Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade

The Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade, named after the 7th-century Arab general by the same name who played a key role in North Africa Muslim conquests, is a militant brigade affiliated with Al-Qaeda's North African branch - al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Operating in the mountain regions along the Algerian-Tunisian border and Kasserine Governorate, including Djebel Chaambi, Djebel Sammama, Djebel Selloum, and Djebel Mghilla, the brigade has conducted numerous high-profile attacks against Tunisian security forces, causing an approximate 60 deaths since late 2012. Internal conflict has split the militant group into two with some of its fighters joining the ranks of the Islamic State (IS).

The brigade was involved in the deadly March 2015 Bardo National Museum attack which resulted in the deaths of 21 foreign nationals and a single Tunisian. While Jund al-Khilafah claimed responsibility, Tunisia linked the brigade as being behind the attack. In response, Tunisian security forces carried out an operation against the group, killing nine militants, including Lokmane Abou Sakhr - organizer of the museum attack.

On April 30, 2017, the Tunisian National Guard dealt a heavy blow to the brigade with the killing of their commander Abu Sufyan al-Soufi. Brigade attacks have still persisted though, evidenced with the landmine attacks in December of that year, which caused the death of a single soldier and the wounding of six more. This is due to the organization's robust organizational structure that allows members to replace fallen commanders and ensuring continued operations.