Al Qaeda Archives

In Dabiq magazine, Islamic State complains about jihadist rivals in Libya

Thomas Joscelyn | September 13, 2015

The Islamic State’s newest edition of Dabiq magazine features an interview with Abul Mughirah al Qahtani, who is identified for the first time as the head of the “caliphate’s” Libyan “province.” Qahtani complains bitterly about the Islamic State’s jihadist and Islamist rivals. He notes, for example, that Ansar al Sharia has failed to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi and says the group is close to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

AQAP’s Inspire magazine contains ‘military analysis’ of Charlie Hebdo massacre

Thomas Joscelyn | September 11, 2015

AQAP’s latest edition of Inspire magazine includes an article by Ibrahim Ibn Hassan al Asiri, who describes al Qaeda’s plan to attack Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

US airstrike kills 15 Pakistani Taliban fighters in eastern Afghanistan

Bill Roggio | September 11, 2015

Both the Taliban in Pakistan and its ally, al Qaeda, have stepped up their presence in eastern Afghanistan over the past several years.

Pakistani Taliban spokesman says reports of joining Islamic State are ‘lies’

Thomas Joscelyn | September 10, 2015

Earlier today, Pakistani Taliban spokesman Muhammad Khorasani denied reports that his group was going to join Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s Islamic State. Khorasani said that these reports are “false” and based on “lies.” There are multiple indications that al Qaeda helped reorganize the current Pakistani Taliban coalition this year.

Debunking the myth that al Qaeda doesn’t seek to control territory like the Islamic State

Bill Roggio | September 10, 2015

Al Qaeda’s branches and allies have held or continue to control ground in Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Mali, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Libya, contrary to the narrative that only the Islamic State seeks to take territory.

AQAP, Islamic State both praise 9/11 attacks in English-language magazines

Thomas Joscelyn | September 9, 2015

The latest editions of AQAP’s Inspire and the Islamic State’s Dabiq were published online today. Both English-language magazines praise the 9/11 attacks.

Al Nusrah Front publishes photos from raid on Syrian regime airbase

Thomas Joscelyn | September 9, 2015

The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in the Levant, posted a series of images from its successful raid on the Abu Duhour airbase. Al Nusrah and its allies had long fought the Syrian regime for control of the airbase, which is located in the Idlib province of Syria.

Zawahiri argues Islamic State’s caliphate is illegitimate in newly released message

Thomas Joscelyn | September 9, 2015

In an audio message released today, al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri argues that Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s Islamic State is illegitimate. Zawahiri says Muslims are under no obligation to swear allegiance to Baghdadi, and al Qaeda does not recognize the Islamic State as a “caliphate.” Despite their differences, Zawahiri says that if he were based in Iraq or Syria he would cooperate with the Islamic State in the fight against the West and other common enemies.

Syrian regime airbase in Idlib falls to Al Nusrah Front, allies

Thomas Joscelyn | September 9, 2015

Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, claims to have overrun the Abu Duhour airbase in Idlib. Al Nusrah also says that more than 100 of Bashar al Assad’s fighters were killed and an additional 60 or so captured during the fighting.

Taliban flaunts al Qaeda links in latest issue of its official magazine

Bill Roggio | September 8, 2015

Among those who eulogized Mullah Omar in the September 2015 edition of Al Sumud include al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri, former Islamic Caucasus Emirate leader Abu Usman Gimrinsky, al Qaeda-linked cleric Abdullah al Muhaysini, and Specially Designated nationals Hani al Siba’i and Sheikh Hamid bin Abdallah al ‘Ali.

Dissident Taliban commander claims Pakistani intel ordered him to conduct assassinations, attacks in Afghanistan

Bill Roggio | September 7, 2015

Mullah Mansour Dadullah, who has rejected the appointment of Mullah Mansour to replace Mullah Omar, also said that the Taliban’s leadership is based in Pakistan. He has not expressed a desire to join the Islamic State.

Taliban continues to advertise alliance with al Qaeda, Haqqanis

Thomas Joscelyn | September 5, 2015

The fifth installment of the Taliban’s “Army of Badr” video series highlights the oaths of loyalty sworn by Ayman al Zawahiri and Siraj Haqqani to the Taliban’s new emir, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour. The video is the latest piece of evidence that the jihadist “syndicate” continues to threaten Afghanistan 14 years after the US-led invasion of the country.

Taliban decries US designation of ‘low-ranking ‘ Haqqani Network commander

Bill Roggio | August 29, 2015

The jihadist group has reacted similarly to the designation of Haqqani Network leaders in the past. Additionally, the Taliban disputed the claim that Abdul Aziz Haqqani is “a senior member of the Haqqani Network,” as State said.

Taliban spokesman admits Mullah Omar’s death was covered up

Thomas Joscelyn & Bill Roggio | August 28, 2015

In an interview published on the Taliban’s official English-language website, Zabihullah Mujahid admits that Mullah Omar’s family and other senior Taliban officials hid Omar’s death. The text of the interview implies that Omar died in 2013.

