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1 week ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Joe Truzman |Bill Roggio |Caleb Weiss |Thomas Joscelyn
US targets Houthi military and political leaders in latest campaign | Numerous reports have alleged the deaths of Houthi fighters of various military ranks since the Trump administration ramped up military operations in Yemen. However, while some of these claims appear credible, others require further verification.
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2 weeks ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Bill Roggio |Caleb Weiss
Bill and Caleb discuss updates from “the Sunni side of the aisle,” including Washington’s policy pivot on the Haqqani Network, the U.S. military’s airstrike strategy in Somalia, the Turkestan Islamic Party’s rebranding attempt, the recent death of a key Islamic State leader, and Shabaab’s current operations. Powered by RedCircle Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of The Long War Journal.
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3 weeks ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Will Selber |Bill Roggio |Thomas Joscelyn |Caleb Weiss
Analysis: US removal of Sirajuddin Haqqani’s $10 million bounty signals engagement with the Taliban | With the return of former American Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalizad to negotiations in Afghanistan and the Trump administration’s decision to remove Sirajuddin Haqqani’s bounty, the Trump administration may be continuing its previous policy of engagement with the Taliban.
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1 month ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Ahmad Sharawi |Thomas Joscelyn |David Weinberg |Caleb Weiss
Profiles of commanders in the new Syrian army’s regional divisions | On January 29, Syria’s new leadership announced the dissolution of the Assad regime’s Syrian Arab Army, followed by appointing militia leaders from the civil war to key military positions. FDD’s Long War Journal has identified and profiled several of these figures.
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1 month ago | 
fdd.org | Zachary Berman |Bill Roggio |Caleb Weiss
March 12, 2025 | The John Batchelor Show Shabaab mounts coordinated assault near Mogadishu
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1 month ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Seth J. Frantzman |Behnam Ben Taleblu |Caleb Weiss |Amir Toumaj
After 2 years, Iraq claims to be searching for kidnapped researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov | On March 5, Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al Araji said that Baghdad is trying to locate kidnapped researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli and Russian citizen who was abducted in March 2023. Israeli officials have blamed Kataib Hezbollah for kidnapping Tsurkov, and her case has received increased attention in the last two months since the Trump administration entered office.
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1 month ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Seth J. Frantzman |Caleb Weiss |Thomas Joscelyn |Patrick Megahan
Analysis: How will the US-backed SDF be affected by PKK leader’s disarmament call? | On February 27, Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan called for his group to disarm and end its conflict with Turkey. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in eastern Syria have welcomed this statement, which may provide an opportunity for Turkey to change its policy in Syria, affect US policy, and impact SDF relations with the new government in Damascus.
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1 month ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Caleb Weiss |Bill Roggio |Thomas Joscelyn |Alexandra Gutowski
Shabaab mounts coordinated assault north of Mogadishu | Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch for East Africa, has mounted considerable attacks over the last few weeks in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle and Hiraan regions just north of Mogadishu. The group’s offensive is attempting to reverse much of the federal government’s gains during the government’s counter-Shabaab offensive between 2022 and 2023.
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1 month ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Bill Roggio |Caleb Weiss |Thomas Joscelyn
US kills Al Qaeda’s military commander for Syria | US Central Command killed the top military commander of Hurras al Din, Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria. The Trump administration has targeted Hurras al Din four times since taking office, indicating it is ramping up the pressure on the terror group and its allies. U.S. adds Al Qaeda leader in Syria to list of global terrorists | Sami al-Uraydi, a Jordanian national and senior leader within al-Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, has been designated.
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2 months ago | 
longwarjournal.org | Janatan Sayeh |Thomas Joscelyn |Bill Roggio |Caleb Weiss
Analysis: From Afghanistan to America: the rising reach of the Islamic State Khorasan Province | Four years after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the threat posed by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) has expanded beyond the region, now endangering both America and Europe. With the group actively recruiting and transferring fighters across borders, regional actors such as the Taliban, Iran, Tajikistan, and Pakistan have proven unable to curb its growth.
