Latest Articles and Blog Posts

Rijal al-Qa'im: Local Defence Forces Unit

December 8, 2018 at 11:40 am

I have previously written about some units of the Local Defence Forces (LDF). This post concerns another of them: Rijal al-Qa'im. The group was established in 2015 in the Latakia area but originally operated under another name: Owais al-Qarni, who was deemed to be one of the followers of Prophet Muhammad. The present name (meaning "Men of al-Qa'im") refers to the Imam al-Mahdi. From the beginning, the unit was affiliated with the LDF.

Continue to the full blog post  |  More blog posts

The Hamas-Islamic State Sinai Relationship: Translation and Analysis

December 5, 2018  •  aymennjawad.org

Have there been links between Hamas, which currently controls the Gaza enclave, and the Islamic State's Sinai province? The topic has understandably attracted considerable controversy, as the existence of such links would bolster the narratives of the Israeli and Egyptian governments. Supporters of Israel would also seize on such a point.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

Ælfric's Preface to His Translation of Genesis (Arabic translation)

December 4, 2018 at 6:56 pm

Please follow the link for the text and translation.

Continue to the full blog post  |  More blog posts

The Islamic State Research Office's Self-History

December 4, 2018  •  aymennjawad.org

The Maktab al-Buhuth wa al-Dirasat (Office of Investigation and Studies) has been one of the most interesting bodies in Islamic State (IS) administration. Among the many items posted by the pro-IS 'dissident' outlet called Mu'assasat al-Turath al-'Ilmi is this self-history of the office that was published on 27 Ramadan 1437 AH (c. 2 July 2016 CE).

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

The Post-Rebellion South: Interview (V)

December 1, 2018 at 6:25 am

For prior parts in this interview series, click here.

The latest interviewee in this series is a resident of the Yarmouk Basin village of Koayia (Arabic: كويا) in west Deraa countryside. This resident had previously deserted from the Syrian army.

Koayia is located right on the border with Jordan and is also in proximity to the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Prior to returning to the control of the Syrian government, Koayia was held by the Islamic State affiliate Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed (in its final days publicly declared as 'Wilayat Hawran').

This interview was conducted on 28 November 2018. Any parenthetical insertions are in square brackets.

Continue to the full blog post  |  More blog posts