ISIL insurgency in Tunisia

ISIL insurgency in Tunisia
Part of spillover of the Libyan Civil War (2014–present), the Arab Winter and the Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
Date26 June 2015 – present
(3 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 3 days)
LocationTunisia
Result Ongoing
Belligerents

 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Ansar al-Sharia
(only in March 2016)[2]

 Tunisia

Commanders and leaders
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
(Self-proclaimed Caliph)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Unknown local leader		 Tunisia Béji Caïd Essebsi
(President of Tunisia)
Tunisia Brig. Gen. Ismail Fathalli
(Chief of Staff)
Casualties and losses
45[n 1]–67+[n 2] killed
54+[10] captured		 38[n 3] killed
38[n 4] wounded

41[n 5]–63+[n 6] civilians killed
46[n 7]–88+[n 8] civilians wounded
1[n 9] kidnapped
1[15] missing

Total: 127[n 10]–173+[n 11] killed

84[n 12]–126 [n 13] wounded

The ISIL insurgency in Tunisia refers to the ongoing militant and terror activity of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant branch in Tunisia. The activity of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Tunisia began in June 2015, with the Sousse attacks, though an earlier terror incident in Bardo Museum in March 2015 was claimed by ISIL, while the Tunisian government blamed Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade for the attack. Following massive border clashes near Ben Guerdane in March 2016, the activity of the ISIL group was described as an armed insurgency,[23] switching from previous tactics of sporadic suicide attacks to attempts to gain territorial control.

Background

  • 18 March 2015 – Three militants attacked the Bardo National Museum in the Tunisian capital city of Tunis, and took hostages.[17] Twenty-one people, mostly European tourists, were killed at the scene, while an additional victim died ten days later. Around fifty others were injured.[24][25][26] Two of the gunmen, Tunisian citizens Yassine Labidi and Saber Khachnaoui, were killed by police, while the third attacker is currently at large.[27] Police treated the event as a terrorist attack.[28][29] The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack, and threatened to commit further attacks. However, the Tunisian government blamed a local splinter group of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), called the Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade, for the attack. On 28 March, nine members were killed in a police raid.[30]

Timeline

Year Deaths Injuries
201553–7755–97
201670–9021
201768
Total127–17384–126

2015

  • 26 June – An Islamist mass shooting attack occurred at the tourist resort at Port El Kantaoui, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the city of Sousse, Tunisia.[26][31] Thirty-eight people, thirty of whom were British, were killed when an armed gunman attacked a hotel.[32] It was the deadliest non-state attack in the history of modern Tunisia, with more fatalities than the twenty-two killed in the Bardo National Museum attack three months before.[33]
  • 24 November – A bus carrying Tunisian presidential guards exploded, killing twelve, on a principal road in Tunis, Tunisia.[34][35] ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack.[36][37] The bomber, who also died in the attack, was identified as Houssem Abdelli.[38][9]

2016

Security forces during the Battle of Ben Guerdane.
  • 7–9 March – An armed attack on 7 March 2016, in the city of Ben Guerdane, Tunisia near the border with Libya. The clashes continued also on 8, and 9 March, in the area. The final death toll was forty-five militants, thirteen security and seven civilians.[5][39]
  • 19 March – Two militants were killed on the Libyan border, near to the site of the Ben Guerdane attack, while three civilians and a Tunisian security forces member were wounded.[40]
  • 30 March – Four Tunisian troops were reported killed in an ambush by ISIL affiliates in Kasserine governorate.[11]
  • 11 May – Four police men were killed by an ISIL attack, with the suicide bomber dying as well. This followed the death of two suspected terrorists near Tunis.[7]
  • 26 October – Two Americans were detained by the authorities in Jendouba (northwestern Tunisia), being suspected of involvement with a terrorist organisation.[41]
  • 5 November – Militants killed a soldier at his home in the central region. A day later, ISIL claimed responsibility for the killing.[21]
  • 9 November – The Tunisian Army hunted down and shot dead a leader of a militant group affiliated with ISIL militants, this comes four days after the militant group killed a soldier at his house in central Tunisia.[42]

2017

  • 12 March – A police officer and two militants were killed in a shootout at a checkpoint in southern Tunisia, three other officers were injured.[9]
  • 2–3 June – An unit of the National Army discovered the body of the shepherd Khelifa Soltani on Saturday afternoon, on Mount Mghila. He had been kidnapped on Friday by a group of terrorists with another shepherd who has not been found yet.[15]
  • 8 June – A mine exploded at Jebel Mghila (Sidi Bouzid governorate), during a sweep operation, killing a soldier and wounding another one.[12]
  • 16 June – A woman was injured when an IED went off near Mont Salloum in the Kasserine governorate.[16]
  • 22 August – An IED blast wounded two soldiers on patrol in the heights of Kasserine governorate.[43]
  • 1 November – A suspected Islamist stabbed two police officers near the Tunisia's parliament, killing one and injuring another one.[13]

