Despite ISIS Fall and Coronavirus, First Week of Ramadan Deadlier than 2019

Islamic terrorists, mainly the Taliban, were responsible for 185 fatalities and 188 injuries during the first week of Ramadan, a time when extremists believe martyrdom and jihad are exceptionally rewarded in paradise, a Breitbart News tally revealed.

That means, on average, terrorists killed about 26 people each day during the first full seven days of the holiest week for Muslims — April 24 to 30. During that same period, there were 60 terrorist attacks that took place in 13 countries, resulting in a total of 373 casualties, including fatalities and injuries.

That translates to over 50 casualties each day during the holiest month for Islam adherents.

As it has done in the last three years, Breitbart News will provide regular updates on the carnage during Ramadan, which began at sunset on April 23 in most countries and will last through sundown on May 23.

The first full day of fasting fell on April 24, the first day Breitbart News began its count.

While several countries and regions have put their citizens on some form of lockdown, including Kabul, the coronavirus pandemic plaguing the globe has not slowed the war in Afghanistan.

So far, the deadliest group during the ongoing month of Ramadan is the Afghan Taliban, responsible for 130 deaths, or nearly 70 percent of all fatalities during the first week. Afghan Taliban jihadis are also behind over 75 percent (144) of all injuries.

As a result of the Taliban’s relentless attacks, Afghanistan is so far the deadliest country of the holy month, home to 40, or about two-thirds, of all 60 documented assaults during the first week of Ramadan.

The Taliban rejected a U.S.-backed Ramadan truce offered by Afghanistan, reportedly saying a ceasefire is “not rational” as they ramp up attacks on the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) and civilians.

At the end of February, the United States and the Taliban narco-jihadis signed an agreement calling for the conditions-based withdrawal of American and foreign military forces.

Even as the Taliban ramps up attacks, the first phase of the withdrawal of foreign forces is already underway, a U.S. reconstruction watchdog noted last week. America is reportedly working on bringing the number of American troops in the war and pandemic-ravaged country to well below 10,000. American troops invaded Afghanistan in October 2001.

Despite the demise of its so-called caliphate in March 2019, the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and its affiliates continue to wreak havoc, responsible for 36 deaths and five injuries during the first days of Ramadan, primarily in Iraq.

“The terrorist activities of Daesh [Islamic State] have increased during Ramadan [Muslims’ holy month],” Nihad Mohammed, a spokesperson for the police in Iraq’s Diyala province, declared.

The jihadi group continues to operate outside the Middle East. On April 27, an ISIS-linked man in France rammed his car into two police motorcyclists, seriously injuring them.

There was also one ISIS-linked attack each in Egypt, the Philippines, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Although to a much lesser extent, other jihadi groups have also been carrying out attacks during Ramadan, including Boko Haram in Nigeria, the Iran-allied Shiite Houthis in Yemen, and the al-Qaeda-linked Hayyat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).

Even with the fall of the ISIS caliphate in 2019, the first week of Ramadan this year is deadlier than in 2019. Jihadists killed at least 165 people and injured another 145 in the first week of that year.

Jihadist groups and other Islamists are known to urge their members and supporters to engage in jihad on Ramadan, believing that martyrs will get extra rewards in paradise. Despite these attempts, the vast majority of Muslims solely abide by Ramadan’s fasting tradition: abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking, having sex, and other physical needs each day, starting from before the break of dawn until sunset.

Breitbart News primarily gleans its tally from the Religion of Peace website in coordination with news and government reports.

Given that news outlets and governments fail to report many of the terrorist attacks in real-time, the casualty total for the first week is subject to change.

Government officials may also update some of the casualty totals as some of the injured victims succumb to their injuries.

Read more at: https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2020/05/05/despite-isis-fall-and-coronavirus-first-week-of-ramadan-deadlier-than-2019/

Photo: AP Photo/Rahmat Gal