Showing posts with label the "islamic state". Show all posts
Showing posts with label the "islamic state". Show all posts

Monday, December 9, 2024

Syrian Civil War Reignites: Map of Control Amid Rebel Advance

This map shows the situation on December 6, 2024, just before the final collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government in Damascus. Though the cities of Homs and Damascus have reportedly come under rebel control since then, the country is now in such disarray that current control can't be accurately mapped. 

We plan to publish an update for our subscribers within the next few days, clarifying post-Assad control once the dust has begun to settle.

(To see other maps in this series, view all Syria updates.)Hidden image for crawlers

Syrian Civil War map: Territorial control in Syria on December 6, 2024, ten days into the surprise rebel offensive, and just before their advance led to a full collapse of the Assad government (Free Syrian Army rebels, Kurdish YPG, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS / Al-Nusra Front), and others). Includes areas of major known activity for so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), Turkish/SNA control, joint SDF-Assad control, and US deconfliction zone, plus recent locations of conflict, including Aleppo, Hama, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, and more. Colorblind accessible.
Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni. Area of IS activity is based on 2024 data from ACLED (see footnote for full citation), and reflects a change in methodology from previous editions.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

Timeline by Djordje Djukic

Return to War: Lightning Offensive and Countrywide Shifts

Twelve days ago, Syria's 13-year-old civil war, mostly dormant for the past four years, exploded back onto the scene with a surprise rebel offensive out of the northwest, which quickly managed to seize the country's second largest city, Aleppo. The lead rebel group was the former Al Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), though Turkish-backed rebels from the northern border regions also joined the fray, with the two groups quickly taking over the country's second largest city, Aleppo. 

As hardline HTS-led forces marched rapidly south, two more rebel fronts emerged, with US-backed fighters in the southern desert expanding out of their longtime safe zone, and a reborn opposition in the southwest recapturing the former rebel stronghold of Daraa. Meanwhile, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) moved to consolidate their control in the north and east, and over the next ten days moved into areas west of the Euphrates River - including the major city of Deir ez-Zor - as the Syrian military withdrew.

December 6th - the date illustrated on the map above - saw the Syrian military's last major resistance to the surprise rebel assault. The next two days would be a period of government free fall, with rebels apparently entering the city of Homs and national capital Damascus without much resistance. Meanwhile, authoritarian president Bashar al-Assad fled the country as his military withdrew from both cities and the country's central desert, conceding victory in the central conflict of the country's 13-year civil war.

Assad Has Fallen: What's Next for Control in Syria?

Syria is now in disarray, and many questions remain to be answered. What kind of new government will emerge in Damascus? Will former government loyalists hold onto the country's now-isolated coastal region, a traditional bastion of Assad's supporters and still host to his Russian military allies? Will democracy-minded rebel groups work together with the religious-hardline HTS, turn against it, or go their own way in their own strongholds? 

One thing that does seem certain: Syria's division isn't over yet. Even if a rebel coalition government secures power over the country's whole west and center, much of the north and northeast remain under control of the Kurdish-led SDF. While the SDF and the provisional government of its controlled areas do still consider themselves part of Syria, they'll likely be in no hurry to submit to any rebel-led administration. For one thing, they're determined to guarantee rights for Syria's Kurdish people before any future reintegration - and likely under pressure from its US patrons to continue the fight against the so-called "Islamic State" (IS, formerly ISIS).

But the Kurdish-led forces in the northeast also aren't on good terms with either of the two most powerful rebel factions. With Türkiye's government labeling the Kurdish militias at the core of the SDF's forces as terrorist groups, Turkish-backed rebels are more enemies than friends to the US-backed coalition (despite the US and Türkiye being allied with each other as fellow NATO members). Meanwhile, it probably goes without saying that the pro-democracy, fiercely anti-IS, US-supported SDF will be wary of cooperation with the religious-hardline HTS, who many fear could become the next Taliban.

To follow our further coverage as post-Assad territorial control develops, visit or bookmark our listing of all Syria control map reports.

