AQIM did not deny Abou Zeid’s death
An AQIM statement released last week was intended to deny reports in the press that Abu Yayha Hammam became the emir of the Sahara branch only last month.
Tag Archives: Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Morocco
Morocco at a crossroad
Al Qaeda
Key figures in al Qaeda’s North African branch
MUJAO leader says Belmokhtar is alive
Hamad el Khairy, the head of the MUJAO’s sharia committee, said reports of Belmokhtar’s death are “merely unfounded lies” and have “no basis of truth.”
Salafists
Al-Qaeda eyes Tunisia front
Al Qaeda
Mauritanians react to new AQIM leader
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
AQIM names new field leader
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
AQIM told a Mauritanian news agency that French hostage Philippe Verdon was killed on March 10 in revenge for the French intervention in Mali, and warned that the remaining French hostages would also be killed unless French President Hollande withdraws all French forces from Mali. The terror group said it had “followed with great interest” […]
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Slain AQIM commander Abdelhamid Abou Zeid has been replaced by Djamel Okacha (a.k.a. Yahia Abu El Hamam), an Algerian who is very close to AQIM leader Abdelmalek Droukdel. Okacha was appointed by Droukdel to head AQIM’s Mali operations last fall. The reported death of Mokhtar Belmokhtar is still unconfirmed.
France confirms death of senior AQIM commander Abou Zeid
President Hollande said that the senior al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb commander was killed “during combat led by the French military in the Ifoghas Mountains in northern Mali at the end of February.”
Al Qaeda
Mali’s stability still at stake a year after coup
United States
Drone base in Niger gives US a strategic foothold in West Africa
Magharebia: ‘Tunisian salafist[s] announce al-Qaeda support’
Magharebia reports that a Salafi jihadist leader in Tunisia has “officially announce(d)” his support for al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s call for jihad.
Jihadists launch suicide assault on airport in northern Mali
There have been six suicide attacks in Mali since Feb. 9. Last night’s attack in Timbuktu was part of a complex raid against an airport.
US, UN add Ansar Dine to list of terror groups
Ansar Dine received significant “military support” from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. In November 2012, Ansar Dine established “an alliance” with AQIM and MUJAO.
Al Qaeda
Insight: Islamist inroads in Mali may undo French war on al Qaeda
Al Qaeda planned Malian base for global terrorist operations
French forces in northern Mali have found large arms caches as well as jihadists from around the world.
Al Qaeda
Interview: How Al-Qaeda Functions Online
Confusion reigns in confirming deaths of senior AQIM leaders in Mali
Photos have surfaced from Chadian soldiers depicting what they claim is the corpse of Mokhtar Belmokhtar. French news services have said the images depict recently reported killed al Qaeda commander Abou Zeid. Jihadist sources deny the images depict either man.
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Islamist leader death photos ‘could be of any jihadist’
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Islamist threat haunts reopening Timbuktu schools
Conflicting accounts emerge over AQIM leader’s reported death
Evidence is mounting that AQIM leader Abdel Mejid Abou Zeid was recently killed in clashes with French and African security forces, but conflicting reports have emerged as to the events leading to his alleged death. Algerian authorities are conducting DNA analysis on the supposed remains of Abou Zeid.
Chadian forces claim raid killed top Algerian jihadist Mokhtar Belmokhtar
Chadian military forces operating in Mali claimed to have launched a successful counterterrorism raid against a jihadist base camp that killed top Algerian jihadist Mokhtar Belmokhtar. The death of Belmokhtar has not yet been confirmed by other sources.
Al Qaeda
Mali Islamists warned about Sharia in al-Qaeda ‘manifesto’
Emir of Ansar Dine added to US, UN’s terrorist lists
Iyad ag Ghali, the leader of Ansar Dine, threw in his lot with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Movement for the Oneness and Jihad in West Africa to take over northern Mali.
Malian jihadists aware of al Qaeda’s advice on avoiding drone attacks
A document found in Mali that was written by an al Qaeda commander in Yemen gives advice on how to avoid US drone attacks.
Al Qaeda
Interview with Abdelasiem El Difraoui on al Qaeda’s use of visual media
France
France’s military operation in Mali in ‘final phase’
Al Nusrah Front
Jihad mafia kills Tunisian youths
Mali jihadists launch 5 suicide attacks in 2 weeks
The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa has claimed credit for three previous suicide attacks. Five people were killed in suicide attacks in Tessalit today.