ConflictBarometer_2015
ConflictBarometer_2015
ConflictBarometer_2015
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MIDDLE EAST AND MAGHREB<br />
(Sunni militant groups)]. After the Islamist militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis had pledged allegiance to IS on 11/10/14<br />
and subsequently changed its name to Wilayat Sinai (''Sinai Province'') it was merged into the IS conflict. The remaining<br />
confrontations between the government and Islamist militant groups nevertheless constituted a limited war and left at<br />
least 292 people killed and 103 wounded, most of whom being security personnel or militants. The confrontations were<br />
characterized by clashes around the towns of Sheikh Zuwaid and Arish in North Sinai as well as attacks with explosives<br />
throughout the country.<br />
The opposition conflicts in Algeria and Tunisia continued at a violent level. While Algerian opposition groups mainly<br />
demanded the government to stop its shale gas extraction projects in the southern province of Tamanrasset, the Tunisian<br />
conflict was marked by various socioeconomic protests. In both countries, demonstrations and police interventions turned<br />
violent several times [→ Algeria (opposition); Tunisia (opposition)]. Furthermore, AQIM and affiliated militant groups<br />
continued their activities in most North African countries, most notably in Algeria and Tunisia, where they respectively carried<br />
out several attacks on police and army personnel over the course of the year [→ Algeria (AQIM et al.), Tunisia (AQIM et al.),<br />
Mauritania (AQIM), Morocco (AQIM). Several former AQIM-loyal fighters in Algeria and Tunisia pledged allegiance to IS. Newly<br />
formed IS group Jund al-Khilafa in Tunisia carried out the most prominent attacks in the area, namely on the Bardo Museum<br />
as well as a presidential guard bus in the Tunisian capital Tunis and on a hotel in Sousse.<br />
In the Libyan opposition conflict, ongoing confrontations between the two rival parliaments, the House of Representatives<br />
and its internationally recognized government based in Tobruk and al-Bayda, one the one hand, and Tripoli-based General<br />
National Congress, on the other, with their respective loyal as well as affiliated forces, constituted a war [→Libya (opposition)].<br />
Fighting took place in northern and central Libya between various groups belonging to, loyal to, or affiliated to one of the<br />
conflict parties. Despite their participation in UN-led peace talks, both parliaments remained internally split over the initiative<br />
to form a unity government while initiating a Libyan-Libyan Dialog and signing a declaration of principles on December 5.<br />
IS activity in Libya was mostly observed in the areas of Sirte, Benghazi, and Derna. The group expanded its control of the<br />
town of Sirte where confrontations with Libya Dawn intensified. Over the course of the year, IS repeatedly fought against<br />
forces belonging to or siding with the internationally recognized government in Benghazi and extended its influence over<br />
the town. IS clashed with forces loyal to the internationally recognized government as well as with the GNC-backing Derna<br />
Mujahideen Shura Council (DMSC) in Derna, which was largely under IS control since the end of 2014, and the eponymous<br />
district. In June and July, DMSC launched several offensives driving IS out of the town.<br />
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