Friday, July 21, 2023

Syria Control Map & Report - July 2023 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Thumbnail preview of Syrian Civil War map: Territorial control in Syria in July 2023 (Free Syrian Army rebels, Kurdish YPG, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS / Al-Nusra Front), and others). Includes areas of dispersed operational presence for so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), Turkish/TFSA control, joint SDF-Assad control, US deconfliction zone, and Turkey-Russia security corridor, plus recent locations of conflict, including Afrin, Tanf, Al-Kawm, and more. Colorblind accessible.For years there have been no lasting changes to the lines of control in Syria's nearly-frozen civil war, but sporadic fighting has continued between rival rebel groups, between Turkish-led forces and elements of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and as part of the ongoing insurgency carried out by the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL).

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of key events since our previous Syria map report from last year, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Syria map!

Exclusive map report includes:

  • Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
  • Pattern showing areas of "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) dispersed operational presence now that the group has lost its last firmly-held territory.
  • Special symbols for joint Turkish/rebel control and joint SDF/government control in the border region
  • Extent of "security corridor" sponsored by Turkey and Russia in the rebel-held northwest
  • Outline showing approximate location of the one publicly-known US "deconfliction zone"
  • Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the SDF anti-"Islamic State" coalition)
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
  • Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Afrin, Tanf, Al-Kawm, and more
  • Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since February 23, 2022, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Saturday, February 18, 2023

Somalia Control Map & Timeline: Al Shabaab in Retreat - January 2023 (Subscription) - Final Version

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Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Thumbnail: Who controls Somalia? Map (January 2023 - final version). With states, regions, and territorial control. Best Somalia control map online, thoroughly researched, detailed but concise. Shows territorial control by Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Al Shabaab, so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), separatist Somaliland, autonomous state Puntland, and boundaries of additional federal member states Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Now labels state capitals and disputed boundaries between Somaliland and Puntland, as well as key towns from recent news, including Bo'o (Booco), Ali Gadud, Masagaway, Harardhere, Eldher, Bahdo (Baxdo), Qayib, and many more. Updated to January 17, 2023. Colorblind accessible.
Pro-federal forces, including local militias and other allies, have made remarkable gains against Al Shabaab in recent months, despite their advances in mid-2022 having been exaggerated. Al Shabaab has recently been driven out of several major towns that it governed unopposed for many years - potentially the biggest achievement of the pro-federal coalition in almost a decade.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report of December 2021, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

  • Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including ATMIS peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
  • Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
  • Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Bo'o (Booco), Ali Gadud, Masagaway, Harardhere, Eldher, Bahdo (Baxdo), Qayib, and many more.
  • Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political and humanitarian developments since December 14, 2021, with sources cited. 
  • Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past four months.
  • Chronicle of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland's international relations in its quest for recognition as an independent country (events included as part of timeline)

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Thursday, February 24, 2022

Syria Control Map & Report - February 2022 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Thumbnail preview of Syrian Civil War map: Full map shows territorial control in Syria in February 2022 (Free Syrian Army rebels, Kurdish YPG, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS / Al-Nusra Front), and others). Includes areas of dispersed operational presence for so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), Turkish/TFSA control, joint SDF-Assad control, US deconfliction zone, and Turkey-Russia security corridor, plus recent locations of conflict and territorial control changes, including Tafas, Atmah, Ithriya (Athriyah), Ayn Issa and more. Colorblind accessible. Despite no changes to Syria's lines of control since 2020, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has continued a bloody insurgency in the central desert, which has increasingly occupied the Assad government and its Russian and Iranian allies. Meanwhile, fighting between Kurdish- and Turkish-led forces has carried on sporadically, and a sort of rebel resurgence in the southwest has come and gone.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report last November, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Syria map!

