Battle of Rafah (2009)

The 2009 Battle of Rafah was a battle, fought between the police forces of the Islamist group Hamas controlling Gaza, and the radical Islamist group Jund Ansar Allah.[1] The fighting began on 14 August 2009 and concluded the next day. In total, 24 people were killed in the fighting, including six Hamas police officers and an 11-year-old girl, and a further 150 were wounded.[2]

2009 Gaza clashes
Part of the Palestinian political violence
DateAugust 14–15, 2009
Location
Gaza Strip, Rafah
Result

Hamas victory

  • Jund ansar allah virtually destroyed
Belligerents
Jund Ansar Allah Hamas
Commanders and leaders
Abdel Latif Moussa †
Abu Abdullah al Suri †		 Abu Jibril Shimali †
Strength
100+ fighters unknown
Casualties and losses
15 killed, 40 captured 6 fighters killed
5 civilians killed, 150 people wounded overall

The raid

A day before the Hamas raid, Jund ansar Allah leader, Abdel Latif Moussa, declared the Islamic Emirate of Rafah, and swore allegiance to Al-Qaeda. About 100 of his fighters were seen in a video where he pledged allegiance in his base, a mosque in Rafah. The next day, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades attacked the Mosque and other bases of the group in Rafah. The fighting lasted 7 hours. It was reported, that when the Hamas reached the positions if Moussa, and Jund Ansar Allah's military commander, Abu Abdullah al Suri, they detonated themselves. About 13 Jund ansar allah fighters were killed, and 40 captured, 5 civilians were also killed, including 6 Hamas soldiers. al-Qassam brigades commander Abu Jibril Shimali, was also killed during the battle. The group was virtually destroyed after the fighting, having both of its leaders killed, and its bases captured. It was reported that Hamas later released some of the captured.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

References
  1. Islamist Leader Said to Be Killed in Shootout. The New York Times. August 15, 2009.
  2. Hamas: Leader of al-Qaeda-inspired group killed. Ynet. August 15, 2009.
  3. "Profile: Jund Ansar Allah". 2009-08-15. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  4. "Hamas and al Qaeda-linked group clash in Gaza | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org. 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  5. "FACTBOX: Five facts about Jund Ansar Allah". Reuters. 2009-08-15. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  6. "Al Qaeda-linked group declares Islamic state in Gaza - The Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  7. Marshall, Warren (2010-11-30). "Al-Qaeda in Gaza: Isolating "the Base"". Contemporary Voices: St Andrews Journal of International Relations. 1 (1). doi:10.15664/jtr.167. ISSN 2516-3159.
  8. "All 24 victims of Friday". Maan News Agency. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  9. Beaumont, Peter (2009-08-15). "Hamas destroys al-Qaida group in violent Gaza battle". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2019-02-28.


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