Tag Archives: Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb

A large quantity of food intended for use by Islamist insurgents operating between Merouana and Batna has been seized by security forces during sweeps of the forest. The security forces bombarded suspected locations of Islamist fighters ahead of the seizure.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed credit for the suicide bombing attack on a Niger military outpost near the Niger-Mali border that killed five soldiers. In a statement titled “invasion of Sa’ad Abu Sariya,” which was named after a member of AQIM killed by Niger forces two months earlier, the group stated “we […]

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has released a video with Mebarek Yazid, aka Abu Obeida Youcef, the chairman of the GSPC/AQIM Council of Elders speaking on behalf the group. The absence of Abdelmalek Droukdel in the video suggests that Yazid, a longstanding opponent of Droukdel, has possibly replaced him as leader of the terrorist […]

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has released Alicia Gomez, one of three kidnapped Spanish aid workers who were taken hostage in Mauritania in November 2009. The government denied a ransom was paid, although the government is said to be in the process of transferring $5 million to AQIM for the release of the two […]

Three Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb terrorists were killed by Algerian security forces during operations in Keddara in Boumerdes province. The Mauritanian government has refused to negotiate with AQIM for the release of the three Spanish aid workers.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb demanded the release of “several” AQIM members in exchange for the three Spanish hostages held since November, according to the negotiator with the group. Some of the members demanded to be released are in Mauritania. The Spanish government has stated that the demands are “rumors.”

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb released a video confirming that three Spanish hostages kidnapped in November 2009 are alive. AQIM is also holding three other hostages and has threatened to kill the French hostage if imprisoned AQIM fighters are not released by France and Mali.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has extended the deadline to Feb. 20 for the hostage exchange of the French national, Pierre Camatte, for four AQIM members held in Mali prisons. AQIM set March 1 as the deadline for the exchange of the Italian national, Sergio Cicala, for an undisclosed number of AQIM members.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has offered men, weapons, and training to Nigerian Muslims in order to fight Christians in the conflict-torn central city of Jos. “We are ready to train your people in weapons, and give you whatever support we can in men, arms and munitions to enable you to defend our people […]

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has stated that it will postpone the execution of the French hostage, Pierre Camatte, indefinitely. The group has demanded the release of four AQIM members held in Mali prisons for the hostage, whom the group pledged to kill at the end of January if its demands were not met. […]

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has released a statement demanding the release of four AQIM fighters held in Mali™s prison system within 20 days, otherwise they will execute French hostage Pierre Camatte. “We give 20 days to fulfill our demands, or the two governments shall be fully responsible for the life of the French […]

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has demanded that the Spanish government pay a ransom of $7 million and release several of its members in exchange for three Spanish hostages. The Spanish government has sent medicine to AQIM to aid one of the wounded Spanish hostages who was shot in the leg during the abduction.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb released photographs of Sergio Cicala and his wife Philomene Kabouree, the two Italians kidnapped in Mauritania. The photographs and a statement were released by the terror group on jihadist websites.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of two Italian nationals in eastern Mauritania. The audiotape, broadcast on Al Arabiya, claimed the kidnapping was politically motivated due to “crimes of the Italian government in Afghanistan and Iraq.” The husband, Sergio Cicala, and his wife, Philomene Kabouree, were taken from their minibus […]

Three accused Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb members who were arrested in Ghana this week have been extradited to New York, the first extradition of its kind from west Africa. They are accused of supporting the cocaine trade into western Africa that has seen a substantial increase in drug activity over the last year. […]

Al Andalus, the media arm of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has demanded from the Spanish government “the freedom of our tortured detainees from your prisons” in exchange for the three Spanish hostages. Three Spaniards and one French national are being held in northern Mali at AQIM™s “security bases” and are reportedly in “good […]

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb released a video claiming responsibility for the kidnappings of a French national in Mali and three Spaniards in Mauritania. “France and Spain will be informed later of the legitimate demands of the mujahedeen,” the statement read. AQIM “hardliner” Abu Zeid, who was responsible for the ordering of the execution […]

The three Spanish aid workers kidnapped by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb have been reportedly transferred to AQIM operatives in northern Mali. Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the leader of AQIM™s smuggling and kidnapping operations in northern Mali and southern Algeria, is apparently in charge of the hostages.

Hamid Essouffi, aka Abdel Hamid Abou Zeid, the prominent Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb commander, has been badly wounded in fighting with Algerian security forces in Adrar province. Zeid leads the Taregh Ibn Ziyad brigade operating in the Sahara-Sahel region that stretches throughout Mali, Mauritiania, Niger, and southern Algeria. Zeid™s brigade is responsible for […]

Mauritania security forces have allegedly found a written statement from Mokhtar Belmokhtar with his signature when arresting a terror suspect in Attar, eastern Mauritania. It calls for fighters who are willing to die for God through suicide bombings and combat. “Mauritania has decided to engage in a war against Islam and Muslims by getting closer to […]

The US government has again designated Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb as a terrorist organization. The re-designation of the terrorist organization is warranted by AQIM™s spread throughout the region and “the June 2009 murder of an American NGO worker in Nouakchott, and the May 2009 murder of a British hostage in northern Mali.”

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has posted a message mourning the death of Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud, declaring that his loss “is a price chosen by the nation to pay willingly and with open heart in return for the watering of the tree of Islam with what it needs of blood, until it […]

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leader Abdelmalek Droukdel has sent a letter to Abu Mohammad Maqdissi, the prominent Islamist cleric and former mentor to Abu Musab al Zarqawi who declared the usage of suicide bombings in Iraq to be illegal. Droukdel appealed to Maqdissi to open a dialogue whereupon Droukdel can ask “clarification” on […]