Exclusive map report includes:
  • Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
  • Pattern showing areas of "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) dispersed operational presence now that the group has lost its last firmly-held territory.
  • Special symbols for joint Turkish/rebel control and joint SDF/government control in the border region
  • Extent of "security corridor" sponsored by Turkey and Russia in the rebel-held northwest
  • Outline showing approximate location of the one publicly-known US "deconfliction zone"
  • Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the SDF anti-"Islamic State" coalition)
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
  • Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Tafas, Ayn Issa, Resafa, Atmah, and more
  • Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since November 22, 2020, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Can I purchase just this map?
This map and report are not available for automated purchase to non-subscribers. If you need access or republication rights for only this map report, contact service@polgeonow.com for options.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Mozambique Control Map: Cabo Delgado Insurgency Shifts West - February 2022 (Subscription)

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(To see other maps in this series, view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.)

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

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Mozambique: Cabo Delgado conflict map - February 2022: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, Ansar al-Sunnah, or Al Shabaab), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past five months (including those across the border in Tanzania. Shows major shift in insurgent activity away from Mocímboa da Praia and Palma towns, and towards Meluco and northern Mueda district, while Nangade and Macomia districts continue to be conflict hotspots.  Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Naquitengue, Nachipande, Kiwengulo, Nankidunga, 5º Congresso, Nankidunga, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, and many more towns and villages. Colorblind accessible.
After being driven from the key northeastern towns of Palma and Mocímboa da Praia by Rwandan-led forces, Mozambique's insurgents have dispersed westward as far as Meluco and Mueda districts, as well as the neighboring province of Niassa. Meanwhile, they've also increased cross-border raids into Tanzania.
 
See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's Mozambique territorial control map report, which includes a timeline of changes and important events since our previous Cabo Delgado map report at the end of last August. While the main map is focused in on Cabo Delgado province, events in Niassa province are labelled on a supplementary full-country map included in the report.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Mozambique map!

Exclusive map report includes:

  • Detailed illustration of approximate current territorial control in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, color-coded for insurgents affiliated with the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) vs. the Mozambican government and allies (including Rwandan and the SADC's SAMIM troops). Colorblind accessible. 
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control status, including for many relevant smaller towns and villages.
  • Detailed indication of which towns and villages have subject to insurgent raids or pro-government military operations since the end of August 2021, including sites across the border in Tanzania.
  • Contextual details including district boundaries, rivers, major roads, and terrain.
  • Sites of international economic interest: Total's suspended LNG site, offshore natural gas fields, and Montepuez ruby mine.
  • Key locations from the news, including Ngapa, Nova Zambezia, Chitoio, Quinto Congresso, Nambungali, and many more.
  • Supplementary map showing the insurgency's location within Mozambique as a whole, also labeling towns in Niassa province that have come under attack, such as Mecula, Naulala, and Chimene.
  • Accompanying article with detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political and military developments since late July, with sources cited. 

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Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - December 2021

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Who controls Somalia? Map (December 2021). With states, regions, and territorial control. Best Somalia control map online, thoroughly researched, detailed but concise. Shows territorial control by Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Al Shabaab, so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), separatist Somaliland, autonomous state Puntland, and boundaries of additional federal member states Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Now labels state capitals and disputed boundaries between Somaliland and Puntland, as well as key towns from recent news such as Ba'adweyne, Amara, Qey'ad, Marian Guway, Balidhidhin, and more. Updated to December 14, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
Base map by Koen Adams of onestopmap.com, with territorial control by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic.
Contact us for permission to use this map.

(Subscribers click here to view this article in the member area)

Timeline by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic

Somalia Crisis Timeline: Political and Military Disarray in 2021

In the nearly 10 months since PolGeoNow's previous Somalia control map report, the country's news cycle has been dominated by a series of interconnected political crises that have led the federal government's military to the brink of civil war. All the while, the fight against Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, which operates a parallel government across much of Somalia's countryside, has continued to see a mix of victories and defeats for each side. And while the standoff between the federal army and Jubaland state forces has ended, new regional conflicts have erupted in Hirshabelle and Galmudug states, including a major resurgence of the controversial ASWJ militia.

