Taliban launches suicide assault against Bagram Air Base as negotiations resume
The Taliban suicide assault takes place as the US and the Taliban have reopened negotiations that would allow the former to extricate itself from Afghanistan.
Category Archives: Long War Journal
Analysis: How the U.S. arrived at this critical crossroads in Afghanistan
The decades of mistakes and deceit has led us to the brink of a major foreign policy failure. A peace deal will absolve the Taliban for its decades of steadfast alliance with al Qaeda.
Analysis: Taliban continues to lie about presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan
FDD’s Long War Journal reported earlier this month that the Turkistan Islamic Party released new images of its men fighting and training in Afghanistan. The Taliban, which is currently seeking to downplay the presence of foreign terrorist groups in Afghanistan, subsequently issued a statement claiming that the montage was “falsified.” That is a lie.
U.S. offers $15 million for information on IRGC and commander behind Karbala attack
Abdul Reza Shahlai is one of Qods Forces’ most dangerous commanders.
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.
U.S. unseals indictment against American serving as top Shabaab figure
The Department of Justice has unsealed an updated indictment against Jehad Serwan Mostafa, an American who has long served as a senior figure in Shabaab. The FBI alleges that Mostafa has played a role in Shabaab’s explosives department, among other jobs. In 2011, he served as an emissary for Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Analysis: Islamic State claims attack in London by al Qaeda-inspired terrorist
The Islamic State claims that Usman Khan, who killed two people on London Bridge, was one of its fighters. But long before its so-called caliphate, Khan was inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki and al-Qaeda.
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 claims rare attack in Algeria
The Islamic State claims its men killed eight Algerian soldiers during a counterterrorism raid. Despite declaring a “province” in Algeria in Nov. 2014, the group rarely claims operations in the country. And its latest claim hasn’t been verified.
U.S. designates ISIS-supporting brothers based in Turkey
The U.S. Treasury Department has announced a new round of counterterrorism designations targeting the Islamic State’s support networks in Turkey, Afghanistan and the Gulf.
Shabaab moves into Somaliland town
Shabaab claims this is the first time the organization has grabbed territory in Somaliland.
3 senior Haqqani Network leaders to be freed in prisoner exchange
In exchange for two kidnapped U.S. and Australian professors, the Afghan government freed dangerous Taliban and Haqqani Network leaders Haji Malik Khan, Anas Haqqani, and Qari Abdul Rasheed Omari.
Taliban overruns district HQ in Zabul
Security in the southeastern Afghan province of Zabul continues to deteriorate as the Taliban presses it offensive there.
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.
Islamic State confirms Baghdadi’s death, names new ‘Emir of the Faithful’
The Islamic State’s latest spokesman, a jihadist known as Abu Hamza al-Qurayshi, released a statement yesterday confirming Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s death in an American raid and naming a new emir for the group. Baghdadi’s successor is a figure known as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi.
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.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed himself during raid, U.S. says
The White House announced earlier today that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic State, has been killed during a raid in Syria’s Idlib province. Under his leadership, the Islamic State grew into an international terrorist menace.
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.
Afghan intelligence confirms death of AQIS emir
Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security claims it has confirmed that Asim Umar, the emir of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, was killed during a Sept. 23 raid in Helmand province. Other key AQIS leaders were also killed in the fighting.
Taliban liaison to al Qaeda freed as part of prisoner-for-hostage swap
Eleven Taliban leaders have been reportedly exchanged for three kidnapped Indian engineers. One of the newly-freed Taliban commanders is Abdul Rashid Baluch. The US designated Baluch as a terrorist in 2015, reporting that he “served as a Taliban liaison officer to al Qaeda (AQ) and was responsible for planning meetings between Taliban senior leadership” and al Qaeda “members in Karachi, Pakistan.”
Taliban commemorates 18 years of war that was fought to defend al Qaeda
In 2001, Omar was unwavering in his position that the Taliban was religiously obligated to protect Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda cadre. The Taliban has remained true to Omar’s words, and fought an 18 year long war to defend the terror group.
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.
Taliban attacks Takhar’s provincial capital
The Taliban continues to use rural areas it controls to threaten major population centers, including provincial capitals.
Shabaab strikes American, Italian forces in Somalia
No casualties were reported in either attack, however.