US launches airstrike on Islamic State in Somalia
Yesterday’s drone strike was the first US airstrike on the Islamic State in Somalia this year.
Category Archives: Long War Journal
Israeli airstrikes in Damascus reportedly kill Hezbollah fighter
Overnight airstrikes against pro-Iranian sites in Damascus resulted in the confirmed killing of a Lebanese Hezbollah fighter.
Taliban suicide bomber hits Afghan military convoy
The Taliban continues to use the signature terror tactic of Al Qaeda and other jihadist groups despite signing a deal with the U.S. that facilitates the withdrawal of American troops from the country.
Generation Jihad Ep. 19 – Al Qaeda in 2020
Hosts Bill Roggio and Tom Joscelyn discuss what al Qaeda looks like in 2020.
Hamas acknowledges a ‘collaborator’ fled to Israel
Hamas is in damage control-mode after one of its commanders reportedly flees to Israel.
UN sanctions emir of the Pakistani Taliban
Muft Noor Wali Mehsud’s Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, which remains allied with Al Qaeda, has stepped up small scale operations against Pakistani security forces in both North and South Waziristan over the past several months.
Shabaab tries to assassinate top general in Somalia
Shabaab’s suicide bombing against Somalia’s top general is the latest in the group’s recent attacks against government officials. The bombing also continues the current spate of increased suicide bombings across the country.
Generation Jihad Ep. 18 – What We Don’t Know About Russian Bounties
Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss reports saying that Russia offered bounties to Taliban fighters to attack Americans.
Hamas calls for Hezbollah and Ansar Allah to ‘unite the ranks’ against Israel
Hamas’ politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh appeals to Hezbollah and Ansar Allah for support against Israel’s planned annexation of areas of the West Bank.
Taliban suicide team strikes NDS headquarters in Afghan city
The attack belies U.S. officials’ claims that the Taliban has not been fighting in Afghanistan’s cities.
Taliban attempts to cover up images posted by an Uzbek jihadist group in Afghanistan
The Taliban denies that an Uzbek jihadist group, Katibat Imam al-Bukhari (KIB), operates in Afghanistan. The Taliban falsely asserts that photos recently posted by the KIB were “falsified by anti-peace circles.”
Uzbek jihadist group claims capture of Afghan militiamen
Katibat Imam al-Bukhari, a Taliban-loyal Uzbek group that operates in both Afghanistan and Syria, again promotes its Afghanistan operations. This comes as the Taliban has attempted to deny the presence of foreign fighters inside the country.
Taliban again denies Al Qaeda is in Afghanistan
This time, the Taliban denied a Department of Defense report that Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent cooperates with the Taliban by claiming AQIS isn’t inside the country.
Generation Jihad Ep. 17 – The CIA in Libya
Former CIA Officer Sarah Carlson discusses her career as a counterterrorism analyst, the jihadist scene in Libya and the U.S. evacuation from Tripoli in 2014.
Explosions damage site at Iranian missile complex and nuclear facility
A series of explosions at a missile and nuclear facility in Iran may point toward the involvement of a state actor.
ISCAP Ambushes UN Peacekeepers in the DRC, Exploits Coronavirus
The Islamic State’s Central African Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen a rapid expansion in claimed activity in recent months. At the same time, it has tried to exploit the global coronavirus pandemic to recruit individuals.
Generation Jihad Ep. 16 – Al Qaeda’s Never-ending Problems in Syria
Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss al Qaeda’s problems in Syria, where a series of disputes have upset the group’s chain of command.
Israel attacks pro-Iranian positions with airstrikes in Syria
Syrian Arab Army and Iranian-backed militia sites reportedly struck by Israel during the morning hours of June 24.
Tawhid al Jihad urges militant operations against Israel
In its first major publication this year, Tawhid al Jihad urges its followers to unite against Trump’s peace plan and West Bank annexation.
Shabaab hits Somali, Turkish bases with suicide bombings
In the span of four days, the Al Qaeda branch has claimed the use of two suicide car bombings on Somali and Turkish military bases in two different areas of Somalia.
Pakistan a ‘safe haven’ for ‘terror groups’: U.S. State Department
Pakistan remains a “safe haven” for a host of regional terror groups, including the Afghan Taliban and its integral subgroup, the Al Qaeda linked Haqqani Network, according the the State Department’s newly released Country Reports on Terrorism 2019.
Generation Jihad Ep. 15 – Don’t Call It Nation-Building
Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio explore how President Trump’s rhetoric on Afghanistan and other post-9/11 conflicts changed from 2017 to 2020.
Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah calls for closer ties to China
With Hassan Nasrallah’s encouragement, Chinese companies aim to help Lebanon pull out of its economic crises.
Iranian proxy in Iraq targets US bases
The Iranian proxy group League of the Revolutionaries has reemerged to claim further rocket barrages on US bases in Iraq.
AQIM confirms leader’s death
AQIM has released an audio message confirming the death of its longtime emir, Abdulmalek Droukdel.
Hay’at Tahrir al Sham reportedly arrests Uzbek jihadist leader
Abu Saloh, the founder and first emir of Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, was arrested by HTS yesterday after the jihadist reportedly failed to pay his debts.
Analysis: Taliban is caught in a lie by denying Al Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan
The Taliban’s denial of Al Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan means that one of the two groups are not telling the truth. Either Al Qaeda has crafted an elaborate scheme to pretend it fights in Afghanistan alongside the Taliban, or the Taliban is lying, and Al Qaeda has fought there for decades and remains to this day.
Taliban ramps up attacks after ending unilateral ceasefire
Over the past week, the Taliban has killed or wounded more than 420 Afghan security personnel during attacks across Afghanistan. This buries claims by Afghan officials who claimed the Taliban agreed to extend its Ei-ul-Fitr ceasefire.
Generation Jihad Ep. 14 – The Demise of an Al Qaeda Emir in Mali
Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio discuss the life and reported death of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s emir, Abdulmalek Droukdel.
Taliban falsely claims al Qaeda doesn’t exist in Afghanistan
During an online conference last week, CENTCOM commander Gen. McKenzie questioned the Taliban’s commitment to its supposed counterterrorism assurances. He pointed to al Qaeda’s presence in eastern Afghanistan and claimed Ayman al Zawahiri is there. In response, the Taliban falsely claimed that al Qaeda hasn’t been present in Afghanistan since the days of the Islamic Emirate.