Read on for concise summaries of the past 10 months' political crises and military trends, followed by a detailed timeline of events since February. Sources for our reporting, and for changes to the map since last time, are covered in the detailed timeline and the additional source notes at the bottom of the page.

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Are Mozambique's insurgents really part of "ISIS"?

This is one of two newly-published supplements to PolGeoNow's Mozambique insurgency control map report series. The other revisits the question of the what the insurgents are actually called, still relevant one year after we first reported on their history and emergence onto the world stage.

Mozambique: Cabo Delgado conflict map - August 2021: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, Ansar al-Sunnah, or Al Shabaab), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past eight months. Situation after Rwandan military intervention that took back Mocímboa da Praia and other towns from the rebels. Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Palma, Awasse, Nchinga, Ntotwe, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, and many more towns and villages. Updated to August 31, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
Mozambique's insurgents have been pushed out of their most prized territories, but are still fighting on in other areas.

PolGeoNow's coverage of the insurgency in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province has, as usual, been largely focused on who controls what territory in the conflict - and though insurgents have recently lost their most prominent territorial holdings, they're still a force to be reckoned with. 

But there's one big question that still hangs over the story, relevant both to how the outside world should view the insurgency and to what the rebels are even called:

Are Mozambique's insurgents part of "ISIS"?

A year after they made international headlines by capturing and holding onto the major town of Mocímboa da Praia, the short answer is still "probably sort of".

The so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS or ISIL), though it started in Iraq and Syria and still is based there, has also established branches and franchises - with varying degrees of connection to IS headquarters - in far-flung countries around Africa and Asia. So the more specific question is: Are the Cabo Delgado insurgents genuinely connected to IS, and if so, how connected?

What are Mozambique's insurgents called?

This is one of two newly-published supplements to PolGeoNow's Mozambique insurgency control map series. The other provides an update on the question of what links really exist between the insurgents and the so-called "Islamic State" organization (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL).

Where is ISIS in Mozambique? Full-country map of insurgent control in northern Mozambique, with territorial control, roads, rivers, and terrain. Includes key locations of the insurgency such as Mocímboa da Praia, Palma, Macomia, Mucojo, Quissanga, Meluco, Muidumbe, Mueda, Quiterajo, and Nangade, as well as other important cities such as Pemba, Nampula, and Maputo. Neighboring countries shown, including Comoros, Madagascar, and French territories of Juan de Nova Island, Bassas da India, and Europa Island. Updated to July 29, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
At the height of their control earlier this year, secretive insurgents dominated a small but important corner of Mozambique. (Map from our July 2021 Cabo Delgado update.)
A Nearly-Nameless Insurgency

In our August 2020 Mozambique conflict map article, we discussed confusion over the name of the insurgent group operating in Cabo Delgado province. Now, a year later, we've decided it's time to briefly revisit that question. 

Though the fighters have now been pushed out of their most prized territories, they're still present in the region in large numbers, so questions about their identity remain highly relevant.

Al Shabaab in Mozambique?

At this point there's no longer much question that the group's most commonly-used name in Cabo Delgado - by both its opponents and the insurgents themselves - is "Al-Shabab". This unofficial name, which means "the youth" in Arabic (the international language of the Islamic religion, but not of everyday communication in Mozambique), appears to be a reference to the Al Shabaab insurgent group in Somalia. Though the word is usually spelled "Shabaab" in the Somali context, and international commentary often uses this spelling for the Cabo Delgado insurgents too, local spelling conventions in Mozambique tend to prefer "Shabab" without the double A.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Mozambique Control Map: Rebels Lose Mocímboa da Praia - August 2021 (Subscription)

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There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Timeline by Djordje Djukic.

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Mozambique: Cabo Delgado conflict map - August 2021: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, Ansar al-Sunnah, or Al Shabaab), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past month. Situation after Rwandan military intervention that took back Mocímboa da Praia and other towns from the rebels. Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Palma, Awasse, Nchinga, Ntotwe, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, and many more towns and villages. Updated to August 31, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
After the intervention of Rwandan forces, Insurgents aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) have been pushed out of their most notable territories in Mozambique's far northern province of Cabo Delgado. However, they're believed to still be active in large numbers in more remote areas.
 
