-
Afghanistan
Afghan military official: 296 rebels killed in east this year
-
Africa
African leaders demand action in Libya
-
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Islamic State looks to usurp AQIM
-
Afghanistan
Official: Afghan forces kill 150 Taliban fighters in 12-day fight
-
Europe
Islamic State’s female bloggers draw European women to Syria
-
Jund al Sham
Defected Syrian Soldier Held on Suspicion of Plotting Terror Acts
-
United States
The US and partner nations yesterday carried out 12 airstrikes in Syria and 10 in Iraq against the Islamic State. The Obama administration is reportedly seeking to reduce the current number of Guantanamo detainees, 132, to under 100, so that a law barring the transfer of detainees to the US can be revoked. Secretary of State Kerry cited “huge progress” in reducing the detainee population. The results of the Army’s investigation into the disappearance of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from his post in Afghanistan have been forwarded to an Army general for disposition of the case. The FBI urged law enforcement…
-
United Kingdom
Police play cat and mouse with online jihadists
-
Iraq
Rare Islamic State visit reveals ‘brutal and strong’ force
-
France
Prime Minister Valls announced that France is deploying an additional 300 security forces to patrol public areas during the Christmas holiday, following three attacks over the past week. Authorities arrested a man this morning who was carrying two shotguns and a knife at a market in Cannes. Officials are playing down suspicions that the recent attacks were coordinated or linked to terrorism. The first issue of a pro-Islamic State magazine in French appeared on social media yesterday.
-
Islamic State
Islamic State: ‘Traumatised’ Yazidi women attempting suicide after being sold as ‘sex slaves’, Amnesty International says
-
Australia
Security officials have detected “a heightened level of terrorist chatter” following last week’s deadly siege of a Sydney cafe by Man Haron Monis, an Islamic State sympathizer. Authorities have not yet classified the incident as a terrorist attack. A judge revoked bail for Monis’ partner, Amirah Droudis, as she posed “an unacceptable risk.” In an ongoing operation, antiterrorism police arrested two men in Sydney thought to be planning an attack against government targets.
-
Islamic State
Over 1,000 Islamist militants killed in US strikes in Syria: monitor
-
Islamic State routs Hezbollah Brigades unit north of Baghdad
The Northern Baghdad Belt remains contested ground between the Islamic State and Iraqi government forces and their Shiite militia allies.
-
Afghanistan
Taliban Push Into Afghan Districts That US Had Secured
-
Iraq
Iraqi Kurds face heavy resistance in Sinjar
-
Syria
US to accept thousands of Syrian refugees for resettlement
-
Boko Haram
Nigerian Islamic uprising poses regional threat
-
Afghanistan
Afghan commander orders attacks on insurgents in Pakistan
-
FAA
FAA drone approvals bedeviled by warnings, conflict, internal e-mails show
-
AQAP releases video on avoiding detection by drones
In a new video, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula detailed various methods to prevent drones from detecting fighters and their vehicles.
-
United States
The US and partner nations carried out 10 airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and 12 in Syria today. Fifteen airstrikes were conducted by the US and partners in Iraq and Syria against the group on Dec. 19, and 13 more took place over the weekend of Dec. 20-21.
-
Syria
WHO says Syria opens Aleppo, other troubled areas for medical aid
-
Egypt
The interior ministry announced that security forces killed five Islamic State-affliated Ansar Bayt al Maqdis fighters in a raid in northern Egypt. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi replaced the chief of general intelligence after an embarrassing information leak, citing health reasons. Egypt reopened the border with Gaza for the first time in two months on Dec. 21. The US has delivered 10 Apache attack helicopters to Egypt.
-
Libya
Pro-government forces conducted airstrikes on Islamist fighters on Dec. 21 as clashes for the Es Sider and Ras Lanuf oil ports continue. Libya Dawn was forced to retreat after a failed attempt to take the towns of Zultan and Al-Jmail. The Islamist rival government called on foreigners to return to Tripoli. Jihadists in Derna have banned smoking, declaring it haram and burning several tobacco shops.
-
Tunisia
Anti-Islamist candidate Beji Caid Essebsi has claimed victory in Tunisia’s historic presidential election. His rival and caretaker president, Moncef Marzouki, has not conceded defeat.
-
Algeria
Algeria deployed 4,000 troops along the borders with Libya and Niger in a counterterrorism operation begun on Dec. 21. Authorities arrested 12 suspected jihadists traveling to Syria to fight for the Islamic State.
-
Nigeria
A new video released by Boko Haram shows its fighters executing civilians, purportedly in the town of Bama. The jihadist group also attacked the towns of Damboa and Damagun in northeastern Yobe state on Dec. 19; at least 35 militants were killed in Damboa, and the group burned some buildings in Damagun before being repulsed by security forces.
-
France
A man rammed a van into a Christmas market in Nantes, wounding at least 10 people, and then stabbed himself. The day before, at least 11 people were wounded as a car repeatedly targeted pedestrians in Dijon; the prosecutor said the hour-long rampage by a driver shouting “Allahu Akhbar” was not a terrorist act as the man was mentally ill. Burundian officials arrested known extremist Brice Nzohabonayo, the brother of Bertrand Nzohabonayo, who was shot dead on Dec. 20 when he attacked three policemen with a knife in Tours; authorities are investigating to see if attacks are being planned in…
-
Sweden
A building in Malmo was bombed with plastic explosives for the second time in two days; police have no suspects. There have been a series of bombings in Malmo recently, including two targeting a justice center that also housed a police station.
