US stops adding al Qaeda leaders to ‘kill list’
No longer adding new leaders to the list, the US is winding down the drone program that targets top al Qaeda leaders. At the request of Pakistan.
Search Results for: Pakistan
United Kingdom
Abu Suleiman al-Britani, a British-born jihadist of Pakistani origin, reportedly detonated in an Al Nusrah Front suicide bombing at Aleppo Central Prison in Syria earlier this week. He is said to have been a Londoner. The UK has blacklisted the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s Syrian branch. As many as 20 UK fighters are thought […]
Treasury Department identifies another Iran-based facilitator for al Qaeda
The Treasury Department confirmed today that the head of al Qaeda’s Iran-based network, known as Yasin al Suri, is operational once again. Treasury also designated an additional “associate” of al Suri’s.
State designates leader of Lashkar-e-Jhanghvi as global terrorist
Malik Ishaq leads the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, an al Qaeda-linked group that has conducted numerous suicide attacks in Pakistan and has targeted Americans.
Taliban respond to terrorism designations of 3 Haqqani network leaders
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid sent LWJ the group’s response to the US’ designation of three senior Haqqani Network commanders.
United States
US officials said US drone strikes in Pakistan are being curtailed in deference to Pakistan’s wishes and in view of logistical constraints as the US winds down its combat role in Afghanistan; the officials denied recent reports that the change was to allow Pakistan to negotiate with the Taliban. Officials said the CIA plans to […]
Al Qaeda
US to Curb Pakistan Drone Program
US adds 3 senior Haqqani Network leaders to terrorism list
Two of the Haqqani Network leaders have close ties to al Qaeda; one of them has traveled to Saudi Arabia to fundraise as recently as late 2013. The other is a member of the Miramshah Shura and coordinates operations with the Taliban.
Al Qaeda
U.S. curtails drone strikes in Pakistan as officials there seek peace talks with Taliban
United States
US officials said they have sharply curtailed drone strikes in Pakistan at the request of the Pakistani government, which asked for a pause while it tries to negotiate with the Taliban. The Chair of the House Intelligence Committee charged that the Obama administration’s revisions to the drone targeting criteria, which permit strikes only against al […]
Report: Senior al Qaeda facilitator ‘back on the street’ in Iran
Al Jazeera reports that Yasin al Suri, the head of al Qaeda’s Iran-based network, is facilitating the terror network’s operations from Iranian soil once again. Al Suri was detained by the Iranian government after the US government exposed his network, and the deal between Iran and al Qaeda, in 2011.
ISIS suicide team assaults Iraqi ministry
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham suicide assault team killed 17 people in the Ministry of Transportation before Iraqi security forces killed them.
2 al Qaeda commanders killed in December airstrike in Afghanistan
The Dec. 13 airstrike in Nangarhar killed two al Qaeda commanders who were associated with slain al Qaeda leader Ilyas Kashmiri.
Afghanistan
Pakistan – JUI-S opposes operation against Taliban
Afghanistan
No ‘unilateral’ decision on Waziristan operation: Pakistan PM
Saudi MSC in Jerusalem fighter fought in Libya, sought to join ‘mujahideen’ in Somalia
Saudi national Adi Saleh Abdullah al Fudhayli al Hadhli, who died in June 2012 in an attack against Israel, had originally sought to join the “mujahideen” in Somalia. In 2011, he traveled to Libya to fight in the Libyan civil war.
Weekend attacks in Somalia deal Shabaab a double blow
Sahal Iskudhuq, a senior Shabaab commander who served as a high-ranking member of the Amniyat, Shabaab’s intelligence unit, is reported to have been killed in a drone strike.
The Long War Journal’s reply to Marie Harf
The Long War Journal’s assessment of Ms. Harf’s press briefing was entirely accurate and her response actually validates our key points.
State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf responds to LWJ
State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf emailed this response to the Long War Journal after we criticized her characterization of al Qaeda.
Iran
Pakistan security concerns: Pilgrimage route suspended
State Department deputy spokesperson mischaracterizes al Qaeda
Marie Harf wrongly claims Zawahiri is the only senior al Qaeda leader left standing and that he exercises zero operational control over the jihad in Syria.
US drone strike targets AQAP in central Yemen
Four al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters were killed in a town that is known to serve as a base for the Yemen Soldiers Brigade.
Germany
Emrah Erdogan, a German national of Turkish origin with ties to both al Qaeda in Pakistan and Shabaab in east Africa, was sentenced to seven years in prison. His brother Bunyamin, a would-be suicide bomber, was killed by a drone strike in 2010. Emrah was arrested in Tanzania in 2012 and is suspected of links […]
United States
Top American and Russian officials discussed security cooperation during the Sochi Olympics. The Navy said air and naval assets, including two warships in the Black Sea, will be available during the Olympics in case they are needed for contingency operations resulting from a terrorist attack. US military officials are urging the Obama administration to consider […]
Turkish authorities arrest ex-Gitmo detainee in raids against al Qaeda cells
An ex-Guantanamo detainee, Ibrahim Sen, was arrested in Turkey on Jan. 14. Sen is accused of being an important al Qaeda facilitator and leader.
Al Qaeda
Pakistan ‘disappointed’ with US aid being linked to Shakil Afridi’s detention
Afghan Taliban suicide team kills ISAF soldier in assault on base
The suicide assault that targeted an Afghan and Coalition base in Kandahar’s Zhari district is the second such attack in Afghanistan in four days.
United Kingdom
Counterterrorism police arrested a man at Stansted airport as he arrived from Turkey. An appellate court rejected the case of a Pakistani man whose father was killed by a US drone strike. Five of seven terror suspects to be freed from security restrictions later this month are deemed highly dangerous and likely to engage in […]
Afghanistan
Afghan Officials Suggest Pakistani Link to Massacre
Afghanistan
A Taliban suicide assault team killed 21 people, including 13 foreigners, in an attack at a restaurant in Kabul yesterday. The Taliban said the suicide assault was carried out to avenge a raid in Parwan. The Taliban killed four border policemen in Khost, three soccer players in Kandahar, and an intelligence officer in Uruzgan. The […]