Taliban takes another district in southern Afghanistan

Bill Roggio | August 26, 2015

The fall of Musa Qala puts the Taliban in effective control of northern Helmand, and will allow it to threaten the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

Jihadists say nephew of 9/11 mastermind killed in raid by Pakistani intelligence

Thomas Joscelyn | August 26, 2015

Al Qaeda-linked Twitter feeds, including one attributed to a senior al Qaeda leader, are claiming that Idris al Balushi was killed during a counterterrorism raid by Pakistani forces. Balushi is purportedly the nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. His death has not been confirmed.

US adds Haqqani Network commander to list of global terrorists

Bill Roggio | August 25, 2015

Siraj Haqqani’s brother, Abdul Aziz, is a key military commander who directs operations for the Haqqani Network and also is a member of the Kabul Attack Network. He is the 14th Haqqani network leader added to the US list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists since 2008. All have ties to al Qaeda.

Jundallah emir killed in northern Afghanistan, NDS claims

Bill Roggio | August 25, 2015

Hazrat, who is also known as Abu Hazefa, was killed in Kunduz, where a number of jihadist groups are fighting Afghan forces. He served as a Taliban military commander and also was a member of al Qaeda.

Central Asian groups split over leadership of global jihad

Thomas Joscelyn & Bill Roggio | August 24, 2015

Earlier this month, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan officially swore allegiance to the Islamic State’s emir, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. On August 20, fighters from the Islamic Jihad Union followed in al Qaeda’s footsteps and pledged loyalty to Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the newly appointed leader of the Taliban.

The Islamic State’s supporters want Mokhtar Belmokhtar dead

Thomas Joscelyn | August 23, 2015

The Islamic State’s supporters in Libya have added Mokhtar Belmokhtar to their “wanted dead” campaign. The Islamic State’s loyalists have released dozens of online posters targeting their pro-al Qaeda opposition in North Africa. Some of the men have been killed. The campaign was launched as a response to the Islamic State’s losses in Derna, Libya. The poster for Belmokhtar was quickly disavowed by some Islamic State social media accounts.

Ayman al Zawahiri discusses the importance of jihadist media

Thomas Joscelyn | August 19, 2015

In his third media appearance this month,the al Qaeda emir discusses the Battle of Tora Bora and the value of a united jihadist media. The video is the seventh installment in Zawahiri’s “Days with the Imam” series, in which he recounts episodes from Osama bin Laden’s life. The first video in the series was released in November 2011.

Analysis: Qatar still negligent on terror finance

David Andrew Weinberg | August 19, 2015

New US sanctions on two Qatari citizens expose Doha’s uneven response.

The Islamic State’s ‘wanted dead’ list in Libya

Thomas Joscelyn | August 18, 2015

The Islamic State’s supporters in Libya have released dozens of “wanted dead” posters online. The images are part of a campaign targeting the “caliphate’s” jihadist and Islamist opposition in Derna and elsewhere in Libya. If the information in the graphics is accurate, then the Islamic State is offering up valuable intelligence on its pro-al Qaeda adversaries in North Africa.

Analysis: Osama bin Laden’s son praises al Qaeda’s branches in new message

Thomas Joscelyn | August 17, 2015

During the last months of his life, Osama bin Laden worried about the fate of his son, Hamzah. In a newly-released audio message, Hamzah picks up his father’s banner.

New Taliban emir accepts al Qaeda’s oath of allegiance

Thomas Joscelyn & Bill Roggio | August 14, 2015

The Taliban’s new emir, Mullah Mansour, has publicly accepted Ayman al Zawahiri’s oath of allegiance. The public acceptance of Zawahiri’s pledge demonstrates that Mansour has no intention of breaking with al Qaeda.

Full statement of Mullah Mansour accepting al Qaeda’s oath of allegiance

Bill Roggio | August 14, 2015

The full text of Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour’s statement, entitled “New Amir of Islamic Emirate thanks and accepts all who pledged allegiance.”

Mokhtar Belmokhtar now leads ‘Al Qaeda in West Africa’

Thomas Joscelyn | August 13, 2015

A statement released online today confirms that Mokhtar Belmokhtar is now the emir of Al Murabitoon, which calls itself “Al Qaeda in West Africa.” Another Al Murabitoon emerged in Egypt last month and it is also loyal to al Qaeda.

Ayman al Zawahiri pledges allegiance to the Taliban’s new emir

Thomas Joscelyn | August 13, 2015

In an audio message released today, Ayman al Zawahiri pledges allegiance to the new emir of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour.

New leader of Islamic Caucasus Emirate killed by Russian forces

Thomas Joscelyn | August 11, 2015

The Islamic Caucasus Emirate (ICE) has lost its third emir in just over a year and half. Magomed Suleimanov, also known as Abu Usman Gimrinsky, was publicly announced as the group’s leader on July 1. Just over a month later, Russian counterterrorism forces killed him.

Proposed buffer zone leads al Qaeda to withdraw fighters from northern Aleppo province

Thomas Joscelyn | August 10, 2015

The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, says that it is turning over the territory it controls in the northern Aleppo province to other rebel groups. The move is a response to Turkey’s proposed buffer zone in northern Syria.