Both al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, al-Qaeda’s branches in North and West Africa, respectively, have openly praised Hamas for its mass killings of Jews in recent days.
Abu Yasir al-Jaza’iri, an Algerian ideologue in al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, offers the group’s harshest rebuke of the Islamic State to date.
France says its forces killed Yahia Djouadi, a senior veteran of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, inside northern Mali. The raid comes after France and its European allies are set to withdraw from Mali.
Hosts Tom Joscelyn and Bill Roggio are joined by Caleb Weiss, a longtime contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal.
The Islamic State claims its men killed eight Algerian soldiers during a counterterrorism raid. Despite declaring a “province” in Algeria in Nov. 2014, the group rarely claims operations in the country. And its latest claim hasn’t been verified.
In a message released earlier this month, Abu Ubaydah Yusuf al-Anabi, a US-designated terrorist, called for sharia governance in Algeria. Al-Anabi is a senior Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb religious figure and has led the group’s “Council of Notables.”
Sultan Ould Bady, a veteran jihadist within various al Qaeda groups in Mali and later the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, turned himself in to the Algerian military yesterday.
French forces conducted near simultaneous raids and airstrikes on three jihadist targets belonging to al Qaeda’s Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
On Nov. 17, The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and FDD’s Long War Journal held an event to discuss the findings from the recently released documents from Osama bin Laden’s compound.
AQIM says the attack is meant to show that it can target Algeria in “whatever area we want, and to let you know that your fortifications that you have made will not prevent the strikes of the mujahideen from reaching you.”
Despite facing a large crackdown from the Algerian military, the Islamic State’s branch still claims sporadic attacks in the country.
The large attack, which happened as the Algerian troops were traveling back to their barracks for Eid festivities, is a rare occurrence in the North African country.
Algeria announced the founding of a “national monitoring board” to combat religious extremism. Algeria reportedly declined to join the US-led coalition against the Islamic State after requests from the US and France.
The presidents of Algeria and Benin announced that they would ramp up cooperation in counterterrorism operations. Despite political tensions, the Moroccan and Algerian intelligence services are also reported to have remained cooperative.
An Algerian court has issued a letter of request for Moroccan judicial authorities to provide the identity of an Algerian arrested as a suspect in the jihadist murder of French hiker Hervé Gourdel. People’s National Army forces arrested three smugglers in the areas of Bordj Badji Mokhtar and In Guezam. The Algerian parliament passed a […]
The People’s National Army arrested a terrorist and captured “a quantity of munitions and a pump-action shotgun” in the commune of Lakhdari 122 km east of Algiers.The Minister of Justice said that “Algeria … must fill counterterrorism loopholes contained in its Legislation.” Algeria and Nigeria jointly called for a political solution to the conflict in […]
Algeria has strengthened border security in anticipation of the anniversary of the Tiguentourine gas plant siege, and last week announced the disruption of a terrorist cel that had plans to attack oil and gas facilities. The army also arrested “twelve smugglers of different nationalities,” seizing “vehicles, trucks and foodstuffs” on Jan. 19 and 20 in […]
Officials announced a plan to monitor the illicit transit of nuclear material across its borders. Authorities also announced that Moroccan residents will no longer be able to get permanent resident visas due to security concerns, and expressed approval of a Libyan ceasefire.
4 Shot During Protest Against Charlie Hebdo in Pakistan
The Algerian Army recovered the body of French hiker Hervé Gourdel, who was abducted from the town of Akbil and beheaded by Islamic State-affiliated jihadists. The defense ministry announced the arrest of 12 suspected terrorists during operations conducted in the southern part of the country.
A source in the Algerian security forces said that Sharif and Said Kouachi, the French brothers of Algerian heritage responsible for the Charlie Hebdo massacre, had never visited the country. Other sources said the brothers’ father, who “hailed from Algeria’s eastern province of Souk Ahras,” had not visited the country in 20 years.
Libya conflict threatens entire Maghreb
Algerian Army Kills Man Behind French Beheading
Islamic State looks to usurp AQIM
Algeria deployed 4,000 troops along the borders with Libya and Niger in a counterterrorism operation begun on Dec. 21. Authorities arrested 12 suspected jihadists traveling to Syria to fight for the Islamic State.
Senior al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leader reportedly killed in Libya
Egypt looks to roll back Islamist militias in Libya
The Algerian justice minister announced that security forces have found and killed a second terrorist involved in the beheading of French hiker Herve Gourdel in September. The jihadist purportedly was a member of the Jund al-Khilafa group, which had claimed responsibility for the murder.
Kerry seeks authority to target Islamic State affiliates anywhere
An Algerian court acquitted a former inmate of Guantanamo Bay on terrorism charges due to insufficient evidence. The Algerian Director of the African Department at the Foreign Affairs Ministry pledged “to support all the actions and initiatives which can … contribute to definitively defeat this terrible scourge (terrorism)” during the opening of a meeting by […]