The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham’s “Diyala Division” recently praised 26 suicide bombers, including 24 foreign fighters who conducted suicide attacks in the province of Diyala over the past several years.
The ISIS’ Diyala Division publicized the 26 bombers by posting photographs of them and a brief description of their attacks on its Twitter feed on April 12. The suicide bombers executed their attacks between September 2012 and March 2014, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which obtained the information.
Of the 26 suicide bombers who were identified, the noms de guerre of 24 of them indicate that they were from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The majority of the foreign suicide bombers were from North Africa; 10 were from Tunisia (“al Tunisi”); two were from Libya (“al Libi”); two were from Egypt (“al Masri”); and one has the last name “al Maghribi,” which denotes origins in Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, or Tunisia. Five more suicide bombers were from Saudi Arabia. Additionally, there was one suicide bomber each from the following: Iran (“al Irani”), Tajikistan (“al Tajikistani”), the Russian Republic of Chechnya (“al Shishani”), and Denmark (“al Dinmarki”).
The Danish suicide bomber, who purportedly carried out his suicide bombing on Nov. 6, 2013, was identified as Abu Khattab al Dinmarki, but his real name has not been disclosed. The ISIS also blurred the image of his face. If confirmed, he would be the second Danish citizen known to have executed a suicide attack in Iraq. In November, Fatih al Denmarki carried out a suicide assault in Taji in Baghdad province.
The ISIS has been keen to advertise the willingness of foreign fighters to execute suicide operations in Iraq.
Two other ISIS divisions, the Baghdad Division and the Southern Division, released similar videos over the past two months. In early April, the Southern Division, which operates in Babil province just south of Baghdad, recognized eight suicide bombers from Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
In early March, the Baghdad Division recognized 30 suicide bombers, of whom 24 were from Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan or Pakistan, Denmark, and the Maghreb. [See LWJ reports, ISIS’ ‘Southern Division’ praises foreign suicide bombers, and Dane, Uzbek among 30 suicide bombers eulogized by ISIS.]
The ISIS has identified 16 wilayats, or administrative areas or divisions, in territory under its control or influence in Iraq and Syria.
Earlier this year, the Anbar Division released two videos of the brutal execution of more than 20 Iraqi soldiers who were captured in Fallujah. The Anbar Division is the largest in Iraq, and one of the most active. The ISIS controls Fallujah and its dam, and other cities and towns along the Euphrates River Valley. Just recently, the ISIS held a parade that included captured Iraqi military hardware in Abu Ghraib, a city only two miles outside Baghdad. [See LWJ report, ISIS parades on outskirts of Baghdad.]
