Ayman al-Zawahiri

September 16, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Key questions concerning Hamza bin Laden’s life remain unanswered

The State Department released this wanted poster for Hamza bin Laden, using an image from his wedding video, in February. On Sept. 14, President Donald Trump said in a statement that Hamza bin Laden,...

September 16, 2019 | Bill Roggio |

Taliban supplies al Qaeda with explosives for attacks in major Afghan cities

The Taliban continues to work closely with al Qaeda’s branch in South Asia. Afghan Commandos and a unit from the National Directorate of Security raided a Taliban warehouse that was used to store explosives...

September 13, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

U.S. offers rewards for information on 3 al Qaeda leaders in Syria

The U.S. State Department has announced rewards of up to $5 million each for information concerning three al Qaeda leaders in Syria. All three have been involved in the heated disagreements regarding...

September 11, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Ayman al-Zawahiri defends 9/11 hijackings in anniversary address

Ayman al-Zawahiri defends the 9/11 hijackings in a video released on the 18th anniversary of al-Qaeda’s most devastating attack. The production, released by al-Qaeda’s As Sahab propaganda arm, is titled...

August 31, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Airstrike targeted Al Qaeda leadership in Syria, U.S. military says

Jihadis say a U.S. airstrike hit this location in Idlib, Syria earlier today. The American military conducted an airstrike against al Qaeda in Syria (AQ-S) “leadership at a facility north of Idlib, Syria”...

August 22, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Al Qaeda veteran reportedly killed in Idlib

Jihadists shared this photo of the car Abu Khallad al-Muhandis was in when an explosion caused his demise. Al Qaeda-affiliated Telegram channels reported earlier today that Abu Khallad al-Muhandis, a veteran...

August 15, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Wanted al Qaeda leader warns of Turkish influence on jihad in Syria

A statement attributed to Saif al-Adel (left) was disseminated online this week. Last year, the State Department announced a reward of $10 million for information on al-Adel and Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah,...

August 14, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Shabaab’s jihad against the ‘leaders of disbelief’

Shabaab’s latest video features a clip of Ayman al-Zawahiri criticizing “corrupt regimes” that are allied with America. Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, has released a lengthy video that...

July 31, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

UN Security Council continues to report on al Qaeda-Taliban alliance

Al Qaeda’s training camps in pre-9/11 Afghanistan. The group was never uprooted from the country and remains closely allied with the Taliban to this day. Since July 2018, the UN Security Council has published...

July 9, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Al Qaeda leader threatens India, criticizes Pakistan in message on Kashmir

Al Qaeda’s media arm, As Sahab, has released yet another message from Ayman al-Zawahiri. The elderly al Qaeda leader is a prolific commentator on world affairs, having released a series of videos an...

June 29, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Turkistan Islamic Party musters large force for battles in Syria

The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), an al Qaeda-affiliated group, has released a set of photos and a video showing a large group of its fighters preparing for battle in northern Syria. The TIP is...

June 23, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Al Qaeda growing stronger under Taliban’s umbrella, UN finds

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June 13, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Senior al Qaeda official praises Taliban’s ‘victory’ in Afghanistan

Asim Umar, a senior al Qaeda official, has released a lengthy statement praising the Taliban’s “victory” in Afghanistan. He claims that America’s “defeat” proves that its superior technology...

June 7, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Al Qaeda eulogizes Zakir Musa, as his successor is named

Al Qaeda has reacted to the death of Zakir Musa, a young jihadist commander killed by Indian forces on May 23, by releasing a glowing eulogy and a video promoting the group’s efforts in Kashmir. Musa...

June 1, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Taliban leader claims US-led war effort ‘condemned to defeat’

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May 13, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Ayman al-Zawahiri eulogizes Jalaluddin Haqqani

On May 10...

May 13, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Shabaab official justifies attacks on civilians while preaching the sanctity of Muslim blood

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May 11, 2019 | Thomas Joscelyn |

Al Qaeda video emphasizes unity with Taliban’s Islamic emirate

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May 3, 2019 | Bill Roggio |

Khalilzad flip flops on Pakistan, Taliban’s relationship with al Qaeda

While testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) in July 2016, Zalmay Khalilzad said that Pakistan should be designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism because it is an ardent suppor...

April 26, 2019 | Bill Roggio |

Caliphate, interrupted

After being bombarded by four years of U.S. airstrikes, a relentless ground campaign by Kurdish-led U.S. allies, and attacks from Russian, Syri...