allegedly carried out by an IS fighter named Abu Anis al-Ansari (other sources state the bomber was a Tunisian named Abu al-Yazid al-Tunisi). The attack killed four, including a Tawhid al-Salafiya Battalion field commander for the Buhamdiya District.Akhbar Libya 24)(Libya 24 TV)(IS Wilayat Barqa Media Office)(LNA Statement)

27 February:

• Amaq News, an IS news outlet, released footage of what appears to be an American EP-3 reconnaissance plane flying in Benghazi. (Twitter)(Twitter)
• GNC militias raided an IS “den” near the city of Sabratha, killing four members of the group. (Libya Observer)
• Rada militiamen raided the Tajoura home of an alleged IS leader in Sabratha, arresting several individuals although it appears the IS leader was not among them. (Afrigate)

28 February:

• A convoy of roughly 15 vehicles flying black flags was attacked by unknown aircraft in the Shimikh Valley near Bani Walid. The Pentagon and other U.S. government sources have denied any participation in the attack. Seperately unknown aircraft bombed IS positions near the Sirte Seaport and Sadada. (Reuters)(al-Wasat)(Akhbar Libya 24)(Reuters)
• An unofficial IS statement claimed minor military actions in both Derna and Benghazi. According to the statement, IS snipers targeted MSC Derna troops in both the Sahel al-Sharqiya and Zahr al-Hamra areas of Derna. In Benghazi, the organization allegedly killed over 10 LNA troops with an IED and sniper fire in the Hawari neighborhood and shelled LNA troops in the Nowaqia area west of Benghazi. (Twitter)

• IS released a statement claiming to have repelled LNA attacks in “several different axes” across Benghazi. The group also claimed to have destroyed an LNA BMP in the Nowqatia area west of the city.

• IS released a propaganda video entitled “Of Their Goods, Take Alms.” A militant identified as Abu Mohammad al-Ansari speaks on the requirement for zakat before IS members are shown distributing food to the poor. The zakat department is described as having several divisions including administration, sharia, collections, eligibility, records, and financing. Members of the zakat department are shown interacting with individuals needing assistance and collecting their personal and biometric information. (IS Media Office of Tarablus)

29 February:

• A former Abu Salim Martyrs’ Brigade (part of MSC Derna) Commander who had defected to IS, Ayad al-Hasadi, was killed in clashes on the outskirts of Derna. (Libyan News 1)
• A Libya Dawn aircraft sunk a IS freighter near Sirte. Anonymous GNC sources claimed that the vessel was carrying ammunition. (Libya Observer)
• IS arrested two young men in Hawara, east of Sirte, due to their alleged involvement with local military forces (the Hawara Battalion) before IS seized control over the town. (Libya 24 TV)(al-Wasat)

01 March:

• The Sabha Martyrs’ Brigade and local Jufra fighters seized control of the Khashum al-Kheil Checkpoint from IS fighters, 60km south of Sirte. (Libya’s Channel)(Libya 24 TV)(Afrigate)
• IS executed a young man in Sirte for getting into an altercation with an IS member after the young man rejected IS’ teachings. (Libya 24 TV)
• Unconfirmed reports indicate IS deployed troops to the Abu Hadi area, south of Sirte, and that IS allegedly blockaded the Sirte coastal road and declared a state of emergency in the city, after airstrikes of unknown origin targeted the IS-controlled city on 29 FEB.(LNA Statement) (al-Wasat)(Libya’s Channel)(Libya 24 TV)
• IS Wilayat Barqa released images of its forces clashing with LNA forces in Benghazi, including light arms, mortars, technicals, RPGs, and the SVBIED from 26 FEB in the Hawari District of the city, in addition to showing an LNA MiG-23 and US EP-3 surveillance aircraft over the city. IS Wilayat Barqa Media Office)