Ilyas Kashmiri

August 22, 2021 | Bill Roggio, Thomas Joscelyn

Taliban’s special forces outfit providing ‘security’ at Kabul airport

Taliban-linked social media accounts claim that members of the group’s Badri 313 outfit are providing “security” at Kabul’s international airport. Badri 313 is a special forces wing of the Taliban’s...

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...

March 4, 2013 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

US Adds Mullah Nazir Group, Subcommander to Terrorism List

The US State Department has added the Mullah Nazir Group, a Taliban subgroup based in South Waziristan, and an important deputy commander to the list of foreign terrorist entities and individuals...

January 8, 2013 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

US Drones Launch 2 Strikes in North Waziristan

The US conducted two more airstrikes in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan today, killing eight "militants" in an area known to host al Qaeda and other foreign t...

January 3, 2013 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

‘Good Taliban’ Leader Mullah Nazir Killed in US Drone Strike

The US killed a senior Taliban leader in one of three drone strikes that took place in the Pakistani tribal areas over the past 24 hours; he had identified himself as an al Qaeda leader and also...

December 21, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

‘Foreigners’ Reported Killed in US Drone Strike in Pakistan

The US launched its first airstrike in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agencies in 11 days, killing four "militants," possibly inkling some foreigners. The remotely-piloted Pre...

November 29, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

US Drones Kill 3 ‘Militants’ in 1st Strike in Pakistan in More Than a Month

The US killed three "militants," including "foreigners," in the first drone strike recorded in Pakistan in more than a month. The remotely piloted Predators or the more heavily armed Rea...

October 1, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

US Drones Kill 3 ‘Rebels’ in Mir Ali Strike

The US killed three "rebels" in a drone strike on a vehicle in the Mir Ali Area of the Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan. The remotely piloted Predators or the more ad...

September 6, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Al Qaeda Operative Killed in Kunar Airstrike

Coalition special operations forces killed yet another al Qaeda leader in an airstrike in a district that serves as a haven for the terror group in northeastern Afghanistan. Abu Saif and...

August 6, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Al Qaeda Emir for Kunar, Deputy, and Facilitator Killed in Airstrikes

The Coalition confirmed that al Qaeda's leader for Kunar province and his deputy were killed in Friday's airstrike in the Watahpur district. Both al Qaeda leaders were Pakistani citizen...

June 6, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Abu Yahya al Libi Killed in Latest Drone Strike, US Officials Say

US intelligence officials said they believe that Abu Yahya al Libi, al Qaeda's second in command and a top religious figure and ideologue, was killed in yesterday's drone strike in Paki...

April 5, 2012 | Thomas Joscelyn The Long War Journal

Report: Osama bin Laden Helped Plan Mumbai Attacks

Osama bin Laden was in close contact with Hafiz Saeed, the wanted chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and helped plan the 2008 Mumbai attack, according to a report in the...

March 26, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

French Fighters Training in North Waziristan

The Associated Press reported today that scores of Frenchmen are training in the Miramshah and Datta Khel areas of Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan:...

March 13, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

US Drones Kill 2 ‘Good Taliban’ Commanders in Pair of Strikes in South Waziristan

Unmanned US Predator or Reaper strike aircraft killed 15 Taliban fighters, including two commanders of a faction considered to be "good Taliban" by the Pakistani government, during a pair of stri...

March 9, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Al Qaeda Leader Ilyas Kashmiri Spotted at Taliban Meeting

A senior al Qaeda leader who is one of the terror group's most dangerous military commanders and strategists, and who was reportedly killed in a drone strike last June, has been spotted at a...

March 9, 2012 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Al Qaeda Leader Ilyas Kashmiri Spotted at Taliban Meeting

A senior al Qaeda leader who is one of the terror group's most dangerous military commanders and strategists, and who was reportedly killed in a drone strike last June, has been spotted at a...

November 28, 2011 | Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Al Qaeda Only has Two HVTs Left. Really.

What passes for a deep understanding of the nature of al Qaeda's leadership within US government intelligence circles continues to amaze. According to "US counterterrorism and intelligence o...

May 16, 2011 | Thomas Joscelyn

Reasonable Suspicion

 In reality, however, the answer to Musharraf’s question was not so straightforward. Whether motivated by an American threat or the billions of dollars it received in U.S. aid, Pakista...

November 4, 2010 | The Long War Journal

Reflections on Osama bin Laden, and his Continuing Relevance

Earlier today, I did a rather lengthy written interview with a journalist from an online Romanian newspaper. In light of the new tapes Osama bin Laden released last month, he put a number of ques...

October 5, 2010 | Thomas Joscelyn, Bill Roggio The Long War Journal

Al Qaeda’s #3 Misidentified Again

Ahmad Siddiqui, the German-Afghan at the heart of al Qaeda's latest plot against European cities, has reportedly fingered a previously unknown terrorist as al Qaeda's number three. Acco...