On January 20, 2026, the Al-Saqri Foundation for Military Sciences, which is affiliated with the Islamic State, released a short manual entitled “The Security Planning.” Published in Arabic, the manual provides a series of basic guidelines and principles for planning and conducting successful qualitative operations, intended for cells composed of several Islamic State adherents. The manual includes a list of general instructions for potential cell members to plan and carry out successful operations. These instructions cover the entire operational timeline, from the moment a perpetrator departs for the execution area through to their final withdrawal once the execution is completed.
The simple and practical nature of these guidelines and principles indicates the Islamic State is targeting global adherents who lack basic combat experience or skills. Furthermore, this manual suggests that the Islamic State intends to encourage more complex operations based on multi-member cells, rather than simpler attacks based on “lone wolf” tactics.
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