Libya
Libyan rebels rejected an African Union peace plan that did not require President Gaddafi to resign. Gaddafi’s son, Saif al Islam, said talk of his father stepping down from power is “ridiculous.”
Author Archives: Bill Roggio
The most wanted Taliban commanders in Afghanistan
A look at some of the Taliban leaders who are at the top of the special operations groups’ target list.
Afghanistan
Security forces killed and captured several Taliban and Haqqani Network commanders and fighters in Helmand, Kapisa, and Logar. The Taliban killed three tribal elders in Farah and an ISAF soldier in the south. Afghan investigators said clerics and “reformed” Taliban instigated the attack on a UN office in Mazar-i-Sharif.
Iraq
Insurgents killed a policeman in Mosul and a government worker in Baghdad. Security forces arrested six Mujahideen-e-Khalq members in Diyala.
Shabaab
Omar Hammami, the American Shabaab military commander, released a nasheed glorifying death, and said he hoped to die as other senior al Qaeda leaders have died. Hammami’s tape refutes reports of his death from Somalia’s defense minister.
Yemen
Security forces killed an anti-government protester in Taiz and wounded hundreds more in Sana’a. Dozens of protesters were also detained in Sana’a.
Syria
Armed men loyal to President Bashir Assad opened fire on anti-government protesters in Banias. Security forces also deployed to the oil refinery in Banias, one of two in the country.
Libya
NATO airstrikes destroyed 11 government tanks outside Ajdabiyah, preventing Gaddafi’s forces from taking the town, and 14 more on the outskirts of Misrata. The African Union hopes to mediate a settlement between Gaddafi and rebel forces.
American Shabaab commander Omar Hammami releases tape that mocks reports of his death
In Hammami’s latest rap-nasheed, he asks to die in a Predator strike, special operations raid, air strike, or cruise missile attack, like other top al Qaeda commanders.
Lashkar-e-Khorasan executes 3 ‘US spies’ in North Waziristan
The US Predator campaign is on hold after the controversial March 17 strike in Datta Khel.
Afghanistan
The Taliban killed a police official in Logar. A suicide bomber wounded seven soldiers and three civilians in Kabul. Security forces killed and captured several Taliban and Haqqani Network commanders and fighters in Helmand, Jawzjan, Ghazni, and Paktia.
Iraq
Security forces killed three “gunmen” in Anbar. Insurgents killed a university professor in Mosul and a school teacher in Fallujah. Police killed five kidnappers during a shootout in Bayji; the kidnapped man was also killed in the shootout.
US Congressmen question wisdom of financial support for Pakistan
The US is “basing the relationship on wishful thinking,” said Congressman Rohrabacher.
United States
Aftab Ali, a Pakistani man, pled guilty to illegally transferring money and lying to the FBI about his immigration status. Ali transferred $4,900 to Faisal Shahzad, the failed Times Square car bomber.
Russia
Doku Umarov, the emir of the Islamic Caucasus Emirate, spoke to the press to confirm he survived a March 28 raid in Ingushetia, and threatened to attack Russia. “They won’t receive any respite from me,” Umarov said.
Pakistan
More than 350 suicide bombers are training in North Waziristan. The military claimed it killed 30 Taliban fighters in airstrikes in Mohmand. Police captured two Taliban fighters in Karachi.
Afghanistan
Security forces killed and captured dozens of Taliban and Haqqani Network commanders and fighters in Helmand, Paktia, Baghlan, Jawzjan, Kapisa. The Taliban killed a district police chief in Sar-i-Pul.
Iraq
Iraqi troops clashed with members of the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq terrorist group at Camp Arshaf. Reports on casualties conflict; Iraqi government says three people were killed while the MEK claimed 31 were killed. Security forces detained two wanted men in Al Kut.
Shabaab
Somalia: Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama’a – We are ready to fight off al Shabaab
Syria
Security forces killed 19 protesters after opening fire on crowds in Duraa. Protests have also been reported in the Islamist bastion of Hama.
Nigeria
Eight people were killed in a bombing at the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Suleja. No group has claimed the attack, but Boko Haram has carried out other attacks against election officials.
Libya
NATO apologized for an airstrike that killed 15 rebel fighters. NATO said that its pilots were unaware that rebels were using armored vehicles. Five people were killed as rebels repelled an assault by Gaddafi’s forces on Misrata.
350 suicide bombers training in North Waziristan
A young suicide bomber who was captured said the camps are run by a Taliban leader known as Commander Sangeen Khan.
Caucasus Emirate leader survived Russian raid
In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Doku Umarov confirmed he was alive and “absolutely healthy.” Umarov also said he would continue to carry out attacks against Russia.
Brazil
The US warned Brazil that 21 al Qaeda and other Islamist terrorists are based in the country. Among them is Khaled Hussein Ali, who runs an internet cafe and manages Jihad Media Battalion, an al Qaeda propaganda arm.
Pakistan
The military claimed it killed 50 Taliban fighters in airstrikes in Mohmand. A suicide bomber killed one person in Quetta. The Taliban claimed it killed Colonel Imam for betraying Islam by working for Pakistan’s intelligence services.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Profiting by posing as the Taliban
Afghanistan
The Taliban killed four security officials in a suicide assault in Kandahar and killed an ISAF soldier in the east. Security forces killed and captured scores of Taliban, HIG, and Haqqani Network commanders and fighters in Helmand, Uruzgan, Parwan, Kandahar, Ghazni, Wardak, Logar, and Faryab. A Taliban fighter in Sar-i-Pul was killed after locals refused […]
Special operations forces raid ‘Taliban safe haven’ in Afghan north
ISAF identified another “safe haven,” this time in the district of Qaisar in Faryab. Special operations teams also killed the Afghan policeman who killed two ISAF troops in Faryab on April 4.
Iraq
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said US troops could stay in Iraq after the December 2011 withdrawal deadline if Iraq’s government makes the request. Security forces detained eight wanted men in Anbar province.