ConflictBarometer_2016

MIDDLE EAST AND MAGHREB
ensuing fighting with ANDSF.
While the group was unable to establish permanent
strongholds beyond Nangarhar throughout the first half of
the year, from June onwards, ISKP increasingly claimed attacks
in the capital Kabul targeting civilians, particularly Shia
Muslims. On June 20, ISKP claimed a suicide bombing, which
targeted a minibus carrying security guards working for the
Canadian embassy in Kabul, killing 14 and wounding 9. However,
the Taliban also claimed responsibility for the attack
[→ Afghanistan (Taliban et al.)]. On July 23, two ISKP suicide
bombers attacked a protest march of the Shiite Hazara minority,
killing 80 and injuring at least 230. This was the deadliest
attack in Kabul since 2001. On October 11, Shiite pilgrims
were targeted at a shrine in the capital while celebrating the
day of Ashoura, one of their highest holidays. At least 18
people, including policemen, were killed and more than 62
injured. Furthermore, on November 21, a suicide bomber attacked
a Shia mosque in Kabul. According to UN, at least 32
were killed and dozens wounded. ISKP claimed responsibility
for all incidents. (chf, dgl, ssd, twt)
ALGERIA
Clashes between the IS branch in Algeria, Jund al-Khilafa, and
the government continued. According to an Algerian military
source, there were approx. 300 Islamist militants active in
Algeria by May of this year. While the majority belonged to
al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, about 70 were affiliated with
IS, mainly present in Kabylia region and southeastern Bouira
Province [→ Algeria, Mali et al. (AQIM et al.)]. Contrary to
last year, no information was available on whether additional
fighters defected from AQIM to join the ranks of IS.
Overall, IS conducted few attacks against the Algerian People's
National Army (ANP). On February 19, IS claimed to have
killed three soldiers during a combat operation by ANP on
Mount Shakshut, Bouira. On March 1, an army unit killed two
Islamist militants and captured another two during an operation
in Bouira. On April 15, IS militants killed four soldiers
in Constantine Province in a roadside attack using grenade
launchers. During a one-week-long military operation in May,
units of ANP killed twelve IS members, while three soldiers
were left dead in in the forest of Errich, Bouira. No further
violence was reported until October 9, when IS detonated an
IED adjacent to an army convoy in the city of Tamalous, Skikda
Province. No casualties were reported. ANP conducted an operation
in the same area four days later, killing two militants.
On October 28, several IS members shot one police officer
dead in a restaurant in the city of Constantine, eponymous
province, in retaliation. By the end of the year, ANP claimed
to have dismantled the group by arresting or killing most of
its commanders. (ala)
EGYPT
The Egyptian branch of the IS' Sinai Province and the Egyptian
government, supported by Bedouin activists, repeatedly
clashed [→ Egypt (Bedouin activists)]. Sinai Province evolved
from the Islamist militant group ''Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis,'' which
had pledged allegiance to IS at the end of 2014 [→ Egypt (Islamist
groups)]. Throughout the year, clashes between security
forces and IS militants as well as attacks on civilians conducted
by IS left at least 190 people dead, including dozens
of civilians.
Most attacks of Sinai Province were targeted at Egyptian
Armed Forces (EAF) and Egyptian National Police (ENP forces).
On January 9 and 21, Sinai Province attacked ENP forces
in Giza, Giza Governorate, killing eleven and leaving 13
wounded. On February 28, IS fighters shot a high-ranking ENP
officer dead in front of his house in al-Arish. Sinai Province
militants fired mortar rounds at a security checkpoint in al-
Arish on March 19, killing at least 13 and wounding 15. Using
several IEDs along a highway in Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid,
Sinai Province killed at least six and injured twelve on April
7. On June 15, IS militants tried to launch an attack on two
security checkpoints close to Sheikh Zuweid. EAF opened
artillery fire at the approaching militants leaving at least 20
dead. On July 24, a Sinai Province militant shot another highranking
ENP officer dead near a police station in al-Arish. On
August 4, EAF killed Abu Duaa al-Ansari, the leader of Sinai
Province, and further 45 members in airstrikes in the south
of al-Arish, using Apache helicopters. On October 14, IS militants
attacked a checkpoint close to Bir al-Abd city, North
Sinai, leaving at least twelve soldiers dead and wounding six
others. In response, EAF fighter jets attacked Sinai Province
hideouts, killing 15, leaving numerous wounded, and destroying
weapons depots and vehicles. The following days,
EAF continued ''Operation Martyr's Right” targeting both IS
and other Islamist groups in Sinai [→ Egypt (Islamist militants)].
The operation had been launched on 09/07/15 in
order to weaken Islamist presence on the Sinai Peninsula. In
an attack on November 24, IS militants used a vehicle loaded
with explosives in Sabeel village close to al-Arish, killing at
least eleven soldiers. In ensuing clashes, EAF shot dead three
militants while the remaining attackers fled. On December
3, Sinai Province militants wounded two EAF conscripts on a
security checkpoint on the international road close to Sheikh
Zuweid. Shortly after, EAF backed by fighter jets killed three
Sinai Province militants and destroyed several hideouts.
Moreover, Sinai Province repeatedly targeted civilians, among
them foreigners and people of other religious beliefs. On
January 7, two IS militants attacked an Israeli tourist group
in Cairo, Cairo Governorate, without causing harm. One day
later, two IS militants injured three tourists with knives in a
hotel at Egypt's Red Sea resort in Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate.
On June 30, Sinai Province shot a Christian priest
dead in al-Arish, North Sinai [→ Egypt (Muslims – Christians)].
On June 11, Sinai Province shot dead two civilians in Rafah,
North Sinai Governorate, and another in al-Arish for their refusal
to cooperate. Sinai Province beheaded two men close
to Sheikh Zuweid, North Sinai, who they believed to be informants
for EAF and ENP on October 2. On December 11, a
Sinai Province suicide bomber killed at least 25 civilians and
injured further 49 in a Coptic church in the capital Cairo. (ppr)
LEBANON
In Lebanon, IS continued to clash with the Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF), Hezbollah, and Fatah al-Sham. The latter operated
under the name Jabhat al-Nusra until July 28 and
also repeatedly clashed with LAF and Hezbollah [→ Lebanon
(Sunni militant groups)]. Violence concentrated in Lebanese
Beqaa Governorate.
Throughout the year, LAF shelled IS and Jabhat al-Nusra/Fatah
al-Sham positions on the outskirts of Arsal, Beqaa Governorate,
on a nearly daily basis in order to prevent the militants
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