FDD's Long War Journal

Taliban retakes district in northern Afghanistan

THREAT MATRIX By Bill Roggio | August 22, 2017

The Taliban continues to demonstrate that it can conduct concurrent operations across the country, while Afghan forces largely remain on the defensive. The district of Khamab in Jawzjan has gone back and forth between Taliban and government control over the past several years. Read more →

Taliban vows to continue its “Jihad” against US

THREAT MATRIX By Bill Roggio | August 22, 2017

Taliban spokesman Zahibullah Mujahid denounced Trump's decision to remain engaged in Afghanistan and said that Taliban fighters will "sustain our Jihad." Additionally he repeated the canard that the Taliban does not pose a threat to foreign countries. Read more →

Trump takes hard line on Pakistan for supporting terrorist groups

By Bill Roggio | August 22, 2017

With words unprecedented for a US president, Trump called out Pakistan for harboring and supporting terrorist groups that target and kill US citizens and said there would be a radical change in policy toward the South Asian nation. Trump indicated the US would work to increase ties with India, Pakistan's neighbor and greatest enemy, a move sure to both enrage as well as frighten Pakistani elites. Read more →

Sending more troops to Afghanistan is a good start

By Thomas Joscelyn & Bill Roggio | August 21, 2017

A complete US withdrawal from Afghanistan would have been disastrous. The US government needs to drastically reassess America’s jihadist enemies and avoid the policy pitfalls of the past. Read more →

Analysis: The Syrian regime’s offensive towards Deir Ezzor

By Alexandra Gutowski | August 18, 2017

Bashar al Assad's forces and allies are advancing on the Islamic State's stronghold in the eastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor. The two sides have fought in Deir Ezzor for years and the Assad regime is hoping to turn the tide of battle with the help of Russian airpower. Read more →

Islamic State explosives expert, security official designated as terrorists

By Thomas Joscelyn | August 17, 2017

The US State Department announced today that Islamic State leaders Ahmad Alkhald and Abu Yahya al-Iraqi have been named specially designated global terrorists. Alkhald was the "explosives chief" for the "terrorist cell" that carried out Nov. 2015 assault in Paris and the Mar. 2016 Brussels bombings. Al-Iraqi "oversees ISIS security in Iraq and Syria." Read more →

Islamic State claims its ‘soldiers’ responsible for Barcelona attack

By Thomas Joscelyn | August 17, 2017

The Islamic State's Amaq News Agency claims that the attack in Barcelona, Spain today was carried out by the group's "soldiers." The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a string of operations in which terrorists drove a van or truck into a crowd. Read more →

Taliban seizes large quantity of weapons during ‘Recent Conquests in Kandahar’

By Bill Roggio | August 17, 2017

The Taliban, which continues to make inroads in Kandahar province, released a video flaunting a bounty of weapons, ammunition and military equipment after it overran bases and outposts in Khakrez and Shah Wali Kot. Read more →

US military hits Shabaab with 3 more airstrikes

THREAT MATRIX By Bill Roggio | August 17, 2017

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced three more strikes on Shabaab, al Qaeda's branch in Somalia and East Africa, over the past two days. All three took place in Shabaab-held territory. Read more →

US lists Hizbul Mujahideen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

By Bill Roggio | August 16, 2017

The brief designation omitted Hizbul Mujahideen's support for al Qaeda in the past, as well as its relations with other jihadist groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba. Hizbul Mujahideen's emir was officially listed as a global terrorist in June 2017. Read more →

Analysis: Taliban propagandists release ‘open letter’ to President Trump

By Thomas Joscelyn & Bill Roggio | August 15, 2017

The Taliban has released an "open letter" to President Trump urging him to "adopt the strategy of a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan instead of a troops increase." The propaganda letter contains several erroneous or misleading claims. It is also disingenuous with respect to the jihadist threat emanating out of Afghanistan. Read more →

Taliban retakes district in northern Afghanistan

Taliban vows to continue its “Jihad” against US

Trump takes hard line on Pakistan for supporting terrorist groups

Sending more troops to Afghanistan is a good start

Analysis: The Syrian regime’s offensive towards Deir Ezzor

Islamic State explosives expert, security official designated as terrorists

Islamic State claims its ‘soldiers’ responsible for Barcelona attack

Taliban seizes large quantity of weapons during ‘Recent Conquests in Kandahar’

US military hits Shabaab with 3 more airstrikes

US lists Hizbul Mujahideen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Analysis: Taliban propagandists release ‘open letter’ to President Trump

Jihadists strike across West Africa

More Articles

Taliban overruns district in Afghan northwest

AQAP publishes guide for derailing trains in the US, Europe

US military kills Islamic State Khorasan province leader in Kunar

AFRICOM targets Shabaab twice in southern Somalia

Taliban retakes eastern Afghan district from Afghan forces

US to designate the IRGC, affiliates as terrorists

Qods Force-linked Taliban commander leads insurgency in central Afghanistan

IRGC-controlled militia accuses US of strike to hide Islamic State raid near Syrian border

US killed Shabaab commander in recent strike

Afghan policeman wounds Romanian soldier in latest insider attack

Australia disrupts ‘sophisticated’ plot directed by the Islamic State

Hezbollah touts prisoners freed from HTS in Syria

JNIM claims series of attacks on French forces in Mali

Islamic State bombs Shiite mosque in western Afghanistan

Taliban suicide bomber strikes NATO convoy in Kandahar

Threat Matrix

Taliban retakes district in northern Afghanistan

Taliban vows to continue its “Jihad” against US

US military hits Shabaab with 3 more airstrikes

Taliban overruns district in Afghan northwest

AFRICOM targets Shabaab twice in southern Somalia

Hezbollah touts prisoners freed from HTS in Syria

JNIM claims series of attacks on French forces in Mali

Islamic State bombs Shiite mosque in western Afghanistan

Taliban video details takeover of eastern Afghan district

Shabaab ambushes AMISOM forces in southern Somalia

Drone Strikes Data