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The Houthis’ Red Sea power play
The Houthis are on the offensive in Yemen, threatening one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints and bringing the war back to Saudi Arabia’s doorstep. Bill Roggio is joined by FDD research analyst and Long War Journal contributor Bridget Toomey to discuss the Iranian-backed group’s renewed campaign to conquer Yemen, its advances along the Red Sea coast, and its siege of the strategic city of Taiz.
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Ukrainian intelligence details new low-cost Russian cruise missile
A new missile called the Filin adds to Russia’s growing arsenal of low-cost, long-range munitions, placing strain on Ukraine’s overstretched air defenses. Ukraine is expected to scale production of faster interceptor drones, but this addresses only part of the challenge of countering Russia’s evolving missile and drone capabilities.
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Protests break out in Syria against ‘Israeli incursions and attacks’ as tensions rise
Protests erupted across southern Syria and Damascus on October 23 against Israeli military operations in the buffer zone along the Golan border, following reports that a Syrian man with disabilities was killed during an IDF raid. The protests come amid growing Syrian condemnation of Israeli incursions, as well as diplomatic efforts by Syrian officials to…
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FBI arrests alleged Islamic State supporter accused of plotting to assassinate Texas congressman
A 17-year-old Texas teenager allegedly plotted to assassinate Republican US Representative Keith Self at a veterans’ fundraiser as part of a broader Islamic State-inspired terrorist plot. Federal agents arrested the suspect after he acquired a firearm.
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Iran says it has agreement with Iraq to expel Kurdish Iranian opposition groups
Iran’s ambassador to Iraq claimed on October 20 that Iraq has agreed to expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region. The announcement came amid increased Iranian attacks on these groups and as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party withdraws from positions in northern Iraq as part of a peace process with Turkey. An Iraqi…
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Pakistan-Taliban border clashes continue amid diplomatic efforts
Pakistani forces and the Taliban exchanged heavy fire along the border as Russia, the European, and China pressed for dialogue and action against terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan.
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Lebanon revokes Iranian bank’s license amid US pressure over Hezbollah financing
Lebanon has revoked Bank Saderat Iran’s operating license amid US pressure to disrupt Hezbollah’s financial networks. The bank has a documented history of channeling Iranian funds to Hezbollah, but whether Lebanese authorities have closed its branches or initiated liquidation proceedings remains unclear.
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Hezbollah accuses Lebanese police of violating security coordination procedure after supporters reportedly obstruct raid
Armed men identifying themselves as Hezbollah supporters reportedly surrounded Lebanese security personnel conducting an October 16 raid on a pharmaceutical warehouse near Beirut’s southern suburbs. Hezbollah subsequently claimed the officers had violated an agreed security coordination procedure with the group.
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Profile: Hezbollah’s new liaison to the Lebanese state and society
Hussain al Abdallah, the new chief of Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit who succeeded Wafiq Safa, reportedly sought the return of explosives seized by Lebanese security forces in early October. Abdallah’s career spans more than two decades in Hezbollah’s southern security apparatus.
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Israel reportedly blocks Board of Peace base in Gaza, IDF reports 31 ceasefire violations October 1–15
Efforts to implement the US-backed Board of Peace’s plans for Gaza remain stalled on the ground, with a first military facility still unbuilt, but preparations for Hamas’s disarmament and international reconstruction cooperation are moving forward. Meanwhile, Hamas maintains its grip on Gaza’s civilian administration and commercial activity, despite its July declaration that it was relinquishing…
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Iraqi commander killed by Islamic State following Iraqi airstrikes against the group
An Iraqi brigadier general and two other military personnel were killed by an explosive device linked to the Islamic State near Kirkuk on October 14, a day after Iraqi F-16s carried out airstrikes against Islamic State positions in the area. The incident underscores the continued threat posed by the remnants of the jihadist group in…
All Articles
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The Message
“People are dead because of what this son of a bitch said. How could he be credible now?” – Pentagon spokesman Lawrence DiRita on the unnamed source who reported Qur’ans were desecrated in Camp X-Ray The Newsweek report of Qur’ans being flushed down the toilet in Guantanamo Bay to “torture” al Qaeda inmates was based on uncorroborated information obtained from an unnamed source. Newsweek issued an explanation and tepid apology for reporting this story. At least 15 people have died in violent demonstrations in Afghanistan, and much ill will against the United States has accumulated. Newsweek’s shoddy reporting harkens us…
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Wounded Z?
Rumors that al Qaeda in Iraq Commander Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been wounded in combat during the battles in Qaim have taken on a new life. Early last week an Iraqi officer reported Zarqawi was seriously wounded, if not dead already. The Times Online has details of the purported visit by Zarqawi to a hospital in Ramadi (note that Iraqi blogger Hammorabi reported on this hospital visit on Thursday): According to the doctor, Zarqawi was escorted into Ramadi general hospital by smartly dressed men. “He was bleeding heavily and his escorts were well dressed with a look about them that…
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Mission Completed?
