FDD's Long War Journal

Why the Taliban should be required to renounce al Qaeda in any deal with US

By Thomas Joscelyn & Bill Roggio | March 19, 2019

Zalmay Khalilzad, the Trump administration's top envoy for talks with the Taliban, claims that he is already satisfied with the Taliban's counterterrorism assurances. But the Taliban's close relationship with al Qaeda stretches from the 1990s until today. The Taliban should be required to publicly renounce al Qaeda in any final deal with the US. Even then, the break would need to be verified. Read more →

Turkistan Islamic Party head decries Chinese occupation

By Thomas Joscelyn and Caleb Weiss | March 18, 2019

The head of the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), Abdul Haq al-Turkistani, has called on jihadist "scholars" to do more to address the plight of Uighurs. Al-Turkistani addresses his message to Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhunzada, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and a number of al Qaeda ideologues. Read more →

Taliban routs Afghan forces in western Afghan district

By Bill Roggio | March 17, 2019

The Taliban blocked off all roads leading into Bala Murghab district, overran 11 security outposts and put an Afghan National Army company stationed there to rout. They also killed 44 Afghan security personnel and captured another 190, and advanced to within one kilometer of the district center. Read more →

Al Qaeda-linked group in Syria praises Taliban, Shabaab operations

By Thomas Joscelyn | March 14, 2019

The Guardians of Religion organization has praised recent operations conducted by the Taliban and Shabaab. Read more →

AQIM official calls for sharia governance in Algeria

By Thomas Joscelyn | March 14, 2019

In a message released earlier this month, Abu Ubaydah Yusuf al-Anabi, a US-designated terrorist, called for sharia governance in Algeria. Al-Anabi is a senior Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb religious figure and has led the group's "Council of Notables." Read more →

Afghan military kills 31 AQIS fighters in Ghazni

By Bill Roggio | March 13, 2019

Despite repeated claims to the contrary, al Qaeda has not been defeated in Afghanistan, and it still continues to operate alongside its ally, the Taliban. Read more →

US on track to nearly triple airstrike record in Somalia

By Bill Roggio | March 13, 2019

If the current pace of strikes continues, the US will strike Shabaab 130 times in 2019. Is this a prelude to disengagement? Read more →

Senior Iranian official: foreign Shiite militias to fight in Iran if Islamic Republic in danger

THREAT MATRIX By Amir Toumaj | March 8, 2019

A senior Iranian official has declared that the Islamic Republic's foreign legion would fight in Iran if the system faces threat of overthrow. Read more →

Islamic State launches mortars at memorial service in Kabul

By Thomas Joscelyn | March 7, 2019

Earlier today, the Islamic State's Khorasan "province" attacked a memorial held in honor of Abdul Ali Mazari, an ethnic Hazara leader who was killed by the Taliban in 1995. The Islamic State's loyalists frequently target Shiites in the Afghan capital. Read more →

Russian special forces train Palestinian militia in Syria

THREAT MATRIX By Caleb Weiss | March 6, 2019

Russian special forces are reported to have held a training event for the pro-regime Palestinian militia, Liwa al Quds. Read more →

Pakistan claims to ‘crack down’ on Jamaat-ud-Dawa. Again.

By Bill Roggio | March 6, 2019

If the past is any guide, the efforts are merely eyewash to placate Western governments in the wake of major terror attacks emanating from Pakistani soil. Pakistan has claimed it has shut down JuD offices and detained its top leaders in the past, only to allow the offices to reopen and the leaders free months later. Read more →

Why the Taliban should be required to renounce al Qaeda in any deal with US

Turkistan Islamic Party head decries Chinese occupation

Taliban routs Afghan forces in western Afghan district

Al Qaeda-linked group in Syria praises Taliban, Shabaab operations

AQIM official calls for sharia governance in Algeria

Afghan military kills 31 AQIS fighters in Ghazni

US on track to nearly triple airstrike record in Somalia

Senior Iranian official: foreign Shiite militias to fight in Iran if Islamic Republic in danger

Islamic State launches mortars at memorial service in Kabul

Russian special forces train Palestinian militia in Syria

Pakistan claims to ‘crack down’ on Jamaat-ud-Dawa. Again.

More Articles

Jihadist leader in Mali denies reports of his death

Pakistan PM’s political party welcomes Harakat-ul-Mujahideen emir into ranks

US adds Iranian-backed Shia militia and its leader to list of global terrorists

UN: Al Qaeda continues to view Afghanistan as a ‘safe haven’

Pakistan has ‘full-fledged plan’ to take out terrorist groups, while denying their existence

Shabaab raids hotel in Mogadishu

Taliban suicide team attacks Afghan base in Helmand

US offers $1 million reward for information on Hamza bin Laden

India strikes Jaish-e-Mohammad camp inside Pakistan

US airstrikes kill dozens of Shabaab fighters

Taliban and Islamic State cause majority of civilian casualties in Afghan war, UN finds

‘Our soil is not used for carrying out terrorist attacks,’ Pakistan PM claims

Analysis: Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Hurras al-Din reach a new accord

Threat Matrix

Senior Iranian official: foreign Shiite militias to fight in Iran if Islamic Republic in danger

Russian special forces train Palestinian militia in Syria

Shabaab raids hotel in Mogadishu

Shabaab assassinates more high-ranking Somali military personnel

‘Tired’ Taliban fights on as US is desperate to leave Afghanistan

Shabaab kills pro-Islamic State commander

Taliban video shows fighters controlling district center in Farah

Taliban overruns district in Farah after Afghan forces flee

AQIM emir confirms death of jihadist commander in Mali

US Strike Data

About FDD's LWJ

Jihadist leader in Mali denies reports of his death

Pakistan PM’s political party welcomes Harakat-ul-Mujahideen emir into ranks

US adds Iranian-backed Shia militia and its leader to list of global terrorists

UN: Al Qaeda continues to view Afghanistan as a ‘safe haven’

Pakistan has ‘full-fledged plan’ to take out terrorist groups, while denying their existence

Shabaab raids hotel in Mogadishu

Taliban suicide team attacks Afghan base in Helmand

US offers $1 million reward for information on Hamza bin Laden

India strikes Jaish-e-Mohammad camp inside Pakistan

US airstrikes kill dozens of Shabaab fighters

Taliban and Islamic State cause majority of civilian casualties in Afghan war, UN finds

French military claims senior JNIM leader killed

‘Our soil is not used for carrying out terrorist attacks,’ Pakistan PM claims

JNIM takes credit for dubious suicide bombing in Timbuktu

Analysis: Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Hurras al-Din reach a new accord