In response, the United States conducted a defensive airstrike which killed 18 terrorists. The United States has conducted a total of 23 strikes against Shabaab in Somalia in 2018. Read more →
The Islamic State's Amaq News Agency has released a short video allegedly showing three of the men responsible for yesterday's attack on a military parade in Ahvaz, Iran. Read more →
Gunmen attacked an Iranian military parade in Ahvaz earlier today. Initial reports say two dozen or more people were killed and dozens more wounded. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility. But media outlets say another group, the Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz, has as well. Read more →
Iranian state media eulogized a special forces member and a cleric who were recently killed in Syria. Read more →
While Iranian-backed parties are moving to form a government in Baghdad that could force the US to exit the country, they face growing public anger over governance failures that threaten the viability of the system. Read more →
Al Qaeda's branch in East Africa "still maintained control over large portions of the country" and "retained the ability to carry out high-profile attacks" in 2017 despite increased targeting by the US military, the African Union, and the Somali government. Read more →
Katibat Imam al Bukhari released two sets of photos this month showing captured weapons from overran Afghan military posts. Read more →
Yet again, the Taliban has another propaganda video that shows its fighters occupying a military base and several security outposts in broad daylight without fear of being targeted by Afghan or Coalition air or ground power. Read more →
According to a new report by the State Department, the Afghan Taliban and its Haqqani Network are still "operating in Pakistan-based safe havens and threatening U.S. and Afghan forces in Afghanistan." Pakistan has assisted the US in counterterrorism operations against al Qaeda. However, by refusing to move against the Taliban, including the Haqqanis, Pakistan is harboring al Qaeda's most important allies in the region. Read more →
The State Department has released its Country Reports on Terrorism 2017. As in past reports, State says that "Iran has allowed AQ [al Qaeda] facilitators to operate a core facilitation pipeline through Iran since at least 2009, enabling AQ to move funds and fighters to South Asia and Syria." Read more →
Lars Hauch conducted an online interview with a fighter who migrated from Iran to Syria and joined Harakat Muhajirin Ahl Sunnat Iran, an Iranian battalion in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HTS is a large Sunni jihadist group that is opposed to the Assad regime and its Iranian-backed allies. Read more →
Earlier this month, Al Qaeda eulogized Jalaluddin Haqqani, a legendary jihadist who was one of Osama bin Laden's earliest and most important allies. Other al Qaeda-linked groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, and individuals have honored Haqqani as well. Read more →
