The successful US operation that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
is finally being commented upon by ISIS itself. The group confirmed the
deaths of both Baghdadi and his aide, Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir.
ISIS further added that they are naming Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi as their new leader. This is not believed to be his real name, though officials are unsure who he actually is or what his background is.
Either way, ISIS is warning the US against “rejoicing” over Baghdadi’s death, vowing to carry out revenge over it.
This is something analysts, and former ISIS members, generally expected
to be a priority for ISIS, and big attacks are also a priority for new
leaders trying to establish themselves in such groups.
Pentagon officials appear to have expected this as well, saying that they were already on alert for possible retaliation by ISIS, adding that while it will take time for ISIS to reorganize under a new leader, the group remains dangerous.
Part of the master plan. Hit the hornets nest and the hornets come out. All done by killing a meaningless figurehead.
We haven’t heard much from the AQ hornets nest,
since OBL was put to sleep.
If he was put to sleep. And what on earth was he doing in Idlib? ISIS and Nusra Front (Al-Qaeda) presumably fought each other, thus our frowning on Russia for kicking them out of Aleppo. Now, the best of buddies?
Or is it really the beginning of destroying Idlib leadership — not valuable enough to save, but unpleasant to be allowed to be cuptured by Syria. Is the money for White Helmets anything more then a money for people smugglers. All it will take is by Kurds from Afrin to take them across the border to Turkey Kurds, where necessary documents will make them legitimately present in Turkey, and passage out of it secured. This raid may signify the beginning of end of Idlib. It is encircled, and Turkey gave them umpteen of chances to go legit.
Many former Islamist groups joined Astana process, but had to align and submerge themselves with civic opposition to argue for their regional grievances. Idlib was an exception as Al-Qaeda was never allowed to legitimize. Turkey peeled off many groups from Al-Aaeda, but the core remains.
Worked good, didn’t it?
Absolutely,
compare AQ attacks before and after OBL’s swim with the fishes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_al-Qaeda_attacks
What’s this?! The US tried to bomb a wedding and accidentally bombed a terrorist?!
Please! Stop spreading the propaganda. And where is the mythical ISIS now — its state sponsors pulled the rug in June 2017, even before Raqqa fell. Saudi Arabia waited to hear from the new elected president — his in er thoughts on the future investments in Islamic-based militancy. And he was clear. The two years of his political candidacy and the run for White House, he saw the changed landscape in the Middle East. What looked like a slam dunk — the appeal of nostalgia for “true” Islam — turned into broad-based, multi-religious, multi-national rejection of its creation, ISIS.
In that same period, he saw the resurgence of Iraqi Army, Russian entry into Syria and victories over a wide range of Salafi-based militant, Gulf funded groups. And pushing ISIS on all fronts. He saw under Obama — and favored by Hilary— the new favorites, Kurds. And he concluded very logically that ISIS is not victorious. With apparent loss of Iraq — ISIS as an Islamic state magnet, would not be viable in Syria alone. Obama already shifted priorities — instead of just announcing one in a while of successful killing of yet another ISIS VIP, went into “liberating” ISIS occupied places — and giving them to Kurds. From Manbij to the fall of Raqqa that was the plan.
Thus, Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia signified the shift — ISIS will be gone, Qatar — allied to Iran — will be blamed for terrorism, and the story if Islamic caliphate would end. The story of Iran as super-terrorist nation, will begin.
The man who spent life in power in Saudi Arabia — from Assistant Deputy Interior Minister to Crown Prince — nurturing Islamic movements, providing for them everything from preachers, to satellite communications, arms, experienced military leaders, down to food and soap, faced the end of the road. Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef was removed in a palace coup shortly after he obliged Trump and declared economic war on Qatar. In June 2017, he was gone, and with it — ended Saudi involvement in building Islamic Caliphates.
No more money. No more Wahhabi establishment support of Islamic cults. No more weapons, no more military leaders, no more telephones, computers, satellite links, food, water, soap.
Unless our wise leaders in their infinite wisdom decide that ISIS needs to be revived in this theater of shadows — the truth is, ISIS is gone. Whoever soldiers were, they returned home, as without salary they cannot survive.
Unless somebody shows me WHERE any ISIS is situated today, and what are their numbers, and who is funding them — I must conclude that the newly discovered interest in ISIS is a fraud.
And really, hopefully nobody pulls out the fantasy of ISIS hiding in some deserts. Nobody can live in a desert a day, without a shelter of an oasis — and those are well populated. There is no place for any real militant group of 50 or more to hide. Terrorist groups, sure. ISIS or any other caliphate with territorial pretensions — no.
The Deep State via Newsweek has this covered.
“Abdullah Qardash, sometimes spelled Kardesh and also known as Hajji Abdullah al-Afari, was said to have been nominated by Baghdadi in August
to run the group’s “Muslim affairs”… Though little is known about the former Iraqi military officer who once served under late leader Saddam Hussein…”
“ISIS Already Has a New Leader, But Baghdadi May Not Have Been Running the Group Anyway” – Tom O’Connor, Naveed Jamali, Newsweek, Oct. 27, 2019
https://www.newsweek.com/isis-new-leader-baghdadi-running-things-1468025
Note the August 2019 date of his appointment as successor. Of course, Quardash was always the brains behind al Baghdadi, and was a former Saddam intel officer. Who knows, he was probably a U.S. asset during the Saddam era.
They can’t quite decide on how they want to play him; he’s alternately called “The Professor” and “The Destroyer”, which means he will probably be called the very supervillainy Professor Destroyer, or Doc Destructo depending on what sells his persona on Takfiri social media,
al Baghdadi is probably toasting his anointed successor over a schnapps with Epstein. Retirement from the field is good.