Thread: Nothing new in the latest IS leadership message delivered by its spokesman Abu Hamza al-Qurashi. It incites violence and insists that the group is still strong - "Baqiya" (here to stay), says Abu Hamza repeatedly.
https://twitter.com/Minalami/status/1317851588522893313
The message addresses IS soldiers in various wilayat (branches), calling out key ones. He tells IS militants in Yemen معلش (there there) following the big Aug setback at the hands of Houthis in Bayda; tells IS militants in Iraq to be steadfast despite "hardships and scarcity"
Warmly congratulates IS militants in Afghanistan for their prison attack in Jalalabad in Aug; urges IS militants worldwide to follow this example and focus on targeting prisons. Reminds them that Iraq prison breaks in 2013 preceded "the great conquests" of IS (land-grabs in 2014)
Pays tribute to IS militants in "West and Central Africa"; singles out militants in Mozambique in praise; sends a broader message to Muslims in Africa; urges them to confront missionaries and aid workers
More broadly, welcomes to the fold Muslims who have allegedly sent their pledges of allegiance to IS, telling them that IS has received and accepted their pledges. Doesn't specify from who or where these came from...
"We have happily received your pledges...and we inform you that the caliph...has accepted your pledges and sends his greetings and urges you to not hasten in reaping the fruit. Choose targets carefully and terrorise the parties of disbelief and apostasy", he cryptically said.
This may suggest that IS is telling this new "branch" or new joiners to lie low until the time is right to declare their affiliation
He gloats that the Americans are pulling out their troops from Muslim lands - names, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan - and says it's the result of blows by "the mujahidin" for over a decade
There are more details that are best not to share here
No hint about the ID or status of IS's so-called caliph, Abu Ibrahim, apart from telling new joiners that he sends his greetings.
The message was recorded in or after September as the spokesman refers to the deals that the UAE and Bahrain stuck in Aug & Sep respectively with Israel to normalise relations
It comes between two key dates for IS: the third anniversary of its loss of Raqqa in Syria (17 Oct 2017) and the first anniversary of its loss of its former leader Baghdadi (26/27 Oct 2019) - neither of which the spokesman mentions
Hundreds of IS supporters online, over 500 so far, have rushed to renew their pledges of allegiance to IS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurashi, who has yet to make an appearance or deliver a message. The pledges are aggregated & shared by a dedicated channel, in a strong show of support
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