South Sudan
South Sudan: Army Uncovers Rebel Plan for Major Military Offensive
Monthly Archives: August 2014
Libya
The Islamist coalition Libya Dawn claimed to have taken over Tripoli airport; heavy fighting resulted in numerous casualties on both sides. Earlier today, Operation Dignity aircraft attacked Islamist forces in Tripoli, reportedly killing 10 people and injuring dozens more. Fighting also flared up in Benghazi, and Operation Dignity dismissed rumors that it had lost Benina […]
Iraq
UN calls for immediate action to avert massacre in besieged Iraqi town
Tunisia
Police fired at a car that was ignoring signals to stop at a checkpoint in Kasserine, killing two children who were passengers in the vehicle; the Interior Ministry said the roadblock had been set up to intercept an armed group that was traveling by car to Kasserine. Security forces seized nine Tunisian vehicles at the […]
Islamic State
Britain plans tougher laws to tackle UK jihadists
Morocco
The Interior Ministry has announced the arrest of two Islamic State jihadists who were planning to travel to Syria and Iraq to attend terrorist training camps and then return to conduct attacks in Morocco. Both had links to foreign extremists, and one of the suspects had connections with a criminal gang in Fez.
Spain
Spanish security forces say that Mohamed Almedi Khalou, a former Moroccan army officer, is now leading some 1,200 Moroccans who have joined Islamic State forces in Syria in a group called the Harakat al Sham, or Sham al Islam. Khalou reportedly replaced Brahim Benchekroun, a former Guantanamo detainee who was killed in Syria in April. […]
Australia
Singapore, Australia to boost intelligence sharing on extremists
Iraq
Pro-ISIS leaflets target London shoppers
Germany
German minister accuses Qatar of financing ISIS
United States
A top adviser to President Obama said the administration is considering its response to the Islamic State threat, will do “what is necessary” to protect Americans, and will not be “restricted by borders.” Joint Chiefs Chair General Dempsey floated the idea of containment. Senator James Inhofe, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, […]
Iraq
Shiite militiamen stormed a mosque in a village near Baqubah and killed 65 people and wounded 17 more. Sunni politicians have suspended talks to form a new government after the attack. The US launched three airstrikes against hte Islamic State in northern Iraq; all three were conducted near the Mosul Dam.
Syria
The Islamic State clashed with regime forces in Deir Izzour; Homs; and in Raqqah, where the IS executed a man and regime forces have killed some 70 IS fighters near Al Tabaqa. The IS also battled Kurdish YPG forces in Hasakah, and sought to repel an Islamic Front advance in Aleppo. The Al Nusrah Front […]
Islamic State
US hostage rescuers dropped from night sky, Syria activist says
Lebanon
The Muslim Scholars Committee suspended its mediation efforts for the release of 29 Lebanese security forces kidnapped by the Al Nusrah Front and the Islamic State, citing the new role of an unnamed foreign actor in the negotiations. Abu Talal, a Syrian from Qusair who has represented the Islamic State in the negotiations, has taken […]
Iran
Pentagon keeps wary eye on Iran activities around Strait of Hormuz
Kenya
Security is being stepped up in Lamu county after 20 heavily armed attackers blocked a road, forced riders out of their cars, and killed at least two of them. The suspected Shabaab attackers beheaded at least one of the victims and kidnapped others, and stole two cars.
Al Qaeda in Iraq
Islamic State seeks women
Libya
Fighting between Islamist militias and pro-government forces continued in Tripoli and in Benghazi, where a Salafist cleric who commands an Operation Dignity unit was shot and wounded yesterday. An estimated 43,500 Tripoli residents have been displaced by the fighting, and over 100,000 Libyans fled into Tunisia in July. The Grand Mufti, Sheikh Sadik Al-Ghariani, who […]
Islamic State
Social media pushes back at militant propaganda
Al Nusrah Front
Idlib prepares for war between factions and Al Nusrah Front
Hamas
Hamas publicly executes 18 ‘informers’
Belgium
A 13-year-old Belgian boy is said to have joined the ranks of the Islamic State earlier this year along with his 27-year-old brother. Authorities disclosed that the laptop of Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo was stolen from his official car on Aug. 18, but they claim it did not contain state secrets. After the Muslim […]
Al Nusrah Front
Hostage-Taking Central to Islamic State Strategy in Syria
African Union
East African rapid reaction force ready by December: officials
Treasury designates 2 ‘key’ al Qaeda financiers
The Long War Journal first exposed one of the two, a jihadist known as Sanafi al Nasr, as a senior al Qaeda operative in March. Al Nasr is a senior al Qaeda leader who relocated from Pakistan to Syria last year. Treasury reveals that he previously served as the head of al Qaeda’s Iran-based network.
France
Police arrested two French girls, aged 15 and 17, in Tarbes and Lyon who were preparing to travel to Syria for jihad; they had reportedly met through social networking. Some 900 people from France are said to have been implicated in jihad. Iraqi Christian refugees from the Islamic State’s persecution in Irbil began arriving in […]
United Kingdom
Lord Dannatt, the former Chief of General Staff, said the UK must work with Bashar al Assad to defeat the Islamic State. Defense Secretary Hammond disagreed, saying it would not be “practical, sensible or helpful.” The head of Parliament’s intelligence committee observed that sometimes you have work with nasty people to get rid of even […]
United Kingdom
UK terror controls explained
Islamic State
Net closes on ‘Jihadi John’ as London pair probed