Army of the Ages (Jihadi Entity, Tunisia)

• Local Name: N/a
• Transliteration: Jaish al-Osour
• Alternatives: Jaich al-Osr
• Status: 2016 – 2016 (Defeated)
• Conflicts: Tunisian Islamist Militancy

The Army of the Ages [JaO; Jaish al-Osour] was a Tunisian jihadi entity loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [DaIISh; Dawlat al-Islamiya fi-Iraq wal ash-Sham].¹ It reportedly operated under the command of Ouannes Fékih.² The outfit had approximately sixty cadres.³ Some of these militants has traveled to Libya where they joined local DaIISh affiliates.⁴ The JaO was active in the governorates of Manouba, Monastir and Sousse.⁵

The JaO was dismantled during a series of raids by Tunisia’s security forces in late 2016.⁶ More than thirty of the group’s members were arrested during a series of police raids in Sousse and several Tunis suburbs in October 2016.⁷ The authorities also seized weapons that the outfit had acquired from Libya during the raids.⁸ Other operatives of the outfit were apprehended in late December 2016.⁹

At the time of its dismantlement, JaO members were plotting a series of attacks. They planned to assassinate Tunisian interior minister Hedi Majdoub.¹⁰ The group also plotted to attack the country’s parliament.¹¹ Further planned strikes were aimed at academics and politicians.¹² Cadres arrested in December 2016 were allegedly plotting to attack New Year’s Eve celebrations.¹³