Jihadists in central Mali pledge allegiance to new Islamic State leader
It is unclear if the unit represents a splinter of al Qaeda’s JNIM, though the group now represents an Islamic State-loyal faction close to the borders with Mauritania.
Author Archives: Caleb Weiss
JNIM targets military bases in central Mali
The al Qaeda group has claimed a series of attacks across the Sahel in recent weeks.
Houthis kill over 100 Yemeni soldiers in missile, drone attack on base
The strike is one of the deadliest attacks in the conflict since 2014.
Ansaru publicly returns to Nigeria
The attack, the group’s first since 2013, announces its operational return to Nigeria.
Islamic State kills almost 100 soldiers in Niger
Over the last month, the jihadist group has killed at least 174 Nigerien soldiers in three separate attacks.
Islamic State video details operations across the Sahel
The large video details several major Islamic State operations inside the Sahel over the last few years.
Hezbollah Brigades official reportedly calls volunteers for suicide bombings
The official reportedly tweeted out the statement earlier today. The official website of the Hezbollah Brigades has so far not commented, however.
Iranian-backed Bahraini militias eulogize Soleimani, Muhandis
The rare joint statement both eulogizes Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al Muhandis and offers vague threats of retaliation in Bahrain.
Bahraini militias decry U.S. airstrikes on Hezbollah Brigades
This is the second time that several Iranian-backed militias in Bahrain have voiced their support of the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades after U.S. airstrikes on the group.
Hezbollah Brigades threatens retaliation after U.S. airstrikes
Following a deadly rocket attack on a U.S. base in Iraq and subsequent U.S. airstrikes in response, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah Brigades threatens to further retaliate by continuing to target U.S. troops.
Islamic State kills dozens of soldiers in Niger
The Islamic State continues to make inroads in the Sahel, conducting several high-profile raids in the border region between Mali and Niger.
Mogadishu hotel raided by Shabaab
Yesterday’s assault marks at least the third time the SYL Hotel has been targeted by Shabaab in recent years.
Turkistan Islamic Party touts captured equipment, training camp in Afghanistan
The video shows TIP’s men with captured Afghan military equipment, as well as recruits undergoing training.
Abdullah Azzam Brigades dissolves itself in Syria
After a long-hiatus, the al Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades announces its dissolution inside Syria.
Islamic State releases photos from Malian assault, claims another
The photos detail the In-Delimane assault earlier this month which left over 50 Malian soldiers dead.
Shabaab moves into Somaliland town
Shabaab claims this is the first time the organization has grabbed territory in Somaliland.
JNIM claims prison break in Mali
In addition to the prison break, JNIM also claimed two other recent attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso.
US designates senior JNIM leader as global terrorist
Amadou Kouffa, the leader of JNIM’s Katibat Macina, has been designated as a global terrorist by the US State Department.
Senior JNIM leader reportedly killed by France
Abu Abdul Rahman al Sanhaji’s death, if confirmed, follows the death of several other high-profile JNIM leaders over the past two years.
Dozens of Malian soldiers killed in Islamic State attack
Friday’s assault marks the Islamic State’s deadliest attack in Mali to date.
Bahraini militia reemerges to threaten new attacks
Yesterday’s tweets were the first sign of life for the group in over four years.
Ansar al Islam claims first attack in Iraq since 2014
For the first time in five years, the jihadist group has claimed an attack in its native Iraq.
Al Qaeda-linked group reappears in Nigeria
The photo marks the first sign of life for the group since 2017 and the first official publication since 2015.
Al Qaeda leader reported killed in Tunisia
If confirmed, this would represent another major blow to al Qaeda’s Uqba bin Nafi Battalion.
Al Qaeda’s general command praises recent Shabaab attacks
Two statements, which were released by al Qaeda’s general command and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, were addressed to Shabaab yesterday in a coordinated messaging campaign.
Islamic State targets Syria’s Qamishli with car bombing
The bombing came as Turkey also shelled the city. It is likely that as the Turkish advance continues, the Islamic State will further exploit the chaos inside northern Syria to regroup and conduct more attacks.
Islamic State sleeper cells target Raqqa
The rising of Islamic State sleeper cells could become more common as the Kurdish-dominated SDF is diverted to the newly announced Turkish invasion of northern Syria.
Dozens of Malian soldiers killed in dual attacks
No group has yet to claim the attacks, but al Qaeda-linked militants have been widely blamed.
US-trained Somali special forces unit targeted by Shabaab
Shabaab, just days after launching assaults on US and Italian troops, has now also claimed two IEDs on a US-trained Somali special forces unit.
Shabaab strikes American, Italian forces in Somalia
No casualties were reported in either attack, however.