US airstrikes kill dozens of Shabaab fighters
The US military’s air campaign against Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, continues to intensify. AFRICOM launched five more airstrikes against Shabaab over the weekend.
Category Archives: Long War Journal
Taliban and Islamic State cause majority of civilian casualties in Afghan war, UN finds
According to UNAMA’s annual report for 2018, more civilians were killed in Afghanistan than in any year since 2009. The Taliban remains the main culprit when it comes to civilian casualties, killing or wounding more than any other party. But the number casualties attributed to the Islamic State’s branch more than doubled in 2018, as compared to 2017.
French military claims senior JNIM leader killed
The claim has not been confirmed elsewhere, nor has JNIM commented on the event, but the French military has claimed a recent operation killed JNIM co-founder Yahya Abu al Hammam.
‘Our soil is not used for carrying out terrorist attacks,’ Pakistan PM claims
Khan’s claim that “our [Pakistani] soil is not used for carrying out terrorist attacks in other countries” is remarkably similar, if not identical to the Afghan Taliban’s false assurances that it won’t allow its territory to be used by terror groups.
JNIM takes credit for dubious suicide bombing in Timbuktu
Over the weekend, al Qaeda’s Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claimed a series of attacks across Mali, continuing its recent uptick in activity. Most notably, the group took credit for a dubious suicide bombing attempt on French troops near the northern city of Timbuktu “Continuing its earlier vow to escalate its operations […]
Analysis: Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Hurras al-Din reach a new accord
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Hurras al-Din have quarreled for more than a year. Recently, they reached a new accord. Abu ‘Abd al-Karim al-Masri, a member of al Qaeda’s shura council, has played a key role in attempting to mediate their disputes in the past.
Jihadist suicide bomber kills dozens of Indian troops in largest attack in Kashmir in decades
The attack is the deadliest in decades for a region fraught with constant, often violent, struggles. Jaish-e-Mohammad is part of a syndicate of terror groups allied with al Qaeda and supported by the Pakistani state.
Jaish al-Adl claims deadly IRGC bus bombing
Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group based along Iran’s southeastern border with Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for a bombing that targeted an IRGC bus. The group has repeatedly targeted Iranian security forces.
US military hits Shabaab in haven south of Somali capital
The two latest strikes took place in a town where Shabaab is dominant. The US air campaign against Shabaab continues to intensify and is on pace to quickly outstrip last year’s strike total.
Iranian proxy warns of more attacks in Bahrain
The group directly threatens more attacks on the Bahraini government and its security forces, as well as declare the United States and the United Kingdom as legitimate targets on the island.
US military intensifies airstrikes against al Qaeda in Somalia
Since the New Year, US Africa Command has hit Shabaab 14 times. AFRICOM acknowledges that the air campaign is not sufficient to defeat Shabaab, but can only support the Somali government’s efforts.
Zawahiri criticizes jihadists in Syria for clinging to territory under Turkey’s protection
In a message released on Feb. 5, al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri harshly criticizes the jihadists in Syria. He says they are engaged in a misguided “competition” for “imagined authority” over territory that is under the oversight “of secular Turkish checkpoints.”
Taliban continues to host foreign terrorist groups, despite assurances to the contrary
The Taliban claims it does “not allow anyone to use the soil of Afghanistan against other countries including neighboring countries.” Some have uncritically accepted this claim. But it is obviously false.
Analysis: The budding insurgency in southern Syria
Yesterday, a low-quality video depicting an IED attack on a regime checkpoint in southern Syria was uploaded to the internet. A relatively unknown group, the Popular Resistance, claimed credit within the video itself. While this small outfit has claimed a series of sporadic attacks since its inception last fall, it nonetheless represents a budding insurgency […]
Iran’s “New” Land-Attack Cruise Missile In Context
An overemphasis by the West on seeking to check Tehran’s ballistic missile program has led to inattention to Iran’s cruise missile capabilities and intentions. Over the weekend, Iran unveiled and test-launched a “new” land-attack cruise missile, dubbed the Hoveizah, days in advance of the Islamic Republic’s 40th anniversary.
