New tribal union vows to expel ISIS from Sinai

The newly formed Sinai Tribal Union has pledged to help the Egyptian forces in their war against "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) affiliate Wilayat Sinai.

In co-ordination with the security forces, tribal factions have begun blocking desert and mountain passes to cut off the group’s supply of money, weapons and fighters, Sinai tribesmen told Al-Mashareq.

"Clashes between Sinai tribes and terrorist groups are not new," said Sheikh Musa al-Dalh, an elder of al-Tarabin tribe. "Several areas of Sinai have witnessed numerous clashes between tribesmen and terrorists."

"However, our action this time takes on a different character, because the terrorists have gone overboard with their attacks on Sinai inhabitants, and have forced the tribes to defend themselves," he told Al-Mashareq.

The tribesmen carry out all military action in full co-operation and co-ordination with the Egyptian armed forces, he said, based on a plan to protect inhabited areas and hunt down and arrest terrorist elements.

"A large number of terrorists have been arrested and handed over to the army since late April," he said, along with documents found in their possession that reveal their local contacts and their financing transactions.

All seized weapons have been handed over to the army, including large quantities of mines and explosives that had been laid in the desert areas to block the advance of security forces and to target civilians, he said.

Tribes present a united front

The current battles between ISIS and the tribes erupted on April 28th, when the group bombed a car carrying al-Tarabin tribesmen, killing and wounding its passengers.

"Al-Tarabin tribe declared open war against the group in response," al-Tarabin tribe member Tamer al-Tarabini told Al-Mashareq.

The main tribes of the Sinai Tribal Union -- al-Tarabin, al-Kharafin, al-Huweitat, al-Tayaha, al-Rmeilat and Sawarka -- have formed combat teams, he said.

These teams, equipped with weapons and sport utility vehicles, have pledged to protect residential areas and block all desert and mountain passes, which are only known to the region’s inhabitants, al-Tarabini said.

ISIS is well aware of the desperate situation it is facing after suffering successive losses as a result of the Egyptian army operations, he explained.

As a sign of this desperation, he said, the group on May 5th released an audio message via its media arm, Amaq, "in which it called on the tribesmen, particularly the al-Tarabins, to agree to a truce and reconciliation".

This call was met with categorical rejection, al-Tarabini said, as well as a "comprehensive" call to arms on the part of the tribes.

The tribes agreed to form a group to communicate with the Egyptian forces and report ISIS activity and any incidents with the group, he added.

Blocking passes, burning hideouts

"The action taken by the tribesmen is very important in the ongoing war in Sinai," said Brig. Gen. Jawdat Ashraf of the Egyptian police.

"It will close the door on the group getting any form of funding, weapons or fighters, as all the known and secret passes will be blocked and put under gunfire control," he told Al-Mashareq.

Clashes between ISIS and the tribes have been confined to areas south of Rafah, chiefly al-Mahdiya, Naga Shabana, Ajra and Sayalat al-Bawati, he said.

The tribesmen achieved tangible results with the May 3rd arrest of senior ISIS leader Asaad al-Ammarin, a foreign fighter who was in charge of funding and recruitment, and 10 elements who were with him, Ashraf said.

All the detainees were immediately handed over to the Egyptian forces, he said.

Tribal patrols search out and burn down the desert hideouts the group uses, Ashraf said, in order to ensure the group's elements do not return to them.