Taliban threatens 5 provincial capitals in Afghanistan
The Taliban threatens two capitals in the north (Kunduz City and Pul-i-Khumri), two in the south (Tarin Kot and Lashkar Gah), and one in the west (Farah City).
Category Archives: Feature Articles
US strikes three radar sites in Houthi-controlled part of Yemen
The US military launched missile strikes on three radar sites in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. The strikes came in response to two attacks on the USS Mason earlier this week. The Houthis’ insurgency in Yemen is backed by Iran and has greatly complicated US counterterrorism efforts.
Number of suicide attacks claimed by the Islamic State dipped in September
The Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency claims that the so-called caliphate launched 53 “martyrdom operations” in Iraq and Syria in September. This is less than any previous month in 2016. But the Islamic State has claimed 782 suicide bombings in Iraq, Syria and Libya during the first nine months of 2016, for an average of 87 per month. If accurate, this is a historically high rate.
Amid infighting, Jund al Aqsa swears allegiance to al Qaeda’s rebranded branch
Jund al Aqsa has sworn allegiance to Jabhat Fath al Sham, al Qaeda’s rebranded branch in Syria. Jund al Aqsa itself is an al Qaeda front group. The move comes after weeks of infighting between Jund al Aqsa and other groups opposed to Bashar al Assad’s regime.
Pentagon confirms Egyptian al Qaeda veteran was killed in airstrike
The Pentagon has confirmed that Ahmed Salama Mabrouk was killed in an Oct. 3 airstrike in Syria’s Idlib province. According to Defense Department Press Secretary Peter Cook, Mabrouk was “one of Al Qaeda’s most senior leaders” and his death is “a blow to their ability to plot external attacks.” Mabrouk was one of the most senior officials in Jabhat Fath al Sham, al Qaeda’s rebranded branch in Syria.
US airstrike targets Egyptian al Qaeda veteran in Syria
Jabhat Fath al Sham, al Qaeda’s rebranded branch in Syria, announced earlier today that Ahmed Salama Mabrouk has been killed in an airstrike in Idlib. Mabrouk was an Egyptian al Qaeda veteran and served on Jabhat Fath al Sham’s elite shura council.
Taliban forces enter Kunduz city center
Taliban forces have entered the city of Kunduz once again. In late September 2015, the Taliban and its jihadist allies captured the city and briefly held it before being forced to retreat to the surrounding areas.
US-led coalition targets Islamic State’s leadership in Mosul ahead of ground offensive
The US-led coalition has killed 13 Islamic State leaders in and around Mosul, Iraq in the past month. Three of them were Chechens, highlighting the important role that foreign fighters play in the group’s chain of command. According to Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Colonel John Dorrian, another fallen jihadist was responsible for manufacturing chemical weapons to be used in the defense of Mosul.
Libya’s Terrorist Descent: Causes and Solutions
Thomas Joscelyn testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade. The hearing is titled, “Libya’s Terrorist Descent: Causes and Solutions.”
Terror plots in Germany, France were ‘remote-controlled’ by Islamic State operatives
On July 18, an Afghan refugee named Riaz Khan (also known as “Muhammad Riyad”) assaulted passengers on a train in Würzburg, Germany with an ax and a knife. Nearly one week later, on July 24, a Syrian refugee identified as Mohammad Daleel blew himself up outside of a music festival in the German city of […]
US military is hunting al Qaeda in at least 7 Afghanistan provinces
General John W. Nicholson Jr., who leads NATO’s Resolute Support and US Forces Afghanistan, said yesterday that the US is hunting al Qaeda in Afghanistan’s Kandahar, Zabul, Paktika, Ghazni, Kunar, Nuristan and Nangarhar provinces. His comments are just the latest indication that al Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan has been underestimated.
Islamic State’s safe haven in Sirte, Libya shrinks to a ‘single neighborhood’
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said today that the Islamic State’s stronghold inside Sirte, Libya has been reduced to “a single square kilometer” and a “single neighborhood.” As of Sept. 21, the US has launched 161 airstrikes against the so-called caliphate’s men inside the city.
References to the Islamic State omitted from Chelsea bombing complaint
The complaint filed in the case against Ahmad Khan Rahami, who is accused of planting bombs in New York and New Jersey on Sept. 17, omitted any reference to the Islamic State. But a newly released page from Rahami’s notebook shows that he mentioned Abu Muhammad al Adnani in the context of being unable to travel abroad for jihad. Prior to his demise in August, Adnani repeatedly told followers to strike in their home countries if they were unable to emigrate to the lands of the so-called caliphate.
Nine pages from Ahmad Khan Rahami’s journal
Catherine Herridge of Fox News has shared nine pages from Ahmad Khan Rahami’s journal with The Long War Journal. Rahami is accused of placing bombs in New York City and New Jersey on Sept. 17. His notebook contains multiple references to jihadi figures.