The US military has released a statement that Operation Matador is over: “Marines, sailors and soldiers from Regimental Combat Team-2, 2nd Marine Division successfully completed Operation Matador today, concluding a seven-day operation securing objectives in and around the Euphrates River cities of Karabilah, Ramana and Ubaydi, near the Syrian border,” a statement said. The curious portion of this statement is that there is no mention of operations in the city of Qaim, even though heavy fighting has occurred there. It is unlikely the fighting is over. Matador has moved from the offensive stage of the operation (positioning and maneuvering the…
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Fight Amongst Yourselves
US Marines have encircled the town of Ubaydi and are beginning to root out the insurgents. In the town of Qaim, an interesting development has emerged. The insurgents are preparing for an American assualt on the city by creating checkpoints and fighting positions. It was reported earlier that the leaders of Qaim requested American intervention, and now it seems that insurgent factions cannot tolerate each other, and have turned their weapons on one another: Rival groups of insurgents also are fighting among themselves in the nearby town of Qaim, trading mortar, rocket and machine gun fire almost nightly, Pool said.…
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Fire at Will
The hunt for al Qaeda continues in Pakistan. Less than two weeks after the capture of senior al Qaeda operative Abu Farraj al-Libbi, yet another operative has been taken down in Pakistan (hat tip to Justin C.): Haitham al-Yemeni, a native of Yemen known for his bomb-making skills, had been tracked for some time in the hope that he would help lead the United States to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, intelligence officials said. But with the recent capture in northwest Pakistan of Abu Faraj al-Libbi, thought to be al Qaeda’s No. 3 man, officials worried al-Yemeni would soon…
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Intensity
The media reports from Matador have been confused at best during the course of the operation. Initial reports indicated combat occurred only north of the Euphrates River, while later accounts indicated the push occurred both north and south of the river, driving east to west. At no point was this anomaly explained and there were no serious attempts by the media outlets to explain the overall nature and scale of the operation. Several accounts, such as this one from ABC News, contradict themselves by reporting the “U.S. Assault Intensifies at Syria Border” (the title of the article) while claiming the…
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Org Chart
Note: The Organizational Chart for al Qaeda in Iraq is now avaliable for viewing, click here to see the PDF. The document is also available for download via The Counterterrorism Blog. Evan Kohlmann of Global Terror Alert and The Counterterrorism Blog has allowed me to preview a graphic of the organizational structure of al Qaeda in Iraq. This fascinating document details the leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq and shows the command structure and related military wings. The chart also illustrates the status of al Qaeda’s lieutenants – killed, captured or wanted. As it stands, of the 42 known high…
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Zarqawi: All’s Well in Qaim and Elsewhere
Al Qaeda’s Commander in Iraq weighs in the events of the past several days, including the operations in Western Iraq, the arrest of his lieutenant and the reports of the influx of foreign fighters into Iraq. Evan Kohlmann provides translations for the communiqu
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Pushing Westward, Winning Hearts and Minds
“We are glad the Americans are here.” The Marines’ drive westward in Operation Matador appears to be almost complete. Solomon Moore, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, describes the tragic death of Marines from Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment (3/25) whose amphibious vehicle was struck by either a landmine or IED. Several Marines perished in the ensuing fire. Elements of the 3/25 Marines are engaged in the town of Abu Hardan, a town south of the Euphrates River and directly east of Qaim on the Syrian border. These units started from the west near Ubaydi, and…
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Another Ratline
Operation Matador has yielded little new information in the past 24 hours (Chester provides a roundup of some available news). The Washington Post rehashes the fierce fight in between Marines and terrorists in Ubaydi. This story has repeatedly made the rounds, and with a title of “Demise of a Hard-Fighting Squad” and a byline of “Marines Who Survived Ambush Are Killed, Wounded in Blast” one wonders if the purpose is to project defeat or weakness. Zarqawi has reportedly released a new statement calling the assault on al Qaeda strongholds in Western Iraq “good news” but a full translation is not…
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Grist for the Mill
Captain’s Quarters links to an Adkronos International article stating Zarqawi may have been seriously wounded or perhaps killed during Operation Matador. The source is an Iraqi Colonel: The Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is “serious injured, possibly dead” according to Colonel Fouad Hani Hassan, commander of the fifth division of the Iraqi armed forces, cited by ‘Elaph’, a popular website in the Arab world. Al-Zarqawi, considered al Qaeda’s leader in Iraq, is believed to have been injured in the major offensive US-led forces have been carrying out in the western Anbar province over the last few days. I agree with…
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Foreign Elements
