FDD's Long War Journal

Egypt

Egypt now fighting ‘an enemy it doesn’t know’ as attacks by militant cells rise

Al Nusrah Front

A Christian soldier in Syria: ‘We have to defend our community’

A Kenyan intelligence report describing a journal kept by wanted UK terrorist Samantha Lewthwaite states that the al Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab terror network extends to a large number of countries, including Somalia, Uganda, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mali, South Africa, Yemen, and Pakistan. Lewthwaite, who is said to be a “logistician” for Shabaab, remains at large. She […]

Nigeria

After raiding a bomb factory in Guduwawa village, Kano state officials warned that terrorists are developing backpack IEDs and planning to use school-age suicide bombers during the upcoming Sallah holiday. A new video purportedly from Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau surfaced on Oct. 8, in which he displayed weapons seized from government forces and threatened […]

Cuba

Panama: Weapons in N Korean ship are operational

Pakistan

A suicide bomber killed two Pakistani soldiers in an attack in South Waziristan. The Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan is “delighted” that Malala Yousafzai failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Afghanistan

The US military captured Latif Mehsud, a top leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, during an operation in Logar. Latif was being escorted by Afghan intelligence officials. The Taliban killed a policeman in Logar.

United States

Secretary of State Kerry is meeting in Kabul with Afghanistan’s president to try to reach an agreement on US troop presence in the country after 2014; President Obama has said that if no deal is reached by Oct. 31, the US will withdraw all troops by the end of 2014. Two New York City men […]

Russia

Foreign Minister Lavrov claimed that other countries are training Syrian rebels in Afghanistan to use chemical weapons for false-flag operations in Syria. The activity is taking place in Afghan areas not controlled by the government, he alleged. He also claimed that the Al Nusrah Front may be planning to smuggle toxic chemicals into Iraq for […]

Afghanistan

Fazlur Rahman arrives in Kabul, meets Karzai

Afghanistan

Afghanistan – On International Girl’s Day, Violence Against Women Trends Worry UN

United States

General in charge of America’s nuclear weapons sacked for misbehaviour

Syria

Human Rights Watch reported that Syrian rebels led by al Qaeda affiliates the Al Nusrah Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham committed numerous atrocities in Latakia in August, including the taking of over 200 civilian hostages, mainly women and children, who still have not been released. The OPCW, which is undertaking […]

Yemen

An al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula suicide bomber seriously wounded three people in an attack in the Al Askariya district in Lahj province. The three wounded Yemenis were members of the Southern Movement, a group in the South that seeks independence from the country.

Egypt

At least one person was killed during clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and security forces in the Nile Delta province of Sharqia. Clashes also took place in the city of Alexandria, where protesters marked 100 days since the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi. At least six soldiers were wounded by IEDs in Rafah.

Kenya

Police are looking for a Somali resident now living in Norway who is suspected of planning the Westgate Mall attack; some of the planning is said to have taken place at Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp. Swaleh Abdalla Said appeared in court after being accused of involvement in planning the Westgate attack. A witness said Swaleh […]

Kenya

Kenya mall attackers’ bodies still not found

Report highlights al Qaeda affiliates’ role in Syrian atrocities

A new report by Human Rights Watch says that al Qaeda’s affiliates and their extremist allies committed atrocities in Latakia, Syria in August. The two al Qaeda affiliates in Syria and their close allies led the rebel offensive in Latakia as well.

Libya

Tripoli security official Abdelmonem Al-Said, who founded the Libyan Revolutionaries Operations Room militia in July, is suspected of involvement in a plot hatched a week ago to abduct Prime Minister Zeidan. The bodies of three men who had been tortured and killed were found outside the Tripoli suburb of Janzour. A car bomb damaged the […]

US grabs Pakistani Taliban commander from Afghan intel

Latif Mehsud, a top deputy to Hakeemullah Mehsud, the emir of the al Qaeda-linked Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, is said to have been captured by US forces while being escorted by the NDS after conducting a meeting to exchange Afghan prisoners for cash.