In a video recorded prior to his death, a jihadist known as Abu Hafs al Masri explained that he served al Qaeda for 17 years and had lived with Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders. Al Masri was a senior leader in Ahrar al Sham in Syria when he was “martyred” in late March.
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In a tweet last month, Jund al Aqsa, an al Qaeda-linked jihadist group in Syria, identified Adel Radi Saker al Wahabi al Harbi as its fallen military commander. Al Harbi was wanted by the US government, had previously served as the deputy leader of al Qaeda’s Iran network, and was a member of al Qaeda’s so-called “Khorasan Group.”
The new video shows the group’s role in the recent fighting at Jisr al Shughur. The Turkistan Islamic Party has long fought in Syria alongside the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria.
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The “Battle of Victory” coalition, which includes the Al Nusrah Front and several other jihadist groups, has declared victory in the city of Jisr Al Shughur. The battle for the city began several days ago and was the next step in the jihadists’ plans for conquering all of northwestern Syria. A highly influential al Qaeda-linked ideologue was reportedly wounded in the fighting.
The Turkistan Islamic Party, an al Qaeda-affiliated group that also operates in Afghanistan, Pakistan and China, operates in Syria under the moniker “Katibat Turkistani.”
The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, and its allies formed a new coalition to battle regime forces in the northern city of Jisr Al Shughur. The alliance is modeled after the coalition that took control of the city of Idlib late last month.
The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, has released a video portraying Osama Mansur as a “martyr” for its anti-Iranian, anti-Hezbollah cause. Mansur served in the Lebanese Army before defecting to Al Nusrah.
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Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s emir, Abdulmalek Droukdel, has released an audio message praising the head of the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, for working with other Islamist and jihadist groups to capture the city of Idlib.
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The photos show its forces engaging Palestinian factions in the camp, including beheading two members of Aknaf Bayt al Maqdis, a group loyal to Hamas.
The photo report details the fighting at Sheikh al Hilal near the city of Al Salamiyah in Hama province. The Islamic State was able to seize a nearby town, as well as release a video showing the execution of several regime soldiers. In the south, the jihadist group was able to enter the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp but is now fighting for control against Jaish al Islam and a group loyal to Hamas.
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Islamic State forces 'enter Yarmouk refugee camp' in Syrian capital
The Jaysh al Fateh coalition has captured the city of Idlib, or much of it. Propaganda photos posted online show jihadist groups, including the Al Nusrah Front, controlling government buildings and key facilities.
Photos and videos posted on social media show that Jaysh al Fateh, a coalition of several jihadist groups, has captured a number of Syrian regime checkpoints surrounding the city of Idlib.
The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, has released another video showing its fighters using American-made TOW missiles in the battle for the city of Idlib.
The State Department has added Aliaskhab Kebekov (also known as Ali Abu Muhammad al Dagestani), who heads the Islamic Caucasus Emirate, to the US government’s list of specially designated global terrorists. State notes that Kebekov has proclaimed his organization’s “structural subordination” to al Qaeda.
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The two suicide bombers, one Kuwaiti and one Saudi, were deployed in conjunction with a larger assault on the regime-held Idlib city. Several rebel groups, including the Al Nusrah Front, Jund al Aqsa, Ahrar al Sham and others have joined forces in a coalition called Jaish al Fateh.
The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, and its allies have formed a coalition of groups to go on the offensive in Idlib. One of the coalition’s first propaganda videos features Al Nusrah fighters firing an American-made TOW missile on a Syrian regime target.
Four of the crew are reported to have been captured with a fifth being executed on the spot. The fate of the sixth crew member remains unknown. No official statement has come from the Al Nusrah Front but the chopper went down in a Nusrah stronghold of Idlib province.
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