US, UN sanction top al Qaeda financial official
Muhammad Abdallah Hasan Abu al Khayr is Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law and a senior aide to Ayman al Zawahiri. He is a top contender to take over al Qaeda’s financial operations.
Category Archives: Long War Journal
Shabaab fighters kill 28, including 6 lawmakers, in suicide assault in Mogadishu
The Shabaab assault team stormed a hotel in a government-controlled area of Mogadishu.
‘Foreign fighter’ networks targeted in Nangarhar, Paktia
An airstrike in Nangarhar killed an estimated 12 Taliban fighters, including Pakistani fighters from Waziristan. Two Haqqani Network fighters were killed in Paktia during a raid targeting a commander who runs camps in Khost.
Ex-Gitmo detainee surrenders in Yemen
A former Gitmo detainee who rejoined al Qaeda after being repatriated surrendered to authorities in Yemen.
US airstrikes targets Haqqani Network, kill 17 in North Waziristan
One strike took place in the same town that hosts the Manba Ulom madrassa, the headquarters of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan.
Taliban strike at mosque and tribal leaders’ meeting in Pakistan’s tribal areas
Twenty-five people were killed in attacks on a mosque, a tribal meeting, and a convoy of a pro-government militia. The coordinated attacks took place in South Waziristan, Kurram, and near Peshawar.
7 foreign Shabaab fighters killed in explosion in Mogadishu
Three Pakistanis, two Indians, one Afghan, and one Algerian were among 10 Shabaab fighters killed during a mysterious explosion that mimicked an incident that almost killed Shabaab’s leader in May 2009.
Russians kill top Caucasus Emirate leader
Emir Sayfullah was the leader of the Islamic Caucasus Emirate’s forces in Dagestan and the top judge for the terror group.
US Predator strike kills 6 in North Waziristan
Today’s strike is the second this month, and the third since July 25. The attack took place in a region controlled by the Haqqani Network.
‘Shiite Zarqawi’ returns to Baghdad from Iran: report
Abu Dura, the notorious Mahdi Army commander, is said to have returned to Iraq after receiving training from Iran’s Qods Force. Abu Dura is known for torturing and executing Sunnis in Baghdad, often with the aid of a power drill.
Taliban commander linked to Iran, al Qaeda targeted in western Afghanistan
Six Taliban fighters and three civilians were killed during the raid in Farah. The Taliban commander targeted is linked to senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders, and moves foreign fighters from Iran into Afghanistan.
Senior Taliban commander killed in eastern Afghanistan
The former deputy shadow governor and military commander of Logar was killed and a district-level commander was captured in separate raids over the past two days.
Soviet workhorses, ISAF training form the backbone of a developing Afghan Air Force
The young AAF is developing with assistance from embedded ISAF trainers and the procurement of new aircraft. Strengths include the experience of Afghan pilots; challenges center around administration and communication.
US targets Salafist group allied with the Taliban in Kunar
Three members of the Jamaat ul Dawa al Quran, including a commander, were killed and several more were captured during a raid in the Pech district. In January, Jamaat ul Dawa al Quran swore allegiance to Mullah Omar and the shadow Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Taliban assassinate police and tribal affairs chiefs in south
In Kandahar, a suicide bomber killed the district police chief of Daman. And in Zabul, Taliban gunmen assaulted the home of the provincial Border and Tribal Affairs chief, killing him and his wife.
Fatah al Islam chief killed while traveling to Iraq
Abdulrahman Awad, the leader of Fatah al Islam, was killed along with his deputy, Ghazi Faysal Abdullah, by Lebanese security forces in the Bekaa Valley as they attempted to join al Qaeda in Iraq, according to a statement released by the terror group.
Coalition forces strike at the Taliban in southern Afghanistan
Four Taliban commanders and dozens of fighters have been killed or captured during sweeps in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar over the past week.
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan names Abu Usman as new leader
Abu Usman Adil served as Tahir Yuldashev’s deputy before taking control of the IMU.
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan confirms leader Tahir Yuldashev killed
A website run by the central Asian terror group and al Qaeda affiliate announced the death of “Shaheed Mohammed Tahir” and posted an image of the commander. Yuldashev was thought to have been killed in a US Predator strike in South Waziristan one year ago.
US strike kills ‘dual-hatted’ al Qaeda and Taliban commander in northern Afghanistan
An air weapons team killed Abu Baqir, “a dual-hatted Taliban sub-commander and al Qaeda group leader” who operated in Kunduz.
Al Qaeda advises Shabaab to keep low profile on links, attack US interests
Al Qaeda’s top leaders are pleased with Shabaab’s operations but do not want to draw any unnecessary attention to links between the two terror groups. Al Qaeda wants Shabaab to continue to strike at US interests in the region.
US Predator strike kills 12 in North Waziristan
Today’s strike is the first since July 25 and took place in a region controlled by the Haqqani Network.
Coalition, Afghan forces kill Taliban’s shadow governor for Nangarhar
Malauwi Ghulam Haideri served on the Peshawar Shura and was in direct contact with Taliban leaders operating inside Pakistan.
Taliban, al Qaeda forces repel Afghan Army assault in eastern Afghanistan
An Afghan Army operation was “routed” during an operation along the Pakistani border in Laghman province.
Caucasus Emirate leaders rally around Doku Umarov
Two top leaders reaffirmed their loyalty to the leader of the Caucasus Emirate as the Riyad-us-Saliheen Martyrs’ Brigade claimed it carried out a bombing in Moscow based on an order issued by Umarov.
20 Haqqani Network fighters killed in raids in eastern Afghanistan
The raid took place in the district of Zurmat in Paktia province, a known haven for al Qaeda and other foreign fighters.
Longtime al Qaeda operative runs mosque closed by German authorities
German authorities closed down the Taiba mosque in Hamburg earlier this week. The mosque was formerly known as Al Quds, and was home to al Qaeda’s Hamburg cell for the 9/11 attacks. The imam in charge of the mosque, Mamoun Darkazanli, has been tracked by Western intelligence services for almost two decades.
Afghan, US forces target al Qaeda, Pakistani fighters in southeastern Afghanistan
The raids targeted an al Qaeda facilitator in Zabul. Al Qaeda has cells in at least two of Zabul’s 11 districts.
Puntland forces claim victory against Shabaab in the ‘Tora Bora of East Africa’
Security officials said Shabaab forces under Mohammed Said Atom have been driven from the Galgala Mountains.
Suicide assault team targets civilian guesthouse in Kabul
The Kabul Attack Network targeted a civilian compound in the capital; two Afghan guards were killed in the attack. The Kabul Attack Network is led by a Haqqani Network commander.