Iraq
US, allies plan tough battle to retake Iraqi city from Islamic State
Author Archives: Bill Roggio
Islamic State
Pilot held by Islamic State puts Jordan’s king in a tough spot
Yemen
Yemen’s Houthis give parties three days to solve crisis
Al Nusrah Front
Deadly bus bombing hits central Damascus
Iraq
Almost 1,400 Iraqis killed in January violence
US drones kill 4 AQAP fighters in southern Yemen
The strike is the second this week, and is an indication that the US counterterrorism program in Yemen will continue despite the Houthi takeover of the capital.
Coalition kills Islamic State ‘chemical weapons engineer’
Abu Malik was associated with al Qaeda in Iraq and then the Islamic State for a decade before he was killed.
Al Qaeda
Hagel: Gitmo transfers caused friction with some at White House
Al Qaeda
Hagel: Gitmo transfers caused friction with some at White House
Iraq
Islamic State seizes oil facility in northern Iraq, 15 workers missing
Egypt
Egypt court rules Hamas armed wing ‘terror group’
European Union
EU countries could hire PR firms to beat back Islamic State
Afghanistan
White House declines to call Afghan Taliban ‘terrorists’
Jundallah
At least 55 killed in blast at Shikarpur imambargah (Pakistan)
Al Qaeda
US drone strategy in trouble as Yemeni al Qaeda gathers support
Islamic State admits its forces withdrew from Kobane
Two fighters featured in an Islamic State video credited the air campaign by the US-led Coalition with forcing their retreat.
Taliban claim insider attack at Kabul Airport that killed 3 US contractors
The commander of police at the airport confirmed that a guard killed the three contractors. The green-on-blue or insider attack is the first of its kind recorded so far this year.
Iraq
Beyond front lines in Iraq, a forgotten force faces Islamic State
Afghanistan
1 of the Taliban 5 back in the game
Afghanistan
Officials: Detainee swapped for Bergdahl suspected of militant activities
Iran
Survivors say Iraqi forces watched as Shi’ite militias executed 72 Sunnis
Hezbollah
Israel, Hezbollah signal their flare-up is over
Iraq
Islamic State purportedly sets new deadline for hostage swap
Hezbollah kills 2 Israeli soldiers in anti-tank missile attack
Hezbollah fired five anti-tank missiles at an IDF unit patrolling near Mt Dov.
Turkey
Two weeks after Zuckerberg said ‘je suis Charlie,’ Facebook begins censoring images of prophet Muhammad
Turkey
Facebook complies with Turkish court order, starts censoring Prophet images
Iraq
Jordan proposes prisoner swap, fate of Japanese Islamic State hostage unclear
Hezbollah
Two Israeli soldiers, UN peacekeeper killed in Israel-Hezbollah violence
‘Foreigners’ among 7 jihadists killed in US drone strike in Pakistan
The strike took place in the Shawal Valley, a jihadist hub that spans both North and South Waziristan.
Islamic State
Kurdish defenders say Islamic State has retreated from Syrian border town of Kobane