On January 12, 2021, the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) released statements on Rocket.Chat claiming it had killed 18 soldiers since the beginning of 2021 in two attacks in the Beni area in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), near the Congo-Uganda border.
On January 13, 2021, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Telegram channel posted a graphic comparing the encrypted platforms WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, focusing on the privacy and security of user data. The post encouraged followers to try Signal as an alternative to WhatsApp, and noted that the founder of Telegram is based in Dubai and would relocate the entire company if its activities were restricted by authorities.
Anwar Gargash UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs spoke about the UAE’s relations with Turkey and Iran in an interview that aired on Sky News Arabia (U.K.) on January 10, 2021. He said that the UAE wants to normalize relations with Turkey, based on respecting the sovereignty of each country. Gargash said that the only way to solve the problem with Iran is to prevent escalation and to take diplomatic and political measures. He said that the GCC shares a united front when the security of one of the member states is threatened, and he believes that the future lies in resolving these conflicts and struggles with Iran.
On January 11, 2021, a Libyan jihadi Facebook group with over 1,300 followers released a statement announcing that it has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) and called on other groups and individuals to take part in the "electronic resistance" for the sake of Allah. The group stressed that it has vowed fealty to ISIS to "follow the path of jihad for the sake of Allah and to defend Islam throughout the whole world, after [the group] has learned, became convinced, and placed its full trust in the objectives of the Islamic State."
On January 8, 2021, Channel 1, Iranian TV aired a report on the “Zolfaghar” UAV Drill. The report showcased Iran’s drone arsenal, including bomber drones, suicide drones, and electronic warfare. An officer with Iran’s armed forces who accompanied the reporter said that the enemy will not dare to attack Iran, because of its power of deterrence. He added that “Every inch of the enemy’s territory is within Iran’s range of fire,” and that if Iran is attacked, “all that is left for the enemy to do is watch with a dropped jaw.”