Senior JNIM leader reportedly killed by France
Abu Abdul Rahman al Sanhaji’s death, if confirmed, follows the death of several other high-profile JNIM leaders over the past two years.
Author Archives: Caleb Weiss
Dozens of Malian soldiers killed in Islamic State attack
Friday’s assault marks the Islamic State’s deadliest attack in Mali to date.
Bahraini militia reemerges to threaten new attacks
Yesterday’s tweets were the first sign of life for the group in over four years.
Ansar al Islam claims first attack in Iraq since 2014
For the first time in five years, the jihadist group has claimed an attack in its native Iraq.
Al Qaeda-linked group reappears in Nigeria
The photo marks the first sign of life for the group since 2017 and the first official publication since 2015.
Al Qaeda leader reported killed in Tunisia
If confirmed, this would represent another major blow to al Qaeda’s Uqba bin Nafi Battalion.
Al Qaeda’s general command praises recent Shabaab attacks
Two statements, which were released by al Qaeda’s general command and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, were addressed to Shabaab yesterday in a coordinated messaging campaign.
Islamic State targets Syria’s Qamishli with car bombing
The bombing came as Turkey also shelled the city. It is likely that as the Turkish advance continues, the Islamic State will further exploit the chaos inside northern Syria to regroup and conduct more attacks.
Islamic State sleeper cells target Raqqa
The rising of Islamic State sleeper cells could become more common as the Kurdish-dominated SDF is diverted to the newly announced Turkish invasion of northern Syria.
Dozens of Malian soldiers killed in dual attacks
No group has yet to claim the attacks, but al Qaeda-linked militants have been widely blamed.
US-trained Somali special forces unit targeted by Shabaab
Shabaab, just days after launching assaults on US and Italian troops, has now also claimed two IEDs on a US-trained Somali special forces unit.
Shabaab strikes American, Italian forces in Somalia
No casualties were reported in either attack, however.
Houthis claim major operation inside Saudi Arabia
Yemen’s Houthis claim that the operation is the largest in nearly four years of conflict with Saudi Arabia and its allies.
Islamic State trains in Somalia’s Puntland
The camp is at least the second one ran by the Islamic State in Somalia’s northern Puntland region.
Al Qaeda, Islamic State report attacks in Burkina Faso
Both groups have claimed deadly assaults in Burkina Faso, playing into the already perilous security situation in the country.
Saudi oil facilities set ablaze by Houthi drone strikes
The confirmed drone strike campaign so far from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen represents another worrying development in the region.
JNIM apologizes for killing civilians in central Mali
After killing at least 14 civilians in a landmine explosion last week, al Qaeda’s Group for Support of Islam and Muslim’s offers a rare apology.
AQAP and Islamic State resume fighting in Yemen
The past week has seen the harshest fighting between the two jihadist groups since April.
String of attacks in Saudi Arabia claimed by Houthis
Since Aug. 24, Yemen’s Houthi insurgents have claimed a series of attacks inside Saudi territory.
Houthis claim major drone operation near the UAE
The confirmed drone strikes near the Saudi borders with the UAE is a worrying development in the conflict.
Analysis: Houthi naval attacks in the Red Sea
Since 2015, the Houthi insurgency in Yemen has claimed dozens of attacks on ships in the Red Sea. FDD’s Long War Journal has mapped these strikes.
Competing narratives over the death of a Houthi leader
Houthi sources stated Ibrahim al Houthi was killed by the Saudi-led coalition, while Saudi sources state he was killed by a rival faction.
Analysis: Houthi drone strikes in Saudi Arabia and Yemen
Beginning last year, the Houthis have launched dozens of drone strikes inside Saudi Arabia and Yemen. FDD’s Long War Journal has mapped these strikes.
JNIM hits French base with suicide assault
JNIM took credit for last month’s suicide assault in Gao, Mali. According to the French, however, the attack was largely a failure.
Analysis: Houthi missiles against the Saudi-led coalition
Since 2015, the Houthi insurgents in Yemen have launched a myriad of ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and at various sites across Yemen. FDD’s Long War Journal has mapped these missile launches.
UN: Islamic Jihad Union operates in Syria
In the UNSC’s new report on the Islamic State, al Qaeda, and affiliated groups, the UN states that the Uzbek jihadist group, the Islamic Jihad Union, operates in Syria. This was not previously known.
Bahraini militias threaten attacks over state executions
Two Iranian-backed groups in Bahrain have threatened to launch new attacks on the island if Bahrain goes through with the expected executions of two citizens accused of terrorism.
Shabaab tries to assassinate US diplomat
Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia, claims it tried to assassinate James Swan, a US diplomat and the UN Special Envoy to Somalia.
AQAP responds to Al Jazeera documentary
Al Jazeera released a documentary alleging that Bahrain and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula work together. Today, the al Qaeda branch denied this accusation in a letter to the editor.
US sanctions leaders of al Qaeda in Mali
Two leaders of al Qaeda’s Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), a Moroccan national and a local Malian, were designated as terrorists today.