Islamic State 'Battle Tram 201'
A captured Islamic State 'Battle Tram' near Mosul, 2014, used by the 'Storming Battalion' as an armoured infantry transport for Islamic State shock troops. This particular example is sporting a cupola that originally mounted a machinegun, but it was removed after it was captured by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters after an engagement.
The armoured driver compartment is separate from the improvised SLAT/ Cage armour on the vehicles side, which are protection for the mounted infantry inside. The bulged armour to the bottom of the vehicle covers the base donor vehicles's wheels, with the vehicle being built on a BTR-80 APC chassis that was captured by Islamic State near Mosul in 2014. (1)
At least 3 vehicles were built in a similar layout to the Battle Tram, one sporting 4 battering rams mounted to the prow, while this one instead mounted the machinegun cupola and ladders for clearing trenches. The interior of the troop compartment lacked seats, having simple handrails instead, one of which is visible bent over in the top right corner of the troop compartment.
The photo above is from the Islamic State offensive near Naweran, North of Mosul. This offensive, apart from featuring Abu Hajaar, Abu Abdullah and Abu Ridhwan, from which video this shot is from, in their up-armoured M1114, saw the participation of several highly modified trucks and other vehicles by the 'Storming Battalion', another of which appears behind Battle Tram 201, built upon what appears to be a Humvee chassis converted into a light troop carrier. (2)
The battle tram, along with the rest of the 'Storming Battalion's' vehicles, was effectively trapped when the Islamic State armoured bulldozer tasked with filling the huge trench in front of the Peshermerga positions was taken out. Shortly after, the battle tram was hit and subsequently abandoned by its crew and mounted infantry, similar to what happened to the vehicle of Abu Hajaar. The presence of spaced armour installed on the sides of the vehicle is clearly visible here, and was apparently effective in stopping at least one hit before the vehicle was abandoned but charging across an open field towards prepared defensive positions meant the vehicle was an easy target for Kurdish Peshmerga ATGM or RPG gunners. (3)
Here you can see the rear of the Battle Tram, showing it's exposed wheels behind the armoured plating as it was being reported on by a news crew. This also gives a close up of the opposite, undamaged, side of the Battle Tram, and shows the bright logo with the vehicles serial number, 201 and the red and gold badge of the IS 'Storming Battalion' still intact on this side.
1- Oryx, Stijn Mitzer 'This was the Islamic State's Beast of Mosul', (2020)
2- Vice News, 'What It's Really Like to Fight For the Islamic State' ,(2016)
3- Bellingcat, 'The Islamic State- Inside a DIY Offensive', (2016)