2013 was the year in which the
jihadist group
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) adopted that name. The group expanded its territorial control in Syria and began to do so in Iraq also, and committed acts of terrorism in both countries and in Turkey.
Timeline
On 8 April 2013, having expanded into Syria, the group
Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) adopts the name Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.[1][2][3]
Starting in April 2013, ISIL makes rapid military gains in northern Syria, where according to the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, it was "the strongest group".[4]
11 May:
Two car bombs explode in the town of
Reyhanlı in
Hatay Province,
Turkey. At least 51 are killed and 140 injured.[5] The attack is the deadliest single act of terrorism ever to take place on Turkish soil to date.[6] Along with the Syrian intelligence service, ISIL is suspected of carrying out the attack.[7]
On 5 July, units of the
33rd Infantry Division were deployed to the town of
al-Dana after ISIL fighters reportedly opened fire on anti-ISIL protesters. Clashes broke out between the two groups, and resulted in
ISIL beheading a commander of the 33rd Division, and taking full control of the town.[8]
On 9 July, the
Free Syrian Army's battalion chief Kamal Hamami—better known by his
nom de guerre Abu Bassir al-Jeblawi—was killed by ISIL's
Coast region emir in Latakia's rural northern highlands. Al-Jeblawi was travelling to visit the al-Izz Bin Abdulsalam Brigade operating in the region when ISIL members refused his passage.[9]
On 22 July, ISIL organizes a mass break-out of its members being held in Iraq's prison in
Taji and
Abu Ghraib prison, freeing more than 500 prisoners, many of them veterans of the
Iraqi insurgency (2003–11)[10][11] or senior commanders of ISIL.[12][13] ISIL described the operation as involving 12 car bombs, numerous suicide bombers and mortar and rocket fire.[12][13] It was described as the culmination of a one-year campaign which was launched by ISIL leader
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.[14]
In early August the
Menagh Air Base was captured by forces including ISIL, whose suicide bomber detonated
car bomb at the airbase.[15]
In September, members of ISIL killed the
Ahrar ash-Sham commander Abu Obeida al-Binnishi, after he had intervened to protect a Malaysian Islamic charity; ISIL had mistaken its
Malaysian flag for that of the
United States.[16][17]
Also in September, ISIL overran the town of
Azaz, taking it from the
FSA-affiliated
Northern Storm Brigade.[18] ISIL had attempted to kidnap a German doctor working in Azaz.[19] In November 2013, Today's Zaman, a newspaper in Turkey, reported that Turkish authorities had detailed information on ISIL's plans to carry out suicide bombings in Turkey.[20]
From 30 September, several Turkish media websites reported that ISIL had accepted responsibility for the 11 May attack and had threatened further attacks on Turkey.[21][22][23][24]
In November, Hasan Jazra, the commander of
Jabhat Ghuraba al-Sham, was publicly executed by members of ISIL in the town of
Atarib. Islamist groups had accused Ghuraba of looting and collaborating at times with the
Syrian government.[25]
In December, there were reports of fighting between ISIL and the Salafist rebel group,
Ahrar ash-Sham, in the town of
Maskanah, Aleppo.[26]
In December, ISIL began
an offensive in the
Anbar province in Iraq, changing the insurgency there into a regional war.[27]
^Malas, Nour; Abushakra, Rima (6 August 2013). "Islamists Seize Airbase Near Aleppo". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 July 2014. Accessible via Google.
2013 was the year in which the
jihadist group
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) adopted that name. The group expanded its territorial control in Syria and began to do so in Iraq also, and committed acts of terrorism in both countries and in Turkey.
Timeline
On 8 April 2013, having expanded into Syria, the group
Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) adopts the name Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.[1][2][3]
Starting in April 2013, ISIL makes rapid military gains in northern Syria, where according to the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, it was "the strongest group".[4]
11 May:
Two car bombs explode in the town of
Reyhanlı in
Hatay Province,
Turkey. At least 51 are killed and 140 injured.[5] The attack is the deadliest single act of terrorism ever to take place on Turkish soil to date.[6] Along with the Syrian intelligence service, ISIL is suspected of carrying out the attack.[7]
On 5 July, units of the
33rd Infantry Division were deployed to the town of
al-Dana after ISIL fighters reportedly opened fire on anti-ISIL protesters. Clashes broke out between the two groups, and resulted in
ISIL beheading a commander of the 33rd Division, and taking full control of the town.[8]
On 9 July, the
Free Syrian Army's battalion chief Kamal Hamami—better known by his
nom de guerre Abu Bassir al-Jeblawi—was killed by ISIL's
Coast region emir in Latakia's rural northern highlands. Al-Jeblawi was travelling to visit the al-Izz Bin Abdulsalam Brigade operating in the region when ISIL members refused his passage.[9]
On 22 July, ISIL organizes a mass break-out of its members being held in Iraq's prison in
Taji and
Abu Ghraib prison, freeing more than 500 prisoners, many of them veterans of the
Iraqi insurgency (2003–11)[10][11] or senior commanders of ISIL.[12][13] ISIL described the operation as involving 12 car bombs, numerous suicide bombers and mortar and rocket fire.[12][13] It was described as the culmination of a one-year campaign which was launched by ISIL leader
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.[14]
In early August the
Menagh Air Base was captured by forces including ISIL, whose suicide bomber detonated
car bomb at the airbase.[15]
In September, members of ISIL killed the
Ahrar ash-Sham commander Abu Obeida al-Binnishi, after he had intervened to protect a Malaysian Islamic charity; ISIL had mistaken its
Malaysian flag for that of the
United States.[16][17]
Also in September, ISIL overran the town of
Azaz, taking it from the
FSA-affiliated
Northern Storm Brigade.[18] ISIL had attempted to kidnap a German doctor working in Azaz.[19] In November 2013, Today's Zaman, a newspaper in Turkey, reported that Turkish authorities had detailed information on ISIL's plans to carry out suicide bombings in Turkey.[20]
From 30 September, several Turkish media websites reported that ISIL had accepted responsibility for the 11 May attack and had threatened further attacks on Turkey.[21][22][23][24]
In November, Hasan Jazra, the commander of
Jabhat Ghuraba al-Sham, was publicly executed by members of ISIL in the town of
Atarib. Islamist groups had accused Ghuraba of looting and collaborating at times with the
Syrian government.[25]
In December, there were reports of fighting between ISIL and the Salafist rebel group,
Ahrar ash-Sham, in the town of
Maskanah, Aleppo.[26]
In December, ISIL began
an offensive in the
Anbar province in Iraq, changing the insurgency there into a regional war.[27]
^Malas, Nour; Abushakra, Rima (6 August 2013). "Islamists Seize Airbase Near Aleppo". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 July 2014. Accessible via Google.