See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's Mozambique territorial control map, which includes a timeline of changes and important events since our previous Cabo Delgado map report in July.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

(Note: Though Rwanda's defense department has been seen using our Cabo Delgado map in a press briefing, PolGeoNow has no known contact or business relationship with the Rwandan government or military, and the map was used without our prior knowledge. As always, PolGeoNow does not endorse any actor, organization, or policy in any armed conflict or political dispute.)

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Mozambique map!

Exclusive map report includes:

  • Detailed illustration of approximate current territorial control in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, color-coded for insurgents affiliated with the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) vs. the Mozambican government and allies (including Rwandan and SADC troops). Areas of contested or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible. 
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control status, including for many relevant smaller towns and villages.
  • Detailed indication of which towns and villages have subject to insurgent raids or pro-government military operations since late July 2021.
  • Contextual details including district boundaries, rivers, major roads, and terrain.
  • Sites of international economic interest: Total's suspended LNG site, offshore natural gas fields, and Montepuez ruby mine.
  • Key locations from the news, including Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Ntotwe, Nchinga, and many more.
  • Accompanying article with detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political and military developments since late July, with sources cited. 

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Friday, July 30, 2021

Mozambique Insurgency: Map of Control in Cabo Delgado - July 2021 (Subscription)

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There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Timeline by Djordje Djukic.

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Mozambique: Cabo Delgado conflict map - July 2021: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, Ansar al-Sunnah, or Al Shabaab), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past eight months. Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Diaca, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, Muidumbe, Pangane, Quionga, Mitope and many more towns and villages. Updated to July 29, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
Insurgents with claimed ties to the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) have mostly held onto their limited areas of control in Mozambique's far northern province of Cabo Delgado. But that could start changing fast, with newly-arrived Rwandan troops already on the offensive.
 
See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's Mozambique territorial control map, which includes a timeline of changes and important events since our previous Cabo Delgado map report in April.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Mozambique map!

Exclusive map report includes:

  • Detailed illustration of approximate current territorial control in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, color-coded for insurgents affiliated with the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) vs. the Mozambican government and allies (including Rwandan troops). Areas of contested or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible. 
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control status, including for many relevant smaller towns and villages.
  • Detailed indication of which towns and villages have subject to insurgent raids or government attacks since April 2021.
  • Contextual details including district boundaries, rivers, major roads, and terrain shading.
  • Sites of international economic interest: Total's under-construction LNG plant, offshore natural gas fields, and Montepuez ruby mine.
  • Key locations from the news, including Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Diaca, Ntchinga, Panjele, Quiwiya, and many more.
  • Accompanying article with detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political and military developments since April, with sources cited. 

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Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Libya Control Map & Timeline: Lines Frozen by Unity Deal - April 2021 (Subscription)

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(To see more maps in this series, view all Libya articles.)

Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic.

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Libya: Who controls what? A concise, professional map of who controls Libya now (April 2021). Shows detailed territorial control in the aftermath of the Libyan Civil War as of April 26, 2021, including all major parties (forces aligned with the former Government of National Accord (GNA); General Haftar's eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) and allies; Tuareg and Toubou (Tebu, Tubu) militias in the south; and the so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL)). Includes terrain, major roads, and recent locations of interest including Ghadames, Ubari, Sirte, Sidra, and more. Colorblind accessible.Libya's civil war entered a stalemate after the eastern government's failure to capture Tripoli from the western government last year - and now it's been tentatively declared over after a peace deal and formation of a unity government. 

But for the time being, the lines of control between former opposing military forces remain in place, and we've made some adjustments to the map based on newly-available information.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Libya control map, which comes with a timeline of changes since our previous Libya control map report of June 21, 2020.