2018

  • 1 August – People armed with guns attacked a bank in the city of Kasserine in Tunisia. Eleven terrorists were responsible for the operation. Four of them entered the bank and robbed money, while seven others stole a vehicle and took a citizen hostage. No one was injured in the incident.[18][19][20]

See also

Notes

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Tunesia, 18 March 2018". Global Terrorism Database. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "As fighters return, Tunisia faces growing challenge". Reuters. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Tunisia beach attack: British death toll 'will top 30'". BBC News. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Explosion reportedly occurred on Tunis' busy Mohammed V Avenue, killing at least 14 people". Middle East Eye. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Two militants, Tunisian soldier killed in clashes". Al Arabiya English. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Tunisian forces kill 2 'terrorists' near site of border attack". Gulf News. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Four policemen killed in 'IS' suicide attack in Tunisia". Deutsche Welle. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Tunisian military kills head of terrorist group". Press TV. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Policeman killed in checkpoint attack in southern Tunisia - officials". Reuters. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Habib Essid : 55 terroristes abattus et 52 autres arrêtés, à Ben Guerdene". Shems FM. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "ISIS terrorists ambush 4 Tunisian soldiers in Kasserine". Al-Masdar News. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Jebel mghila deux soldats blesses dans lexplosion dune mine". Kapitalis (in French). 8 June 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Tunisia policeman dies after attack, security unions seek more protection". Reuters. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 "Kasserine : Deux soldats blessés dans l'explosion d'une mine". Mosaïque FM (in French). 22 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Découverte du corps de Khelifa Soltani, kidnappé au mont Mghilla". Espace Manager (in French). 3 June 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Tunisie: Une femme blessée par l'explosion d'un mine au Mont Selloum". Tunisie Numerique (in French). 16 June 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  17. 1 2 3 "Gunmen storm Tunisian museum, kill two Tunisians, 17 foreign tourists site". Reuters. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  18. 1 2 "Braquage armé d'une agence bancaire à Kasserine". Business News (in French). 1 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  19. 1 2 "Tunisie: Le braquage d'une banque à Kasserine-ville est "un acte terroriste" (sources sécuritaires)". Maghreb Emergent (in French). 2 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  20. 1 2 "Tunisia: rapina in banca a Kasserine, sospetti su militanti dello Stato islamico". Agenzia Nova (in Italian). 2 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  21. 1 2 3 "Tunisian soldier killed in his home: report". The Indian Express. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  22. ↑ "Attentat en Tunisie : 33 victimes ont été identifiées". Le Parisien (in French). 30 June 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  23. ↑ "Islamic State attack on Ben Guerdane indicates shift in group's Tunisia strategy, to trigger insurgency". Jane's Defence Weekly. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  24. ↑ "The Latest: French President Mourns Tunisia Victims". The New York Times. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  25. ↑ "Museum attack a 'great calamity' for Tunisia's young democracy". Los Angeles Times. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  26. 1 2 "Islamic State claims responsibility for Tunisia attack". MSN News. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  27. ↑ "Third Tunisia museum attacker 'on the run', says president". Yahoo News. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  28. ↑ "21 dead in Tunisia attack, Including Gunmen". Al-Jazeera. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  29. ↑ "Gunmen 'take hostages' in attack on Tunisia parliament". The Daily Telegraph. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  30. ↑ "Thousands of Tunisians, leaders march after Bardo attack". Reuters. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  31. ↑ "Scores killed in terror attack on Tunisian beach resort". France 24. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  32. ↑ "Death toll from attack at Tunisia hotel rises to 37". WBTV. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  33. ↑ "Tourists flee Tunisia after resort attack". CNN. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  34. ↑ "Tunisia bus explosion: Bomb kills 12 on Tunis bus in 'act of terror'". The Independent. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  35. ↑ "Apparent suicide attack on Tunisian presidential guard bus kills 12". Reuters. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  36. ↑ "Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Deadly Bus Attack in Tunis". The Wall Street Journal. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  37. ↑ "Islamic State claims responsibility for fatal Tunis bus attack". The Guardian. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  38. ↑ "Tunisia identifies bus suicide bomber as Tunisian national". Reuters. 26 November 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  39. ↑
  40. ↑ "Tunisian forces kill 2 'terrorists' near site of border attack". Gulf News. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  41. ↑ "Tunisia Briefly Holds Two From U.S. on Suspicion of Terror Ties". The New York Times. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  42. ↑ "Tunisian military kills head of terrorist group". Press TV. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  43. ↑ "Kasserine : Deux soldats blessés dans l'explosion d'une mine". Mosaïque FM (in French). 22 August 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
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