MENA BRIEF, SITREP August 12 – August 19: Middle East and Northern Africa Regional Low Intensity Conflicts.

[BAHRAIN]:

Shia opposition groups continue to call for nationwide protests. Throughout the week, the calls have failed to generate any major protests. However, minor arrests have been made by security forces in relation to the Shia opposition’s anti-government actions.

[TURKEY]:

Throughout the week, nation wide arrests by individuals with alleged Islamic State-affiliations have been made. A total of 58 individuals with alleged Islamic State-affiliations have been arrested in the past week.

In addition to the Islamic State-affiliated arrests, the security forces’ nationwide crackdown on suspected Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) affiliated individuals continues. A total of 23 individuals with alleged PKK-affiliations have been arrested in the past week.

AUG12, Altindag district, Ankara, Turkey; An individual with alleged Islamic State ties was arrested by local police at 1700 hours. The individual is accused of having conducted reconnaissance of civilian targets in the district.

AUG13, Vatan Street Police Headquarters, Adnan Menderes Boulevard, Istanbul, Turkey; A suspect with alleged Islamic State affiliations fatally stabbed a policeman during the registration procedures at the police station. The suspect was shot and killed during the struggle by another police officer.

[EGYPT]:

AUG13, al Khusus, Qalyubi Province, Egypt; Ministry of Interior (MoI) released a statement confirming the death of 2 individuals during a security forces raid on an apartment in central al Khusus. According to the MoI, the 2 dead have alleged affiliations with the Hasm group. Further details can be found under the “AUG14, al-Tin, al Khusus, Qalyubi Province, Egypt”-police raid entry below.

AUG14, al-Tin, al Khusus, Qalyubi Province, Egypt; MoI has confirmed the death of two individuals during a security forces raid on a compound. Both individuals have been described by authorities as belonging to the Hasm group. The raid was a follow-up to the AUG13 raid on an apartment in the same area. Both raids have been described as being part of the security forces response to the fatal shooting of a police officer on JUL7.

AUG17, Border between Egypt and Palestine/Gaza, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt; Several Hamas security officials were injured, and 1 killed, when a suicide bomber detonated a suicide belt during a security check. The suicide bomber is alleged to belong to an al Qaeda affiliated militia group, which operates across Egypt.

[SAUDI ARABIA]:

The Saudi Ministry of Health (MoH) has reported 20 new cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the past week. The majority of the cases were reported in the Jawf province.

LIMA CHARLIE, MENA Desk

Lima Charlie provides global news, insight & analysis by military veterans and service members Worldwide.

For up-to-date MENA news, please follow us on twitter at @LimaCharlieMENA and John Sjoholm @JohnSjoholmLC