Pakistani al Qaeda ‘facilitator’ killed in Kunar airstrike
Abdul Rauf and two other “insurgents” were killed in an airstrike in in the Marawarah district on Sept. 23. Rauf moved “foreign fighters” and built IEDs.
Category Archives: Long War Journal
Will Europe outlaw Hezbollah?
Hezbollah’s European enablers have permitted the Lebanese terror group to flourish. Now the US Congress is urging the European Union to outlaw the group, which is responsible for the deaths of US and EU soldiers.
Al Nusrah Front claims 5 suicide attacks in Syria in past month
The al Qaeda-linked Al Nusrah Front has now claimed responsibility for 23 of the 30 suicide bombings in Syria that have occurred since the end of December 2011.
ISAF data show insurgent attacks down, civilian casualties up
ISAF has released its monthly data trends report for August 2012. ISAF’s data show that the number of attacks by insurgents in Afghanistan has decreased slightly this year, by 5 percent when compared to the first eight months of 2011. However, the overall level of violence remains greater than prior to the surge and the number of civilian casualties has increased in recent months.
2 al Qaeda leaders reported killed in Mir Ali drone strike
Abu Kasha al Iraqi and Fateh al Turki are rumored to have been killed in the Sept. 24 strike in Mir Ali. The report has not been confirmed.
34 ‘high risk’ Guantanamo detainees approved for transfer
The Obama administration has released a list of 55 Guantanamo detainees who have been approved for transfer, but remain in custody. The Long War Journal finds that 34 of the 55 detainees listed were previously deemed “high risk(s)” by Joint Task Force Guantanamo.
Taliban release video of planning for Camp Bastion assault
The video clip shows a map on a whiteboard that details the location of the security perimeter, aircraft, hangars, and other buildings. Al Qaeda and the Mullah Dadullah Front were likely involved in the assault that destroyed six USMC Harriers.
US drone strike kills 5 ‘militants’ in Mir Ali
The strike is the second in three days, and took place in an area known to host a variety of South Asian terror groups.
Ansar Jerusalem claims attack on Israeli troops in the Sinai
The group said that three Egyptians trained for the operation, and were “armed with their personal Kalashnikovs, PKs, RPGs and hand grenades, and wearing their explosive belts.”
US drones kill 3 ‘militants’ in Datta Khel
The strike is the first in Pakistan in three weeks. Datta Khel is a known hub for al Qaeda as well as the Taliban and the Haqqani Network.
Al Qaeda’s plan for Libya highlighted in congressional report
A report published by the federal research division of the Library of Congress highlights al Qaeda’s clandestine strategy for Libya. Working under orders from senior al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan, al Qaeda operatives in Libya are in the final stages of creating a fully operational network.
Israeli soldier killed in border clash with ‘terrorists’
Israeli troops killed three “terrorists” who attacked a construction crew as it was building a security fence along the border with Egypt. One of the terrorists was wearing a suicide vest.
Ex-Gitmo detainee reportedly tied to consulate attack
Sufyan ben Qumu was transferred from Guantanamo to Libya in 2007, and then freed in 2010. He leads a brigade in Ansar al Sharia and is a key al Qaeda operative in Libya, according to a Congressional report.
‘Foreign militants’ still present in Ghazni
Afghan officials and civilians said that “Pakistanis, Chechens, and Arabs” continue to operate in the southeastern Afghan province, just days after al Qaeda released a video of operations in the province.
IMU’s leader for Kunduz captured during raid
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader directed the group’s operations in the northern Afghan province, and provided training and direction for IED attacks against Coalition and Afghan forces.
Female suicide bomber from Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin strikes in Kabul
Eight foreigner workers, including Russians and South Africans, and four Afghan civilians, were killed in the blast near Kabul International Airport.
US military suspends combat patrols with Afghan forces
The suspension of combined combat patrols by units below the battalion level takes place as green-on-blue attacks continue to spike.
Al Qaeda ‘facilitator’ killed in Kunar airstrike
Asadullah is the second Afghan member of al Qaeda killed in the past week. He organized and directed attacks, and was behind the Aug. 8 suicide attack in Asadabad that killed three US soldiers and a USAID employee.
6 Harrier jets destroyed, 2 damaged in Taliban assault on Camp Bastion
The loss of the strike aircraft will impact military operations in the south. The members of the suicide assault team wore US Army uniforms and “appeared to be well equipped, trained and rehearsed,” ISAF said.
Afghan police kill 4 more Coalition troops
A policeman killed four ISAF soldiers in Zabul, and was subsequently killed in return fire. Fifteen percent of ISAF’s casualties have been caused by green-on-blue attacks.
Afghan policeman kills 2 British soldiers in Helmand
The member of the Afghan Local Police was killed after gunning down two British soldiers in Gereshk district. So far this year, 14 percent of ISAF’s casualties have been caused by green-on-blue, or insider attacks.
Al Qaeda ‘weapons expert’ killed in eastern Afghanistan
Taqwa, an Afghan national, directed attacks and funneled IEDs and weapons to insurgents in Paktika province. ISAF has conducted at least 19 raids against al Qaeda’s network in Afghanistan since the end of May.
Jihadists attack international peacekeeper base in Egypt’s Sinai
Scores of Salafist jihadists attacked a peacekeeper base in the Sinai that is manned by international troops, breached the perimeter, wounded four troops, and raised al Qaeda’s flag over the base.
Jihadists launch complex assault on Camp Bastion in Helmand
Two Coalition troops, said to be US Marines, were killed after a suicide assault team breached the wire at Bastion and attacked the airfield. During the attack, several military jets, a hangar, and buildings were damaged.
US adds 2 senior Hezbollah military leaders to terror list
The US Treasury Department added Hezbollah’s military leader and the head of its External Security Organization to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.
Film depicting the Prophet Mohammed sparks protests, attacks across the Muslim world
Reacting to a controversial film depicting the Prophet Mohammed in a negative light, anti-US protests and attacks erupted across the Muslim world.
Iranian-backed Shia terror leader freed by US threatens to attack
Qais al Qazali, the leader of the League of the Righteous, said a controversial film “will put all the American interests Iraq in danger.” Qazali was released from custody by the US in 2009.
ISAF targets al Qaeda-linked Taliban commanders in Ghazni raids
A commander who helped “foreign insurgents” move throughout the province was captured. Another leader who was targeted serves as “the senior liaison between multiple insurgent groups operating in central and eastern Afghanistan.”
Islamists kill US ambassador to Libya, 3 other Americans, overrun consulate
And in Cairo, Islamist protesters climbed the walls of the US embassy, took down the American flag, and raised the al Qaeda flag in its place. The two attacks, which occurred on Sept. 11, are the first such attacks on US diplomatic facilities in Egypt and Libya.
ISAF kills 2 Taliban commanders linked to ‘foreign insurgents’
One of the commanders had planned an August 2008 ambush in Kabul province that resulted in the deaths of 10 French soldiers.