AQAP leader reportedly captured
According to a newly released report by a UN Monitoring Team, AQAP leader Khalid Batarfi was captured in Oct. 2020. FDD’s Long War Journal has not confirmed Batarfi’s arrest.
Yearly Archives: 2021
Ep. 42 — Groundhog Day in Afghanistan
In episode 42 of Generation Jihad, hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s comments on the U.S.-Taliban deal. They explain why there isn’t much for the Biden administration to assess. The Taliban was never interested in peace and hasn’t taken any steps to break with al Qaeda.
Purported militant groups claim responsibility for blast near Israeli embassy
Two previously unknown militant groups have claimed responsibility for an IED attack near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, India on Friday.
AQAP congratulates JNIM for attacks on French soldiers
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has sent a message of support to its fellow al Qaeda branch for recently killing five French soldiers.
IDF chief of staff warns of return to Iran nuclear deal, details response to proxies
IDF chief of staff readies efforts to attack Iranian nuclear sites and issues warning against Iranian proxy groups using urban areas to conceal its weapons.
Ep. 41 — The Jihad in West Africa
Caleb Weiss joins Tom and Bill to discuss France’s intervention in West Africa. Branches of both Al Qaeda and ISIS are fighting for territory, but France’s patience may be starting to wear thin.
Taliban falsely claims: ‘There are no Al Qaeda operatives present in Afghanistan’
The Taliban cannot be trusted to live up to any agreement when it won’t admit that Al Qaeda remains in Afghanistan, under its protection
Al Qaeda ‘gaining strength’ in Afghanistan, U.S. Treasury says
The U.S. Treasury Department states in a Jan. 4 memo that al Qaeda is “gaining strength” in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s protection. The same memo points to the Islamic State’s “logistical hubs” inside Turkey.
Purported new militant group claims drone attack against Saudi Arabia
A newly formed militant group claims drone attack against Saudi Arabia after a double suicide bombing in Iraq on Thursday.
Kenyan governor claims Shabaab controls over half of northeastern Kenya
The governor of Kenya’s Mandera County recently stated that Shabaab is controlling “over 50 percent’ of northern Kenya and “more than 60 percent” of Mandera. Kenyan authorities have quickly scrambled to contradict these claims.
Ep. 40 – Al Qaeda in Iran–and Afghanistan
Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss and critique Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s speech on the Iran-Al Qaeda axis. Contrary to much reporting, there is a long history of ties between the two. But there’s also much evidence pointing to al Qaeda’s ongoing alliance with the Taliban, an issue Pompeo is eager to downplay. The guys also explain why the 2001 AUMF isn’t being used to start a war with Iran.
Israel’s Air Force attacks warehouses used to ‘store and stage Iranian weapons’ in Syria
Joint U.S. and Israeli military cooperation led to airstrikes targeting Iranian sites and that of its proxy groups in eastern Syria Wednesday morning.
U.S. identifies additional al Qaeda leaders in Iran
The State Department revealed today that ‘Abd al Rahman al Maghrebi, a senior al Qaeda leader who heads the group’s propaganda arm and has served as its “general manager,” is based in Iran. Maghrebi and four others based in Iran were designated as terrorists.
U.S. to designate Yemen’s Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization
Additionally, the U.S. State Department will also designate three of the Houthis’ top leaders as global terrorists.
Israel stepping up airstrikes against Syrian troops in recent weeks
In Israel’s attempts to thwart the establishment of Iranian-led proxies in southern Syria, it has also targeted Syrian troops in recent weeks.
U.S. designates Iraqi PMF chairman for human rights violations
Falih al-Fayyadh, the Chairman of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces and the former National Security Advisor to the Iraq’s Prime Minister, was identified as a member of an “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Force Qods Force supported crisis cell” that supported attacks on protesters in 2019.