Monthly Archives: March 2013

Nigeria

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed at least 25 people in four simultaneous attacks in Ganye in Adamawa state near the border with Cameroon. In the coordinated assault, the assailants attacked a bar, a bank, a prisoner warder, and a prison, freeing prisoners and setting fire to a police station, a prison, and several hotels and […]


Algeria

The Islamist Green Bloc is preparing to select a candidate to run for president in 2014, a plan which could “could stop the harassment and attacks against Algeria.” Iraqi authorities are said to be considering the possibility of pardoning Algerian prisoners currently held in Iraq for crimes including terrorism.



France

President Hollande confirmed that Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, a senior leader of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, was killed “during combat led by the French military in the Ifoghas Mountains in northern Mali at the end of February.” France appointed a new ambassador to Mali to replace Christian Rouyer, a strong advocate for the French […]


Myanmar

Security troops restored calm after martial law was imposed to quell three days of rioting between Buddhists and Muslims which left 32 people dead. The violence is the latest sign of worsening tensions between Muslims and Buddhists in the country.


United States

The US is expanding the role of the CIA in Syria by providing actionable intelligence to rebel groups that have been vetted by the CIA. The US is attempting to bolster non-jihadist rebel forces amid increasing concern that the Al Nusrah Front in Syria is working closely with al Qaeda’s central leadership in Pakistan. The […]


Philippines

Militants from the al Qaeda-linked terror group Abu Sayyaf released Australian hostage Warren Richard Rodwell, whom they had held captive after kidnapping him in December 2011. A Philippine security official said Rodwell was freed after a ransom was paid.



Myanmar

Myanmar declared a state of emergency as anti-Muslim rioting spread. More than 20 were killed as hundreds, including Buddhist monks, rampaged through Muslim neighborhoods.


Pakistan

US drones killed four “militants” in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan. Eight people were killed in a bombing in Jaffarabad. The Taliban attacked US supply containers in Peshawar and Khyber.



Syria

Muslim Brotherhood Holds Sway Over Syrian Opposition



Iraq

A politician was gunned down outside of his home in Fallujah. Police arrested nine “wanted men” in Maysan. Soldiers captured two men as they were rigging car bombs in Baghdad.



Syria

Both opposition leaders and the Assad regime denounced the killing of a prominent Sunni cleric yesterday in a suicide attack on a mosque in Damascus. The UN also condemned the attack. President Assad said his troops would “wipe out” extremists. The EU remained divided on whether to supply arms to the rebels.



Egypt

An Israeli man and a Norwegian woman were kidnapped by Bedouin gunmen in the Sinai. The Muslim Brotherhood was granted nongovernmental organization status. Clashes took place between opposition protesters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Moqattam.


Israel

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan for the first time since the May 2010 Gaza flotilla incident. Netanyahu apologized for deaths caused during the incident and noted that there were “operational mistakes.” President Obama concluded his first visit to Israel as president.




Turkey

Jailed Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdullah Ocalan urged a ceasefire yesterday and Prime Minister Erdogan said government forces would not initiate new operations against PKK forces if they heed Ocalan’s call to withdraw from Turkey and observe a truce. Mohamed Mahmoud, a wanted Austrian-born jihadist linked to al Qaeda, was arrested in Hatay province near […]




Somalia

The US has posted $5 million rewards for American jihadists Jehad Mostafa and Omar Hammami. Mostafa is thought to have served as Ayman al Zawahiri’s emissary. AMISOM said it is “closely monitoring developments” in Hudur after Shabaab took the town following the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces.



Libya

“Unknown assailants” shot at members of the Tripoli Central Police Station and also shot the police chief as he sat in his car. Two policemen in Benghazi were injured by a car bomb. Tripoli Military Court sentenced seven members of the Al-Awfia brigade to prison for a June 2012 attack on Tripoli airport; 12 others […]


Tunisia

Concerns are mounting about the estimated 12,000 Tunisians who have gone to Syria for jihad. The Algerian army is helping track and monitor more than 300 jihadists who have fled al Qaeda and MUJAO bases in Mali for Tunisia. Prosecutors in Tunis have begun trying to crack down on extremist groups that recruit young Tunisians […]


Algeria

Algeria condemned the recent bombing of the Al Iman mosque in Damascus, Syria. Iraq refused Algeria’s request to free 11 Algerians held prisoner in Iraq because they are “criminals” involved in terrorism and corruption.