FBI seeking information on 2 ‘unknown individuals’ in NY bombing case
The FBI is seeking information on two “unknown individuals” to question them about luggage that contained an improvised explosive device on 27th street in Manhattan on Sept. 17. The two men allegedly “removed an improvised explosive device from the luggage, and then left the vicinity leaving the device behind but taking the luggage.”
Islamic State holds alleged Russian intelligence officer hostage
The Islamic State’s Furat Media Establishment has released a short video allegedly showing a captured Russian intelligence agent. The man is made to address Russian President Vladimir Putin directly and plead for his life.
Bomb suspect praised Osama bin Laden, Anwar al Awlaki in notebook
Authorities recovered a handwritten journal from Ahmad Khan Rahami, who is charged with carrying out bombings in New York and New Jersey on Sept. 17. The notebook allegedly contains praise for Osama bin Laden and Anwar al Awlaki.
Shabaab captures town in central Somalia
Shabaab claims to have captured two towns in central Somalia after Ethiopian troops reportedly withdrew from their nearby bases.
State Department adds al Qaeda front group in Syria to terror designation list
The State Department has designated Jund al Aqsa in Syria as a terrorist organization. The Long War Journal previously exposed Jund al Aqsa as an al Qaeda front group. Al Qaeda veterans have been embedded within the organization and Jund al Aqsa’s “general command” remains loyal to al Qaeda’s leaders.
Islamic State claims its ‘soldier’ was responsible for stabbings in Minnesota
The Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency has claimed responsibility for the stabbings in St. Cloud, Minnesota yesterday. Amaq’s claim is similar to the statements issued after a series of attacks in Europe and the US.
Al Qaeda-linked foreign fighter recruiter designated by State Department
The State Department has designated Omar Diaby, who has recruited French men and women to wage jihad in Syria, as a terrorist. Diaby faked his death in 2015 so he could receive treatment for wounds he suffered. He resurfaced earlier this year. Diaby is infamous for producing a series of videos under the brand “19HH.” The videos have explicitly marketed his loyalty to al Qaeda.
Estimated number of Guantanamo recidivists continues to rise
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released its most recent statistics on Guantanamo recidivism this week. 208 former detainees are either confirmed or suspected of rejoining the jihad. 188 of them were transferred or released during the Bush administration and the remaining 20 by the Obama administration. The estimated number of recidivists has steadily climbed since 2008, when the government first provided statistics on this topic.
Fifteen years after the 9/11 attacks, al Qaeda fights on
Fifteen years after 9/11, Al Qaeda remains a threat to the West despite not carrying out a large-scale attack in years. The group is waging insurgencies in several countries and is far larger than it was on 9/11.
Iraqi militia leader receives warm reception in Tehran
Iraqi Shiite militia leader Akram al Kabi has met with top Iranian government official in Iran. Kabi, who is a member of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces that has become an official part of the Iraqi government, boldly proclaimed his allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Islamic State claims more than 700 suicide attacks since beginning of the year
The Islamic State’s Amaq News Agency has claimed 729 “martyrdom operations” in Iraq, Syria and Libya since the beginning of the year. The figures for August indicate that 81 suicide attacks were carried out in these three countries. If the statistics are accurate, then the self-declared “caliphate” is carrying out suicide bombings at a historically high rate.
Report: Pakistani officials deny al Qaeda’s hostage exchange story
Anonymous Pakistani officials deny al Qaeda’s claim that General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani’s son was kidnapped and exchanged for Ayman al Zawahiri’s two daughters, a third woman and their children. But their denial raises a number of additional questions and only adds to the mystery.
Did al Qaeda exchange former Pakistani army chief’s son for Zawahiri’s daughters?
Al Qaeda claims that two of Ayman al Zawahiri’s daughters and a third woman were exchanged for the son of Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in either late July or early August. The Long War Journal cannot independently verify the claim, but it is known that al Qaeda had been trying to exchange at least one kidnapped son of Pakistan’s elite for the women. Al Qaeda announced that the women and their children were released in early August.
Islamic State says senior official killed in Aleppo province
The Islamic State issued a “martyrdom” statement today for Abu Muhammad al Adnani, who was one of the group’s top leaders and spokesman. The Defense Department subsequently confirmed that Adnani was targeted in an airstrike, but added that his status was still being assessed. The Pentagon described Adnani as the “principal architect” of the Islamic State’s “external operations,” meaning the part of the organization devoted to planning attacks in the West and elsewhere abroad.
Zawahiri says jihadists should prepare for guerrilla war in Iraq
In the third episode of his “Brief Messages to a Victorious Ummah” series, Ayman al Zawahiri calls on “the mujahideen of the Levant” to help the jihadists in Iraq “reorganize themselves” for a “protracted” campaign of “guerrilla war.” Zawahiri clearly expects the Islamic State’s caliphate claim to be rendered moot and he wants jihadists to follow a new strategy in Iraq going forward.
Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield is a message to the Kurds
Above all, it was a message: a reminder of Ankara’s determination to limit US cooperation with the Kurds, Washington’s most effective partner against the Islamic State in Syria.