This map and report are premium content available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive report includes:

  • Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Libya, color-coded for forces aligned with the former Government of National Accord (GNA), Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL), and Toubou and Tuareg militias in the south. Colorblind accessible.
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events.
  • Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since June 21, 2020, with links to sources.

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Thursday, April 22, 2021

Mozambique Insurgency: Close-up Map of Control in April 2021

There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

It's finally here: the close-up, super-detailed version of our Mozambique insurgency control map! This edition depicts the situation near the beginning of this month, when the government was fighting for control of Palma. A new close-up version of our August 2020 map is also now available, and future updates are expected more frequently from now on. To see the full list of reports, you can always view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

Mozambique: Cabo Delgado conflict map - April 2021: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, Ansar al-Sunnah, or Al Shabaab), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past eight months. Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Macomia, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, Muidumbe, Pangane, Muatide, Vamizi Island, and many more towns and villages. Key locations across the border in Tanzania also shown. Updated to April 2, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Some elements © OpenStreetMap contributors. Terrain data sourced from ViewFinderPanoramas. Contact us for permission to use this map.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic and Evan Centanni

New: Close-up Cabo Delgado Insurgency Map

In the eight months since our first Mozambique conflict timeline was published, insurgents in Cabo Delgado province have gradually increased their control, continuing to raid villages and towns in multiple districts, culminating most recently in their temporary takeover of most of Palma, a major town close to under-construction natural gas facilities operated by French company Total. The rebel group - locally known as "Al Shabaab" but thought to formally label itself Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamâ (ASWJ) - is increasingly believed to be cooperating, if only loosely, with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; ISIS/ISIL).

Now, for the first time, PolGeoNow presents our close-up map of the Cabo Delgado conflict, rigorously researched and edited to provide the most detailed, informative, and reliable map of insurgent control and attacks available anywhere.

Mozambique Insurgency: 2017-2020 Close-up Map & Expanded Timeline (Subscription)

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There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

Map and report by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic

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Mozambique: Cabo Delgado insurgency map - October 2017 to August 2020: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, or Ansar al-Sunnah), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past three years. Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Macomia, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, Miangalewa, Litingina, Ntessa, Cagembe, Marere, Makulo, and many, many more. Colorblind accessible.
This is an alternate version of our free August 2020 Mozambique control map and report, now featuring a close-up map with much more detail. In addition to territorial control, the map also indicates the locations of other 2017-2020 insurgent attacks and government raids.
 
Included in the accompanying report is a revised and expanded timeline of events since 2017, focusing in on the details of where and when attacks and fighting have happened.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

  • Detailed illustration of territorial control in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province in August 2020, color-coded for insurgents affiliated with the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) vs. the Mozambican government and allies (including Dyck private military contractors). Areas of contested or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible. 
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control status, including for many relevant smaller towns and villages.
  • Detailed indication of which towns and villages were subject to insurgent raids or government attacks from the beginning of armed conflict in October 2017 up to the capture of Mocímboa da Praia town in August 2020.
  • Contextual details like district boundaries, rivers, major roads, and terrain shading.
  • Sites of international economic interest: Total's under-construction LNG plant, offshore natural gas fields, and Montepuez ruby mine.
  • Key locations from the news, including Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Macomia, Miangalewa, Litingina, Ntessa, Cagembe, Marere, Makulo, and many, many more.
  • Accompanying article with detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political and military developments since the outbreak of armed conflict in October 2017, with sources cited. 

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - February 2021 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Who controls Somalia? Map (February 2021). With states, regions, and territorial control. Best Somalia control map online, thoroughly researched, detailed but concise. Shows territorial control by Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Al Shabaab, so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), separatist Somaliland, autonomous state Puntland, and boundaries of additional federal member states Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Now labels state capitals and disputed boundaries between Somaliland and Puntland, as well as key towns from recent news such as Milho (Milxo), Ba'adweyne, Bur Heybe, Gobo Kibir, and more. Updated to February 24, 2021. Colorblind accessible.
In the past four months, control lines have changed little in Somalia's south, but Al Shabaab has increasingly seized villages near the northern coast, in the area disputed between Puntland and Somaliland. Meanwhile, the map has undergone a subtle overhaul, with various small adjustments made after a thorough review of available research.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report of October 2020, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:

  • Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
  • Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
  • Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Milho (Milxo), Ba'adweyne, Bur Heybe, Gobo Kibir, and more.
  • Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since October 20, 2020, with sources cited. 
  • Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past four months.

