British and Dutch IS jihadis killed trying to escape into Turkey
Multiple sources collated for Security News Desk by 5 Dimensions Consultants are reporting the death and capture of 10 IS foreign fighters, including British and Dutch nationals, while they were trying to escape the IS controlled town of al-Baba into Turkey.
The group was captured last night (9 March) but managed to escape again this morning (10 March). However they were pursued by IS fighters and a firefight erupted, killing 5 IS escapees, 4 IS fighters, with the capture of the remaining 5 escapees.
The tragic irony is that there were British nationals killed among the escapees as well as among the IS fighters who pursued them. There is no doubt that the escapees will be prosecuted in IS courts and found guilty of treason for taking up arms against IS. The inevitable outcome will be their death sentence.
This is the second group escape attempt and its significance is huge. Our sources confirm that IS foreign fighters are talking to each other over their dissatisfaction with life under IS. The attempt comes 6 weeks after another attempt by 4 senior IS judges who attempted to escape and were intercepted. Their fate is still unclear and there are reports of them being offered to “repent” and rejoin IS or face death.
In analysis provided by 5 Dimension consultants based in Dubai who have first hand experience of Jihadi life they say “there is no doubt that the IS is losing its grip on even some of their most ardent supporters. This is most likely due to the harsh treatment of civilians, which could possibly lead to doubt creeping into the minds of their followers and soldiers that the IS might be following in the footsteps of al-Khawarij, theologically speaking.”
Aimen Dean their Managing Director added “This doubt is further emphasised as IS hardline clerics try to reinforce allegiance “Baya’at” to Baghdadi with the most theologically outlandish and heretical statements.” The Baya’at is the oath of allegiance to Al-Baghdadi, the self styled leader of the Islamic State.
Dean said that “An example of this is IS senior cleric Abu Kamal al-Tunisis stating in a sermon 5 weeks ago (in a mosque in al-Bab city) that “if the Prophet Muhammad was alive today, he will have no choice but give his allegiance to Baghdadi”. Such statement received strong condemnation from many IS fighters.”
He continued “The bigger shock was that Abu Kamal continued in his position as senior cleric within the IS and was not punished or demoted for his outrageous theological transgression. Incidents like these are therefore bound to become more frequent and with deadlier consequences for the groups’ unity and future long-term survival.”
What is clear is that when foreign fighters join IS they are their till their deaths, whether that is in combat or at the hands of IS members matters not.
