The Islamic State claims its men killed eight Algerian soldiers during a counterterrorism raid. Despite declaring a “province” in Algeria in Nov. 2014, the group rarely claims operations in the country. And its latest claim hasn’t been verified.
Moezeddine Garsallaoui, a Swiss citizen, led the al Qaeda-linked group, and trained Mohamed Merah, the Toulouse shooter who killed seven people. He appears to have been killed in a drone strike.
Newly released intelligence files on Mohamed Merah indicate he had been identified as a dangerous Islamist for well over a year before he killed seven people. And an audiotape suggests he trained for jihad in Pakistan and was working for al Qaeda in France.
But a popular web forum removed the statement within an hour after posting.
The four fighters were said to be from Turkmenistan. No senior leaders had been reported killed.
The Soldiers of the Caliphate are attempting to capitalize on last weekend’s clash between government forces and striking oil workers.
The terror group also said it is “ready to be killed in the thousands” and threatened Russia.
Five “terrorists” and two policemen were killed during a clash in the southern Central Asian nation.
The terror group said “a solder in our brigade” killed six people, including four security personnel, in Taraz on Nov. 12.
An “Islamist militant” killed six people, including four security personnel, during attacks in the southern Kazakh city of Taraz.
Rawil Kusaynuv, the emir of the Zahir Baibars Battalion, a unit in the Jund al Khilafah, said there are several battalions operating in Afghanistan.
The Soldiers of the Caliphate denied that the bomber who was killed was on a suicide mission, and said the blasts in Atyrau were merely a warning.
A battalion of the Brigade of the Soldiers of the Caliphate, which carries out attacks in eastern Afghanistan, wants Kazakhstan to retract the ban on the veil and apologize.