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Monday, November 23, 2020

Syria Control Map & Report: Army Takes Last IS Stronghold - November 2020 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Syrian Civil War map: Territorial control in Syria in late November 2020 (Free Syrian Army rebels, Kurdish YPG, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS / Al-Nusra Front), and others). Includes areas of dispersed operational presence for so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), Turkish/TFSA control, joint SDF-Assad control, US deconfliction zone, and Turkey-Russia security corridor, plus recent locations of conflict and territorial control changes, including Doubayat gas field, Al Karak, Morek, and more. Colorblind accessible. The so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) has lost control of a remote gas field that formed its last clearly-held territory in Syria. But it hasn't disappeared: The group has continued carrying out attacks in the central desert through a dispersed, mobile operations network.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report in July, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive map report includes:
  • Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Colorblind accessible.
  • NEW: Pattern showing areas of "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) dispersed operational presence now that the group has lost its last firmly-held territory.
  • Special symbols for joint Turkish/rebel control and joint SDF/government control in the border region
  • Extent of "security corridor" sponsored by Turkey and Russia in the rebel-held northwest
  • Outline showing approximate location of the one publicly-known US "deconfliction zone"
  • Special symbols indicating towns dominated by rebels of the former Al Qaeda Nusra Front (now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) and by the Kurdish YPG militia (part of the SDF anti-"Islamic State" coalition)
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including key towns and other locations important to current events
  • Locations of recent control changes and other important events, including Doubayat gas field, Al Karak, Morek, and more
  • Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since July 30, 2020, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Somalia Control Map & Timeline - October 2020 (Subscription)

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There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Who controls Somalia? Map (October 2020). With states, regions, and territorial control. Best Somalia control map online, thoroughly researched, detailed but concise. Shows territorial control by Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Al Shabaab, so-called Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), separatist Somaliland, autonomous state Puntland, and boundaries of additional federal member states Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Now labels state capitals and disputed boundaries between Somaliland and Puntland, as well as key towns from the news such as Kurtunwarey, Gendershe, Daynunay, Mubarak, Bulacle, and more. Updated to October 20, 2020. Colorblind accessible.
In the last five months, Somalia's federal government and its allies have made modest gains against Al Shabaab, capturing the first district capital in two years. Meanwhile Galmudug state, under new leadership, has become increasingly integrated with the federal-aligned military coalition.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Somalia control map, which includes a timeline of territorial changes and key events since our previous Somalia map report of May 2020, with sources cited.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

Want to see before you subscribe? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Somalia map!

Exclusive map report includes:

  • Up-to-date illustration of current territorial control in Somalia, color-coded for the federal government coalition (including AMISOM peacekeepers), autonomous unionist forces, separatist Somaliland, Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, and fighters aligned with the so-called "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). Areas of mixed or unclear control indicated separately. Colorblind accessible.
  • Boundaries and labels for Somalia's official regions and states, including the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Somaliland and federal states Puntland, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, and Hirshabelle. Illustrates the claims of both sides in the Somaliland-Puntland border dispute, as well as actual control.
  • Detailed indication of city-by-city control, including many relevant smaller towns and villages.
  • Locations of recent fighting and other important events, including Kurtunwarey, Gendershe, Daynunay, Mubarak, Bulacle, and more.
  • Detailed timeline of territorial control changes and key political developments since May 20, 2020, with sources cited. 
  • Summary of the conflict situation and changes to the map over the past five months.

