JNIM claims suicide bombing in northern Mali
Monday’s suicide bombing in Gao was the first claimed suicide bombing of JNIM since July.
Category Archives: Threat Matrix
Shabaab claims series of suicide bombings in Mogadishu
Much like other assaults on popular hotels, restaurants, or various targets inside Mogadishu, Shabaab was quick to claim credit for the operation on social media.
Yemen strikes wane, but AQAP still poses “a significant threat”
The United States has conducted 36 strikes in Yemen in 2018, roughly a quarter of last year’s record high of 131 strikes.
Uighur jihadist group trains with elite unit
Katibat Ghuraba al Turkistan, a smaller predominately Uighur jihadist group in northwestern Syria, recently trained with the elite Malhama Tactical thereby not only raising its credentials, but also its battlefield prowess.
AFRICOM continues to strike Shabaab strongholds
Kunyo Barrow, where the most recent strike took place, is located in the Jubba River Valley, a stronghold of the al Qaeda affiliate.
Shabaab attacks Somali force in southern Somalia
This is the third time in the past month that US forces have conducted defensive airstrikes following Shabaab attacks.
Taliban claims to have captured 2 Afghan districts
While the Taliban’s claim of controlling districts in Samangan and Paktika cannot be independently verified, the group has proven to be accurate when reporting on the status of districts.
Al Qaeda branch claims IED attack on Tunisian soldiers
The IED claim is the group’s first since July and just the second attack claim of the year for the small Tunisian Al Qaeda wing.
Shabaab targets Italian troops in Mogadishu with suicide bombing
Today’s suicide bombings marks one of the first times European Union troops have been targeted by Shabaab.
Citing “security threats from Iran,” US evacuates Basra consulate
The US State Department on September 28 announced the evacuation of personnel from the consulate in Basra, Iraq, citing “security threats from Iran.”
Shabaab launches another attack on US and partner forces
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.
Iran state media eulogize IRGC Special Forces member, cleric killed in Syria
Iranian state media eulogized a special forces member and a cleric who were recently killed in Syria.
Uzbek group shows spoils from Afghan base
Katibat Imam al Bukhari released two sets of photos this month showing captured weapons from overran Afghan military posts.
Taliban videos shows fighters occupying base, outposts in Afghan north
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.
Shabaab attacks US and partner force outside Mogadishu
US Africa Command targeted a Shabaab fighting position outside of Mogadishu after the al Qaeda branch attacked US and Somali forces operating in the area.
Taliban overruns military base in Zabul
The Taliban has released yet another video showing their fighters gathering in the open after overrunning a military base without fear of reprisal from NATO or Afghan warplanes.
Shabaab targets local government headquarters with suicide bombing
Today’s suicide bombing on a district headquarters in Mogadishu comes only a week after a similar attack on another district headquarters in the Somali capital.
Mapping Taliban controlled and contested districts in Afghanistan: LWJ vs US military assessments
The New York Times map compares assessments from the US military and FDD’s Long War Journal on Taliban controlled and contested districts in Afghanistan.
US confirms death of emir of Islamic State Khorasan
The press release that announced Orakzai’s death said that he “is the third Islamic State – Khorasan chief killed in 25 months.” However, that is incorrect. The US military has announced the death of four Khorasan province emirs since July 2016.
US military on track to match record 2017 for airstrikes in Somalia
The United States has conducted 21 strikes against Shabaab in Somalia so far this year, meaning it is on track to meet or exceed last year’s record high.
US airstrike kills Islamic State terrorist in northern Libya
This is the first strike since early June, when the United States targeted both the Islamic State and Al Qaeda in separate strikes in Bani Walid.
Taliban video shows fighters on captured Afghan base in Baghlan
Like many other similar Taliban videos that show the aftermath of successful assaults on military bases and outposts, the Taliban fighters are seen walking throughout the base in broad daylight, without fear of being targeted by Afghan or Resolute Support aircraft.
US military targets Shabaab north of Kismayo
The strike is the second against Shabaab, which is al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, in Somalia that has been reported by U.S. Africa Command this month.
Hezbollah’s Nasrallah meets with Houthi leadership
Hezbollah media sources released a photo of a meeting between its Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and Houthi leadership.
Taliban fighters loot district center in Ghazni
In what has become an all too familiar scene in Afghanistan, Taliban fighters celebrated their victory and looted a district center in broad daylight, without fear of reprisal.
Islamic State releases photos from deadly raid on military base near Lake Chad
The Islamic State’s West African province has gone on a recent spate of assaults on military bases in northeastern Nigeria.
Taliban occupied Ghazni City police station as Resolute Support claimed city was under Afghan control
The Taliban occupied a police station in Ghazni City and looted the facility even as Resolute Support claimed the entire city was under Afghan government control.
In Afghan north, soldiers surrender to Taliban after base is cut off
Forty-three soldiers were killed and 17 more were captured in the fighting that led up to the surrender. The Taliban is routinely outmatching Afghan forces in battles in remote districts.
Video from Ghazni City shows Taliban on streets as buildings ablaze
Meanwhile, Resolute Support continues its claim Ghazni City is under Afghan control and uses Taliban body counts as a measure of success.
Veteran Malian jihadist surrenders to Algeria
Sultan Ould Bady, a veteran jihadist within various al Qaeda groups in Mali and later the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, turned himself in to the Algerian military yesterday.