Taliban retakes district in Afghan northwest
The district of Kohistan in Faryab province has changed hands twice over the past several months.
Author Archives: Bill Roggio
US has launched ‘more than 100 strikes against AQAP’ so far this year
In addition to the updated strike total for Yemen, the response is interesting as it notes that AQAP operatives are not the only target of the air campaign: the US military is hitting the entirety of the network.
US kills 3 AQAP fighters in drone strike
The US military has stepped up its campaign against AQAP, but has not been forthcoming about its targeting of the group as it has in Somalia.
Video shows Taliban overran district center in Afghan east
Afghan officials denied that the Gomal district center in Paktika province was overrun at the end of August. Video shows that Gomal was indeed seized by the Taliban.
US military apologizes for ‘highly offensive’ leaflet dropped in Afghanistan
A public affairs or information operations specialist made the grave error of equating the shahada solely with the Taliban, and the commanding general of Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan is now forced to apologize for the mistake.
Pakistan suffers diplomatic defeat as BRICS names regional terrorist groups
The blow comes just two weeks after President Trump called out Pakistan for providing “safe haven” for terrorist groups operating in the region and advocated for closer ties with India.
Taliban video documents takeover of district center in Kunar
As with previous videos reported on by FDD’s Long War Journal, the Taliban is able to organize and launch its attack, and then subsequently overrun Afghan government-controlled headquarters during broad daylight without fear of being targeted.
Anatomy of a Taliban ambush
The daylight ambush destroyed multiple Afghan vehicles, and despite the fact that US helicopters were nearby, the Taliban do not appear to have been targeted during the fighting.
NATO refutes Taliban claim it shot down US helicopter
Resolute Support, NATO’s mission in Afghanistan, claimed the aircraft made “a precautionary landing for a maintenance issue.”
Analysis: Coalition and Afghan forces must target Taliban after overrunning bases
While such tactics may be viewed as reactionary or defensive, if the Afghan government wants to arrest Taliban gains, the Taliban must be forced to pay a heavy price for massing and striking outposts, bases, and district centers.
Islamic State suicide team strikes Kabul mosque
The Islamic State’s Khorasan province, like the main branch in Iraq and Syria, has had no qualms about targeting Afghan civilians, particularly Shiites, in mass-casualty suicide attacks in mosques and other locations.
In response to Trump, Pakistan claims no terrorist groups operate on its soil
Pakistan’s denial of harboring terrorist groups that conduct attacks outside of its borders falls flat on its face when looking at Lashkar-e-Taiba, which not only supports al Qaeda and the Taliban, but has executed numerous attacks inside of Pakistan’s neighbor and enemy, India, as well as in Afghanistan.
Taliban retakes district in northern Afghanistan
The Taliban continues to demonstrate that it can conduct concurrent operations across the country, while Afghan forces largely remain on the defensive. The district of Khamab in Jawzjan has gone back and forth between Taliban and government control over the past several years.
Taliban vows to continue its “Jihad” against US
Taliban spokesman Zahibullah Mujahid denounced Trump’s decision to remain engaged in Afghanistan and said that Taliban fighters will “sustain our Jihad.” Additionally he repeated the canard that the Taliban does not pose a threat to foreign countries.
Trump takes hard line on Pakistan for supporting terrorist groups
With words unprecedented for a US president, Trump called out Pakistan for harboring and supporting terrorist groups that target and kill US citizens and said there would be a radical change in policy toward the South Asian nation. Trump indicated the US would work to increase ties with India, Pakistan’s neighbor and greatest enemy, a move sure to both enrage as well as frighten Pakistani elites.
Taliban seizes large quantity of weapons during ‘Recent Conquests in Kandahar’
The Taliban, which continues to make inroads in Kandahar province, released a video flaunting a bounty of weapons, ammunition and military equipment after it overran bases and outposts in Khakrez and Shah Wali Kot.
US military hits Shabaab with 3 more airstrikes
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced three more strikes on Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia and East Africa, over the past two days. All three took place in Shabaab-held territory.
US lists Hizbul Mujahideen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
The brief designation omitted Hizbul Mujahideen’s support for al Qaeda in the past, as well as its relations with other jihadist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba. Hizbul Mujahideen’s emir was officially listed as a global terrorist in June 2017.
Taliban overruns district in Afghan northwest
The Afghan Taliban has again retaken control of the district of Ghormach in Faryab province. The remote district has changed hands twice in less than two years.
US military kills Islamic State Khorasan province leader in Kunar
The commander, known as Abdul Rahman, was a candidate to take control of Khorasan province after the US killed the previous emir last month.
AFRICOM targets Shabaab twice in southern Somalia
US Africa Command launched two “kinetic strikes” against Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia and East Africa, today. The US military has targeted Shabaab three times over the past two weeks.
Taliban retakes eastern Afghan district from Afghan forces
Jani Khel in Paktia province has changed hands three times over the past two weeks. The loss of Jani Khel to the Taliban demonstrates the difficulties Afghan forces face in holding onto remote contested districts.
Qods Force-linked Taliban commander leads insurgency in central Afghanistan
Mullah Mustafa, a Taliban commander who was targeted by the US military in an airstrike nearly a decade ago and who has links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp – Qods Force, remains a key player in the insurgency in central Afghanistan. He was involved in the Taliban takeover of a district in Ghor.
US killed Shabaab commander in recent strike
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that its July 30 “kinetic strike” killed Ali Jabal, a Shabaab commander who led forces and conducted attacks in Mogadishu and the Banadir regions in southern Somalia. The targeting of Shabaab leaders has not prevented the group from regaining ground in the south.
Afghan policeman wounds Romanian soldier in latest insider attack
An Afghan policeman opened fire on Romanian soldiers in Kandahar and wounded one before being killed in return fire. The insider, or “green-on-blue,” attack is the fourth of its kind recorded so far this year.
Islamic State bombs Shiite mosque in western Afghanistan
The Islamic State’s Khorasan continues to target Shiites in mosques and other civilian areas. At least 50 people were killed in the suicide attack.
Taliban suicide bomber strikes NATO convoy in Kandahar
Resolute Support released a statement confirming that the attack “did cause casualties” and said it would release more details at a later time. The Pentagon later confirmed that two US soldiers were killed.
Taliban control of Afghan districts remains ‘unchanged,’ according to SIGAR
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s assessment, based on data provided by the US military, is the best case scenario of the security situation for the country. At best, Afghanistan is a “stalemate.”
Taliban video details takeover of eastern Afghan district
The Taliban displayed US-supplied HUMVEES and Ranger pickup trucks used by the police and military that were captured or destroyed. The Taliban also seized a large quantity of rocket propelled grenade launchers, machine guns, rifles, mortars, and other weapons.
US military kills Shabaab fighter in ‘kinetic strike’
One Shabaab fighter from the “Mogadishu Attack Network” was killed. The strike is the second of its kind reported by AFRICOM over the past month.