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Saturday, August 22, 2020

Iraq Control Map & Timeline: Turkey Expands Control in North - August 2020 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com, Evan Centanni, and Djordje Djukic

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Iraq Control Map 2020, updated to August 21. Shows areas of Iraq under Turkey's military contro, ISIS control (Islamic State/ISIL/Daesh), and under the control of the Baghdad government, the Kurdistan Peshmerga, and the Yezidi Sinjar Alliance (YBS and YJE). Marks Khamtir and Halukah Mountains (Jabal Khamtir and Jabal Halukah), controlled by Turkish forces. Colorblind accessible.
While Iraq's lines of control have mostly stayed the same since the beginning of the year, Turkey's military has been gradually increasing its control of the north. The incursion is part of the Turkish war against the Kurdish PKK, a rebel group from Turkey that now bases itself across the border in Iraq.

See all this and more on the latest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional map of control in Iraq, including a timeline of changes since our previous Iraq map report of January 2020.

This map and report are premium content, available to paid subscribers of the PolGeoNow Conflict Mapping Service.

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Exclusive report includes:
  • Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Iraq, color-coded for the Iraqi government, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) fighters, Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces, and Yezidi militias. Colorblind accessible.
  • NEW: Turkish military control along the northern border, including key sites Mt. Khamtir (Jabal Khamtir) and Mt. Halukah (Jabal Halukah).
  • Detailed indication of town-by-town control, including all major cities and many smaller ones, as well as terrain, major roads, and provincial boundaries
  • Timeline of changes to the situation and related events since January, compiled by our Iraq-Syria specialist, with links to sources.
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Monday, August 17, 2020

"Islamic State" in Mozambique? Control Map & Timeline of the Insurgency

There are newer editions of this map available. To see them, view all Mozambique articles on PolGeoNow.

This is the first edition of our new Mozambique control map series. To guarantee your access to future updates, sign up our conflict map subscription service (updates may be released for free if changes end up being very few or far between).

Mozambique Insurgency: Map of ISIS control in Mozambique, or of control by local insurgent group Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamâ / Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamaa / Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamaah (al-Sunna / al-Sunnah) in northern Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, with territorial control, roads, rivers, and terrain. Includes key locations of the insurgency such as Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Macomia, Mucojo, Quissanga, Meluco, Muidumbe, Mueda, Mitumbate (Mutumbate), Palma, Pundanhar, and Nangade, as well as other important cities such as Pemba, Nampula, and Maputo. Neighboring countries shown, including Comoros, Madagascar, and French territories of Juan de Nova Island, Bassas da India, and Europa Island. Updated to August 17, 2020. Colorblind accessible.
Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map. Terrain data sourced from ViewFinderPanoramas.

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Article by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic

Northern Mozambique's Insurgency: What We Do and Don't Know

Mozambique: Cabo Delgado insurgency map - October 2017 to August 2020: Detailed, close-up control map showing areas occupied by so-called ISIS-linked rebels in northern Mozambique (also known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa Jama, ASWJ, or Ansar al-Sunnah), plus towns and villages raided by the insurgents over the past three years. Shows roads, rivers, and terrain, and includes key locations of the insurgency such as Mocímboa da Praia, Awasse, Macomia, the Total LNG site and natural gas fields, Miangalewa, Litingina, Ntessa, Cagembe, Marere, Makulo, and many, many more. Colorblind accessible.
Close-up version of the above map, with expanded timeline (subscriber exclusive; click for more info).
International headlines broke last week describing a takeover of a northern Mozambique "city" by what many of them called the "Islamic State" (IS; formerly ISIS/ISIL). If this came as a complete surprise to you, you're not alone - even international analysts were startled when the insurgency began in 2017, and though the insurgents have actually overrun Mocímboa da Praia more than once since then, news coverage has been pretty limited.

At PolGeoNow, researcher Djordje Djukic has been keeping an eye on this conflict for some time, and we're now pleased to present what we believe to be the world's first map series documenting territorial control in the northern Mozambique insurgency. 

Update: A much more detailed close-up version of the above map, adding insurgent raids and accompanied by an expanded timeline, is now available to our paid subscribers.