ISIS in Ramadan: The possibility of increased attacks and the emergence of new leader

Mouaz Mohammad

In the history of terrorist organizations, jihadists believe that Ramadan is a “month of conquests” and an opportunity to increase attacks, given that they believe there are additional blessings given to their operatives during the fighting or death during the blessed month.

ISIS and Ramadan

Despite the world’s cracking as a result of the spread of coronavirus, terrorist organizations, led by ISIS, took advantage of the current crisis and the security agencies’ concern to confront it, to re-emerge again, and to carry out its terrorist operations.

The month of Ramadan comes in the midst of these events, which the organization may benefit from to double enthusiasm in its hearts as well, and an escalation of violence.

In the editorial of the weekly newspaper, Al-Naba, affiliated with ISIS, it published an article under the title of “Ramadan, the month of victories and conquests”.

Far from being a month of blessings and dignities, it represents importance for the organization on the other hand, especially since the declaration of the caliphate by former leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on June 29 2014, corresponding to 1 of Ramadan 1435 AH.

During the same Ramadan, the former leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi issued two audio messages, and after a few days and specifically on July 4, 2014, he appeared for the first time on a Friday’s pulpit in the Great Mosque in the Iraqi city of Mosul, at a time when the organization was in urgent need of his appearance, In order not to remain locked into audio and written data.

Also, during Ramadan last year, ISIS announced a “battle of attrition” against the Syrian army and QSD although at this time the organization was seen as in a state of weakness, after losing its main strongholds in Damascus and Baghdad.

The possibility to repeat the scene

Given the previous data, ISIS may take advantage of Ramadan this year to carry out new attacks and on a larger scale, especially since most of the reasons that help it in activating and returning again with force were available simultaneously, between the security services and the authorities being busy confronting Covid-19 virus.

Through it, the organization can inflame the enthusiasm of its followers to carry out terrorist operations in the name of religion.

On the other hand, the ongoing Ramadan is the first since Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi announced to be the leader of the organization, on October 31, 2019, to succeed Al-Baghdadi, who was declared dead by the IS President in an American raid.