IRGC-led Afghan, Pakistani militias criticize US terror designation, stop short of direct threats
US Treasury on January 24 designated the Afghan Fatemiyoun Division and the Pakistani Zeynabiyoun Brigade, which are led by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), pursuant to counter-terrorism and human-rights-abuses designations. Criticizing the US, the Shiite-Islamist militias emphasized that they are part of the IRGC-led transnational militant network, pledged to keep fighting, but stopped short of directly threatening the US.
US airstrike kills 24 Shabaab fighters at an ‘encampment’
The pace of strikes against Shabaab’s network in Somalia has intensified despite reports that the US military is seeking to disengage from the war-torn country.
Analysis: US military downplays district control as Taliban gains ground in Afghanistan
The Taliban continues to gain on the Afghan government; seven more districts have fallen under Taliban control or are contested, according to SIGAR. The US military dismissed these gains, stating that this is “not indicative of effectiveness of the South Asia strategy or progress toward security and stability in Afghanistan.”
2 al Qaeda leaders reject proposed military council in Syria
Abu Hammam al-Shami and Dr. Sami al-Uraydi have rejected a proposal that they say would create a new military council in northern Syria under the leadership of an Assad regime dissident. The proposal was allegedly put forth by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s leaders, whom al-Shami and al-Uraydi have quarreled with in the past.
Al Qaeda group claims series of attacks across Sahel
Several attacks in both Mali and Burkina Faso were claimed by al Qaeda’s jihadist conglomerate JNIM.
ODNI releases annual overview of Islamic State and al Qaeda networks
According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), al Qaeda’s senior leaders are strengthening the al Qaeda “network’s global command structure.” Meanwhile, the Islamic State “still commands thousands of fighters in Iraq and Syria.” Both groups maintain worldwide networks or affiliates, branches, and supporters.
Islamic State claims suicide bombings at Catholic cathedral in the Philippines
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu earlier today.
Treasury designates Syria-based Iranian proxy groups
The US government has designated the Afghan Fatemiyoun Division and the Pakistani Zaynabiyoun Brigade for their ties to Iran’s Qods Force.
Mullah Baradar appointed head of Taliban’s ‘political office’ in Qatar
The Taliban said Baradar was appointed to lead the political office to “strengthen” its position in negotiations with the US.
Islamic State Somalia eulogizes foreign fighters
The video provides the first known instance of a Western foreign fighter within the Islamic State Somalia’s ranks.
Al Qaeda ideologue justifies Shabaab’s war with the Islamic State in Somalia
Bilal Khuraysat, an al Qaeda ideologue in Syria, has released a treatise justifying Shabaab’s war with the Islamic State in Somalia. The Islamic State continues to battle al Qaeda’s branches and like-minded jihadists in several theaters.
Taliban promotes training camp for ‘Commando Mujahidin’
While these training videos are often mocked, including by the spokesman for Resolute Support and US Forces – Afghanistan, the graduates from these camps have been effective at battling Afghan security forces.
Taliban suicide bomber leads attack on Afghan training center in Wardak province
Three Taliban jihadists attacked a National Directorate of Security (NDS) training center in Wardak earlier today. The assault was led by a Taliban suicide bomber driving a Humvee packed with explosives.
Attack on UN base in Mali carried out according to Zawahiri’s guidelines, JNIM says
Al Qaeda’s branch in Mali attacked a UN base earlier today, killing at least ten peacekeepers from Chad. The group says that the assault was part of Ayman al-Zawahiri’s global campaign, which rejects the “normalization” of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also visited Chad today.
‘They will beg us for talks but we will reject them,’ Taliban spokesman says
One of the Taliban’s top two spokesmen bragged that the group called off negotiations with the US after the latter has pleaded for peace talks.