September 2, 2026 | Generation Jihad

The UN Monitoring Team’s latest report: Where the global jihad stands now

September 2, 2026 Generation Jihad

The UN Monitoring Team’s latest report: Where the global jihad stands now

The UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team’s latest 1267 report traces a $50 million ransom from JNIM in the Sahel to Al Qaeda’s senior leadership, puts the Islamic State at a “lower ebb” after the killing of two of its deputy leaders, and finds that about two-thirds of both jihadist groups’ fighters are now in Africa. It also draws attention to risks from cross-border hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan and from jihadists released en masse from detention in Syria.
Generation Jihad guest host Edmund Fitton-Brown, FDD senior fellow and former coordinator of the UN Monitoring Team, talks with Colin Smith, the Monitoring Team’s current coordinator, on what the latest release shows about Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and their affiliates, plus how the report is built and the challenges of keeping the spotlight on jihadist groups. Colin also explains the background to the UN’s counterterrorism work, including his own team and the wider UN CT architecture.