The Marines are methodically pushing westward, conducting detailed searches in the towns along the Euphrates. The Marines are driving the insurgents and terrorists towards the blocking force of the Marines in the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment in Qaim and the platoon(s) providing over watch along the ridge overlooking Rabit. Col. Bob Chase reports the local population is proving helpful; “We are getting a lot of information from the locals in the area and a very positive reception. They are giving up locations of where these people are hiding out, and each one drives another operation.” The Washington Post details the…
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The Matador’s Sword
Click this link to see the map of the area of operations. This map highlights (in pink) the towns where fighting was reported and was shamelessly copied from Belmont Club. Operation Matador is being carried out by three companies of Marines with an attached armored company, making it an armored battalion (Chester has more on the Marine units). This battalion will be supported by Air Force, Army and Marine aviation units consisting of Cobra and Apache helicopters, C-130 Spectre gunships, fighter-bombers such as F-18s and F-16s, and a host of unmanned aerial vehicles such as the new ScanEagle man-portable drones.…
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Bringing It On
The Coalition effort to interdict, deny and destroy the insurgent’s capabilities in the Western regions of Iraq bordering Syria is dubbed Operation Matador. Colonel Bob Chase, the chief of operations for the Second Marine Division, reports that insurgents are standing their ground and fighting, and all the better: “When we get there, they are deciding to fight, and as such they are dying As marines we’d rather engage them that way than through an I.E.D The enemy honestly felt that they had a sense of security up there It had been a safe haven, and a lot of folks up…
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Further Breaks
The Coalition’s tempo of operations is increasing just as the insurgency steps up their violent attacks on Iraqi security services and civilians. In a series of raids over the weekend, over 109 terrorists were killed or captured, and several large weapons caches have been uncovered. Nabil Badriyah Al Nasiri, the leader of the terrorist group Al-Muqaferin, which has links to al Qaeda, has turned himself in after many of his associates were captured in Bayji. The New York Times states that the bulk of the materials and men used in the insurgency are being funneled from outside the country; “Insurgents…
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The Breaks
The US military believes the picture of Abu Musab al-Zarwaqi’s al Qaeda in Iraq network is improving, and they are working to dismantle it. While Task Force 626 has the specific mandate to hunt Zarqawi and his key lieutenants, the bulk of US forces are hunting his mules. Zarwaqi’s command apparatus has suffered from these efforts: While U.S. Special Forces try to learn more about al-Zarqawi, most U.S. troops in Iraq focus instead on the insurgents believed to report to him and mastermind operations carried out in his name. Nevertheless, with each capture or trove of insurgent information uncovered, U.S.…
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Spring Cleaning in Pakistan
We are continuing to see the benefits from the arrest of Abu Farraj al-Libbi, al Qaeda’s commander of operations. Austin Bay states his capture has created a “cascading effect” – a landslide of information created by exploiting the intelligence obtained from al-Libbi. His personal notebook has been obtained and is being torn apart by US intelligence: U.S. officials are working feverishly to decipher numbers and apparent codes in a notebook retrieved from suspected al Qaeda leader Abu Farraj al-Libbi, ABC News has learned… Sources said officials believe al-Libbi’s seized notebook contains “hot” contact information. They said officials are hopeful the…
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Yesterday’s Men
The arrest of Abu Farraj al-Libbi has already produced results. Well over two dozen al Qaeda operatives have been arrested based on the intelligence gathered from interrogations. Thirteen other al Qaeda members, including 10 Uzbuk, Chechan and Afghan nationals, have been arrested in the Bajaur Agency, but it is claimed these arrests are not related to al-Libbi’s capture. The Pakistani security forces have put a dent in several al Qaeda cells, and all is not as quiet as claimed in Pakistan’s western tribal areas. The status of al-Libbi’s detention is uncertain at this time as the Pakistanis have not decided…
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Number Three?
Al Qaeda’s latest military commander, Abu Farraj al-Libbi has been captured in the lawless regions of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. al-Libbi was al Qaeda’s third in command, after Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, and was the prot
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al Qaeda’s Mess in Mesopotamia
A recently intercepted letter believed to be addressed to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi provides valuable insight into the mindset of the middle ranks of al Qaeda in Iraq and their perception of the organization’s leadership, effectiveness and the morale of the jihadis. Evan Kohlmann of Global Terror Alert and the Counterterrorism Blog provides a complete translation of the text, some of which is excerpted below. He notes that the letter was written by “Abu Asim al-Yemeni al-Qusaymi, a purported representative of Al-Qaida’s Committee in Iraq.” The fact that al-Qusaymi is a representative of the Committee is important as he will have…
