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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Is the new Syrian state ISIL’s main target? |
| 2026-06-30 |
| [ACLEDDATA.COM] ACLED’s Middle East Research Manager Muaz Al Abdullah comments on the strategic shift in ISIL’s targeting patterns following the fall of the Assad regime. by Muaz Al Abdullah Middle East Research Manager On 20 June 2026, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) killed two members of the Syrian army in the village of Salha in Manbij countryside. This attack came after a series of three other attacks that targeted the Syrian army and police forces in June: on a fuel tanker near Manbij, and on government personnel in Damascus and Raqqa. The Raqqa attack on a police headquarters on 15 June involved suicide explosive belts — a tactic used for the first time since December — killing two ISIL members, two police officers, and injuring three others. This targeted assault on a fortified facility allowed ISIL to assess government readiness, signaling a phase of active preparation, rebuilding supply networks, and recruitment. Muaz Al Abdullah, Middle East Research Manager at ACLED, said: “ISIL's decision to target this fortified security facility in the western sector of the city suggests that the group was seeking to achieve both symbolic and tactical objectives. Had the attack been directed against less protected security positions on the outskirts of the city or in rural areas, it could have resulted in significantly higher casualties. Instead, ISIL appears to have intended to demonstrate its capability to strike hardened security targets, thereby projecting strength and resilience. Such messaging is likely to play an important role in the group’s recruitment efforts. “This comes as ACLED records 83 political violence events involving ISIL between 1 January and 20 June 2026: More at the link |
| Posted by:badanov |