Al Nusrah Front
Syrian al Qaeda Moves in Next Door to Israel
Tag Archives: Syria
Iraq
For Assad, US offensive will weaken one foe but bolster others
Syria
In the Damascus suburb of Hajar al-Aswad, the Islamic State entered into a ceasefire with moderate and Islamist rebels “because they consider the principal enemy to be the [Assad] regime.” The Al Nusrah Front and the Islamic Front are continuing their advance in Quneitra, and now control as much as 80% of the province. Regime […]
Al Nusrah Front
How Philippine UN troops defied orders, opened fire and escaped the Al Nusrah Front
Al Nusrah Front
Kerry plays down hopes of imminent anti-Islamic State coalition
Analysis: Al Nusrah Front explains decision to release UN peacekeepers
The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, explained its decision to release more than 40 UN peacekeepers in a video released earlier this week. The group disputes published reports saying that it demanded to be taken off the UN’s list of designated terrorist organizations. And it says the hostages were freed in compliance with sharia law.
‘Moderate’ Syrian Revolutionaries Front continues to support al Qaeda
President Obama’s strategy for confronting the Islamic State in Syria depends on empowering moderate Syrian rebels to take over areas once they are liberated. The problem is, ‘moderate’ rebels untainted by links to Islamist groups such as al Qaeda’s Al Nusrah Front seem to be nonexistent.
Iraq
Opponents say Obama will need ground troops against Islamic State
Al Qaeda
Extremist threat hangs over key Tunisia elections
Afghanistan
Beating Islamic State will be much harder than Iraq or Afghan wars, officials say
Al Nusrah Front
US Pins Hope on Syrian Rebels With Loyalties All Over the Map
Iraq
The local forces dilemma for Obama in Syria and Iraq
Arab League
Russia fears the eastward spread of ‘jihadist cancer’
Free Syrian Army
How Will US Anti-Jihadist Plan Affect Syria?
Syria
The Assad regime warned that any action in Syria without its approval would be regarded as aggression, but offered to work with any country fighting the Islamic State in Syria or Iraq. UN mediator Stefan de Mistura met with President Assad. The Al Nusrah Front released the 45 Fijian UN peacekeepers it kidnapped two weeks […]
New leader of Ahrar al Sham previously led Free Syrian Army unit
The Islamic Front identified Sheikh Hashim al Sheikh, who is also known as Abu Jaber, as the new emir of al Qaeda-allied Ahrar al Sham.
Iraq
Syrian National Coalition backs US intervention against ISIS
Iraq
US wins Arab support for Syria/Iraq military campaign
Islamic State
Russia warns US against strikes on Islamic State in Syria
Islamic State
Prospect of US Attacks Electrifies Syrians
Al Nusrah Front
Al Nusrah Front releases UN peacekeepers in Golan
US strategy against Islamic State to mirror counterterrorism efforts in Yemen, Somalia
Obama described the counterterrorism strategy in Yemen and Somalia as “one that we have successfully pursued … for years.” However, several years of cooperation with willing partners have yielded questionable results.
Syria
The Ahrar al Sham said that Hashem al-Sheikh a.k.a. Abu Jaber will take over as leader, and Abu Saleh Tahan will become the group’s military commander following the killing of 47 commanders in an explosion in Idlib. A number of the commanders were said to have died of asphyxiation while trapped in an underground bunker […]
Al Nusrah Front
Syrian rebels break uneasy peace in Golan Heights
France
France ‘ready’ for military action in Iraq and Syria
Syria
A suicide bombing in Idlib killed Hassan Abboud, who is the head of Ahar al Sham and the Islamic Front’s political leader, along with more than a dozen other leaders among some 50 said to be attending a meeting. Influential al Qaeda leaders mourned the deaths; one said Abboud had been in direct contact with […]
Al Qaeda members mourn Ahrar al Sham, Islamic Front leaders on Twitter
Several influential al Qaeda members have used their Twitter feeds to mourn the slain leaders of Ahrar al Sham and the Islamic Front. The jihadists were killed in an explosion earlier today. One well-connected jihadist, who appears to be an al Qaeda media operative, claimed that the head of the Islamic Front had been in communication with Ayman al Zawahiri.
Al Qaeda
Blast kills leader of Syrian Islamist group, other top figures
Head of Islamic Front, other senior leaders killed in explosion
The Islamic Front announced today that more than one dozen of its senior leaders were killed in a car bombing in Idlib. Among the slain leaders is Hassan Abboud, who was the leader of Ahrar al Sham and the head of the Islamic Front’s political office. Abboud was especially close to Ayman al Zawahiri’s representative in Syria.
Iraq
UN Security Council to set out plan to stop foreign fighters joining extremist groups in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere