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Recent Appearances...

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

A resident of Dagestan receives a suspended sentence for connections with militants in Syria

2023-12-29

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] The Kizilyurt district court in Dagestan sentenced local resident Batyr Aliyev, deported from Egypt after participating in militant activities in Syria, to three years of suspended imprisonment.

The sentence to a resident of Dagestan, whom the court recognized as a member of an illegal armed group abroad, was reported on December 27 by the press service of the republican FSB.

According to the investigation, the man “shared extremist ideology” and deliberately arrived in Syria to join the militants there. “Later, through Turkey, the man left for Egypt, from where he was deported in August 2023 and upon arrival in Russia he was detained by law enforcement agencies,” Interfax-South quotes an FSB representative as saying.

A resident of Dagestan was charged with participation in an armed formation not provided for by federal law (Part 2 of Article 208 of the Criminal Code of Russia). This article provides for from eight to fifteen years of imprisonment, but the court imposed a much milder sentence on the resident of Dagestan - three years of suspended imprisonment.

According to the file of the Kizilyurt District Court, the last case considered under this article was brought against Batyr Aliyev. He was sentenced on November 16, it came into force on December 4, and on December 27 the case was archived, according to the information on the court’s website.

From the verdict, also published on the court’s website, it follows that Batyr Aliyev had no previous convictions, was not officially married, although he previously had two wives, and did not work anywhere at the time the case was considered.

“About the beginning of 2013,” a resident of Dagestan, “sharing a religious ideology of an extremist nature,” decided to move to Syria and join the militants there. On November 10, 2013, he left Dagestan for Azerbaijan through the Yarag-Kazmalyar checkpoint, then arrived in Baku, from there on November 15 he flew to Istanbul, and on November 18 he went with a certain Samir to the Turkish-Syrian border, the text of the verdict says.

As the court found, by November 20, 2013, Aliyev had already arrived in the Syrian city of Bab al-Hawa, “which was controlled by illegal armed groups operating as a united front against government forces.” There he voluntarily joined one of these groups, but performed the duties of its member less than a month, until approximately December 10, 2013.

That sounds like the original Free Syrian Army, made up of everything from romantically idealist Baathists who turned their back on the corrupt Assad government to Salafists and Muslim Brotherhooders to ISIS and Al Qaeda in Iraq in Syria/Al Nusra. By December of that year ISIS and Al Nusra had broken off from the group, and the six largest Muslim Brotherhood-style groups had set themselves up as the Islamic Front. As I recall, the non-religious rump of the Free Syrian Army subsequently withered away, the name being resurrected some years later by Turkey for its Ottoman proxy sockpuppets.

Aliyev fully admitted his guilt in court, but refused to testify against himself. The text of the verdict also states that in Syria he met several people from Dagestan, natives of the Makhachkala village of Khushet, whom he identified from photographs provided by FSB officers as members of an illegal armed formation.

Ah. His reduced sentence is a reward for turning state’s evidence.

Judging by the text of the verdict, Aliyev was unable to give more detailed testimony against these people, citing the fact that his fellow countrymen “didn’t let him get close to them.”

Regarding himself, Batyr Aliyev said that he spent only two weeks among the militants, without having time to understand the activities of the unit. He then went to Turkey, and a month later he moved to Cairo and lived there for more than a year until he was detained by local law enforcement officers. After being in custody for about a month, he was deported to Russia.

Batyr Aliyev was in custody during the consideration of the case, from August 3 to November 16, 2023. As mitigating circumstances, the court took into account the admission of guilt, repentance, the presence of Aliyev’s young children and positive characteristics from his place of residence, and as a result, sentenced him to three years of suspended imprisonment with a probationary period of two years.

The "Caucasian Knot" also wrote that in April 2023, the cassation court returned for review to the prosecutor's office the case of Khanumkyz Kulibekova, whom the court in Khasavyurt sentenced to five years in prison on charges of intending to join an illegal armed group in Syria. The court recommended that the charges be reclassified under a more stringent article.

Dear Khanumkyz joined ISIS, an entirely different matter.
Related from Rantburg’s archives: 2013-12-11 Newly-Formed Islamic Front Seizes Syria-Turkey Border Crossing

Link

Home Front: WoT

9/11: Reflecting on 22 Years Since the Darkest Day in Modern U.S. History

2023-09-11

Seen on one of the Afghan news sites, which seems interesting today.

[KhaamaPress] On September 11, 2001, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks by the hard boy group al-Qaeda changed the course of global history. On the 22nd anniversary of this tragic incident, it’s essential to reflect on the events of that fateful day, its implications, and how it shaped global counterterrorism strategies and geopolitics.

On the morning of 9/11, 19 al-Qaeda gunnies hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two of the planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, were crashed into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. Within hours, the mighty Twin Towers collapsed, turning downtown Manhattan into a smoke-filled ruin.

Meanwhile,
...back at the wreckage, Captain Poindexter wished he had a cup of coffee. Even instant would do...
American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed into the Pentagon, the Department of Defense’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was headed towards either the U.S. Capitol or the White House but crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to overcome the hijackers.

By the day’s end, almost 3,000 people from over 90 countries had bit the dust, marking the single deadliest terrorist act in world history.

Al-Qaeda, under the leadership of the late Osama bin Laden
...... who used to be alive but now he's not......
, quickly became the prime suspect. While the hard boy group orchestrated the attacks, they found sanctuary with the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
in Afghanistan. The Taliban’s refusal to extradite bin Laden and dismantle terrorist camps eventually led to the U.S. launching the War on Terror.

Operation Enduring Freedom was initiated on October 7, 2001, to dismantle al-Qaeda and unseat the Taliban. Though the Taliban regime collapsed within months, the conflict continued for two decades. The U.S., during this period, established the Department of Homeland Security and enacted the USA PATRIOT Act, granting expanded surveillance powers to intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

The War on Terror also played a role in the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, propelled by the belief that Saddam Hussein might produce weapons of mass destruction and potentially ally with hard boy groups.

Nearly a decade post-9/11, in May 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs located and eliminated Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad
... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden....
, Pakistain. But al-Qaeda’s threat wasn’t entirely neutralized. Last year, another prominent al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
, met his end in Kabul, the result of a U.S. dronezap as detailed on the U.S. Department of Defense website.

However,
there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly...
despite these successes, Afghanistan’s political landscape remained volatile. As U.S. military presence diminished, the Taliban regained control, culminating in their capture of Kabul in August 2021.

22 years post-9/11, the globe faces a different landscape. The attacks reshaped geopolitics, influenced security policies, and altered perceptions of freedom and safety.

With the rise of other hard boy factions like ISIS post-Al-Qaeda’s decline, counterterrorism remains crucial. To ensure lasting peace, nations must address extremism’s root causes, from socio-economic issues to political disenfranchisement.

Commemorating 9/11’s 22nd anniversary reminds us of the innocent lives lost, the heroes of that day, and the unyielding human spirit. The lessons from 9/11 and its aftermath are enduring, continuously influencing global decisions.

Link

Afghanistan

Heaven of Foreign Militants: The Taliban Are Extensively Hosting Extremist Groups

2023-09-10

[8am] The Doha Agreement obligated the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
to cut their connections with regional and international terrorist groups. Despite this commitment, with the Taliban’s return to power, concerns have been raised by the United Nations
...where theory meets practice and practice loses...
Security Council, United States, Russia, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and other security bodies regarding the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. A report from the Hasht-e Subh Daily, two years after the Taliban’s resurgence, reveals that a considerable number of regional jihadists, along with their families, are actively operating within Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

These findings indicate that approximately 300 families linked to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Ansarullah of Tajikistan have settled in the northeastern region, particularly in Badakhshan province. Reliable sources in eastern Afghanistan further verify that thousands of families associated with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) murderous Moslems are currently residing under Taliban governance. Moreover, East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) fighters, despite China’s backing of the Taliban, are capitalizing on the benefits of their presence in Afghanistan. Many of these murderous Moslems maintain ties not only with the Taliban but also with al-Qaeda.

Moreover, the Taliban not only incorporate certain jihadists into their own ranks but also furnish them with Afghan identification documents and passports, dispersing them across different regions of the nation. Intriguingly, these murderous Moslems have also formed familial connections with Afghan households to strengthen their foothold under Taliban governance in Afghanistan.

UNVEILING AL-QAEDA: THE PRESENCE EXPOSED BY AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI
One of the groups that causes widespread concern among many countries is al-Qaeda, which they believe should not be present in Afghanistan. The Doha Agreement directly addresses this issue, with the United States securing a commitment from the Taliban to sever ties with this group. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
in Afghanistan exposed a remarkably close relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaeda—one that not even the Doha Agreement managed to break. Even prior to al-Zawahiri’s demise, suspicions lingered about the Taliban’s intentions. The United Nations Security Council repeatedly asserted that the Taliban maintained connections with al-Qaeda hard boys. During that time, reports indicated that al-Qaeda operated in 15 provinces across Afghanistan. al-Qaeda members usually assumed a secondary role in battles alongside the Taliban, primarily focusing on offering guidance and training. Now, with the Taliban’s resurgence to power, this group’s members are inclined to rejuvenate their network and leverage the Taliban’s rule.

Zawahiri’s Letter to bin Laden, discussed in the Hasht-e Subh Daily during the reexamination of the Abbottabad
... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden....
case, indicates that al-Qaeda does not intend to leave the Afghan geographical sphere under any circumstances. In the letter, Zawahiri states that al-Qaeda must remain close to the Taliban leadership and work on building trust. Conversely, the letter also demonstrates the commitment of the Taliban leadership to preserve and support al-Qaeda. While the undeniable presence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is evident, determining the exact number of individuals in this network remains challenging. The Taliban even deny the presence of a single al-Qaeda member and have made significant efforts to conceal the identities of these individuals.

However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the National Directorate of Security
...the Afghan national intel agency...
(NDS) of the previous government recently reported that around 300 al-Qaeda members are fighting alongside the Taliban in their conflict. The UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, on the other hand, has cited estimates ranging from 400 to 600 hard boys. Despite the Taliban’s concerted efforts over the years, particularly in the past two years, to avoid exposing the identities and locations of al-Qaeda members, their active presence within the Taliban’s structures as advisors is a detail that the Taliban cannot conceal.

TTP AND SANCTUARIES ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) is also one of the murderous Moslem groups aligned with the Taliban. These two groups share a deep bond, and their recent activities have demonstrated that both, adhering to a common ideology, have been collaborating against the republic system. In the past, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) provided refuge to the Afghan Taliban, but now the hosting role has shifted to the Afghan Taliban. Among all jihadist groups worldwide, they are the sole entity with territorial control. Alongside their close interaction and alignment with the Taliban, the Pak government has repeatedly urged the Taliban to deny sanctuary to the TTP within Afghan soil. In response, the Taliban asserts that no foreign jihadist group has a place in Afghanistan and poses no threat to other countries.

However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate that around 10,000 Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) murderous Moslems are present in Afghanistan with their families. Most of these hard boys, along with their families, reside in the districts of Goshta, Bati Kot, and Lal Pur in Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
province; areas close to the Durand Line, which provide convenient movement for TTP. According to local sources, while many TTP murderous Moslems have been in these areas, particularly in the Salalah region, for several years, their numbers have increased after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Sources state that TTP murderous Moslems and their families are present in regions like Salalah, Mama Khel, Ziarat-e Dagh, Zharai, and Ograi of the Goshta district, where they fulfill their basic needs from the markets of the Goshta district.

Most of these hard boys, who are also believed to be part of the Taliban’s reserve forces, have traveled from Lal Pur district in Nangarhar to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistain to wage war against the Pak government. An informed source, who prefers anonymity in the report, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily: "Many of them have gone from Lal Pur mainly to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. I know a commander who recently went with 30 individuals. The commander is known as Naaser, with the pseudonym Qahraman, he is for the Spin Tankai area in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Other commanders are named Bismillah and Enayatullah. Another one is known as Mullah Piran, originally from Swat, who is currently residing in Kashkot and Gaurik areas. Now the Emirates (Afghan Taliban) members also take the TTP’s seal of approval and head to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, claiming to wage jihad. This was a statement from a TTP commander who was saying that the Afghan Taliban have declared jihad against Pakistain."

On January 4, 2023, Pakistain conducted an aerial attack on the Salala area, but its Foreign Ministry denied responsibility. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
local sources and non-governmental individuals in the Goshta district confirm Pakistain’s ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s on the positions of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). According to them, the attack took place in an area where families of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) were residing. Local sources stated that after the bombing, flames and smoke were observed in the region. The exact casualties of this event were not publicly disclosed, as the Taliban warned people not to discuss the matter among themselves. A source informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily, "No one can raise their voice out of fear, and [people] don’t talk about it among themselves."

Nonetheless, a recorded audio tape came into the possession of the Hasht-e Subh Daily in which members of the Taliban discuss the attack on TTP positions in the Arazi bazaar. The United Nations Security Council also confirmed the presence of TTP murderous Moslems on Afghan soil in a report. The monitoring committee of the UN Security Council referred to the TTP as the "largest constituent" of the Taliban. According to the report, the TTP has between 3,000 to 4,000 murderous Moslems in Afghanistan. The report identifies Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud as the current leader of the TTP and based on that, the TTP has become stronger and can pose a bigger threat in the region. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
Fazal Ur Rehman Khattak, the leader of the National Awami Party (NAP), in a conversation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, regards the TTP as an inseparable part of the Afghan Taliban. He states, "The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) is an inseparable part of the Afghan Taliban. This organizational distinction between them required intelligence games so that the international community would not see their bases within Pakistain as the Afghan Taliban’s region. Like before, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) exists in Afghanistan." Khattak also confirms the presence of thousands of TTP murderous Moslems in Afghanistan, saying, "Regarding their numbers, it’s difficult to be certain, but their count is not less than a few thousand." Last year, this Pak politician mentioned in a special interview with the Hasht-e Subh Daily that most ISIS members are murderous Moslems of the TTP. Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of Afghanistan, mentioned the presence of TTP murderous Moslems in Afghanistan in his speech at the Herat
...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns...
Security Conference which was held in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. In his speech, Mr. Nabil stated: "Currently, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), under the leadership of Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, are active along the Durand Line, with six to six and a half thousand hard boys."

NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN: BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR TAJIK AND UZBEK MILITANTS
The presence of Central Asian murderous Moslems in the northern part of the country was a contentious issue in the former government. Security sources claimed the presence of dozens of foreign murderous Moslem groups in Badakhshan province. At that time, the Khostak Valley in the Jurm District of Badakhshan province hosted around 300 Central Asian hard boy families. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
after the collapse of the Republic system, most of these foreign groups redirected toward the central parts of districts and cities in the northeastern region of Afghanistan. A source informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily, "During the Republic regime, [foreign hard boys] were here in Khostak, and now they’ve all moved down to the valley. The majority of their families have gone to the province of Takhār. Another group has gone to the forests of Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province. About 20 to 30 families have gone to Baharak district. A few families are located in Fayzabad City. Five families have gone to Jurm District. Similarly, they’ve moved away from the Khostak Valley because no one is dealing with them, so they’re not causing any disturbances. They operate freely and conduct their activities normally. Another group of them has gone to Kalafgan District in Balkh province."

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
according to another informed source from Badakhshan province, the number of foreign murderous Moslems present in the Ragh district of Badakhshan province, along with their families, amounts to around 200 to 250 individuals. This source states that the conditions for living and operations have been established for these groups in various districts and urban centers, and as a result, they are attempting to spread out across different densely populated areas. The source adds, "The number of foreign murderous Moslems in Ragh has reached around 200 individuals. They are Tajiks, they are Uzbeks. Khostak Valley used to be their center, but now they have dispersed; they have come to the district of Raghistan, and they are seeking refuge. Some of them have gone to the Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province with their families. They are also present in Fayzabad city. A group of them is in the Maimay area too."

Another source confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that a significant number of these groups have received support from the Taliban and have established family ties. This source adds, "Most of them have obtained Afghan identity cards with the help of the Taliban. Several Tajiks [Tajikistani hard boys] have obtained ID cards in Fayzabad City. A number of them have obtained ID cards in various districts." The source states that around 20 families of Tajikistani Taliban members are living in three villages in the Ragh district. The source elaborates, "Two families among them have married locally, giving and taking daughters of each other. They are living in areas like Sefidab, Dahn Shala, and Khonilar. Similarly, they have dispersed across various areas of Badakhshan province. They have a strong interest in Ragh district due to its gold resources. These people [foreign hard boys] possess resources and capital. Their true intentions and plans remain unknown. The situation is quite complex." The source further revealed, "Before the fall of Badakhshan province to the hands of the Taliban, the center of foreign murderous Moslems was in Khostak valley. A person named Gul Heidar Shafaq has conducted major coordination. Another person named Abdul Rahim is involved. These two Tajiks have plans in this region, but it’s unclear what they are doing."

Referring to the killing of a commander from the Tajikistan border forces at the Afghanistan border, a source states, "A group of them, who were in Maimay, around 6 to 8 individuals, intended to intimidate the Tajiks, transfer their substances [drugs], and monitor the situation. They went for sabotage but clashed with Tajik security forces, resulting in the death of two and the return of four. Foreign murderous Moslems who were in Badakhshan province have mostly gone to Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province, where they have established training centers. Their number exceeds a thousand. They have centralized their operations there, focusing on training and procuring military equipment. It appears significant plans have been laid for Central Asia, but no one dares to voice concern."

Another source tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily that those families of foreign murderous Moslems who have come to Faizabad City, the center of Badakhshan province, live in the area close to the "former national army recruitment center". Additionally, according to the source, foreign murderous Moslems who previously collaborated with the Taliban against former security forces are now in command of the former National Army recruitment center. The source adds, "Foreigners have their base in the same recruitment and mobilization center. Foreign groups that were with the Taliban, of them are now in the former recruitment and mobilization center. They have a very limited presence within the city. They go out during the evening and night." The source further states that some families of foreign murderous Moslems in Badakhshan province are involved in arms trading and gold mining activities.

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
one of the residents of Badakhshan province has shared his observation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily regarding the presence of foreign murderous Moslems in Kunduz province. They report seeing individuals who cannot speak languages like Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, and Turkmen. According to this source, "It was a few months after the fall [of the previous government]. Our vehicle’s diesel pump was broken. They had just opened a square in the city of Kunduz. There was an automobile repair shop nearby. There were two vehicles packed with individuals. One of their vehicles was broken, so they took it inside the shop. They had a model of a fielder vehicle without a license plate with Left Hand Traffic (LHT). They were dressed in white clothes and wearing handmade traditional skullcaps. They were speaking among themselves, and we couldn’t comprehend. I think they might have been Uighur or Kazakh because they sounded similar to Russian or Kazakh. They had long beards, and their hair was machine-cut. They resembled local Turkmen, but they weren’t Turkmen because it was clear they had no familiarity with the people or the region. Everyone was saying that these are foreign Taliban."

Simultaneously, sources in Badakhshan province reveal that most of the Tajikistani murderous Moslems have gone to the forests of the Imam Sahib district, where they are engaged in training and planning. An informed source estimates the number of Tajik murderous Moslems in this district to be around 30. According to them, the Taliban use these individuals as a means of pressuring Tajikistan. The source adds, "Their number is not more than 30. They have a couple of tanks. Some days, they go to Shir Khan Bandar with the Taliban. There, they showcase themselves to the Tajik trucks passing through the border. They engage in fishing in the Shir Khan Bandar River. Everyone knows them there because they are well-armed and possess American weapons. Tajiks believe they can conquer their country in a day. The Taliban employ them for psychological warfare and pressuring the Tajiks."

A former government official with an in-depth understanding of the northeastern region of the country also informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily that all jihadist groups, including ISIS, Ansar Allah, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), are active in northern provinces, particularly the provinces of Badakhshan, Kunduz, Takhar, Balkh, and Sar-e Pol. They added, "Under the Taliban’s protection, they have bases in Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province in Spin Zar housing schemes, Shah Ron area, and other locations."

Regarding the presence of leaders from ISIS, Ansar Allah, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the source stated, "Sheikh Abdul Haq Uighuri, responsible for the military network of ISIS, and Mullah Ibraheem, head of Ansar Allah hard boy group have military bases in Baghlan province. Furqan (one of their commanders) lives in the house of Commander Gul Ahmad in the vicinity of Central Silo in the city of Pul-e Khumri, the center of the province."

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the former government of Afghanistan, stated that the Tajikistan Ansar Allah group, Jundallah
..."Soldiers of God," a name used by ~~two~~ multiple separate terror outfits, one active in Iran and the other in Pakistain. Both are Sunni organizations that target Shiites. The Pak version has close relations with al-Qaeda and the Pak Talibs and is probably a false nose and mustache for Lashkar-e-Jhangvi...
group, and the Islamic Jihad
...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah...
group led by Alim Beg Mohammadov and the Tajik Taliban led by Mehdi Arsalan/Mohammad Sharifov are also present in northeastern Afghanistan, with around 200 to 300 hard boys. Informed and local sources in Badakhshan province also confirm the number of murderous Moslems in these groups and state that they are mainly stationed in border areas with Tajikistan.

THE PRESENCE OF THE EAST TURKESTAN ISLAMIC MOVEMENT (ETIM) IN AFGHANISTAN
According to the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is also actively present in Afghanistan. Haji Furqan, the overall commander of the military fronts of this group, spends most of his time in Faizabad City, the center of Badakhshan province. Informed and reliable sources confirm to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that this member of the leadership of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is currently residing in Faizabad city and his security is ensured by the Taliban. He has married in Badakhshan province and has acquired a forged identity and passport. This matter has also been confirmed by the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring committee report. The United Nations report states that Badakhshan province serves as the main base for this group. An individual named Abdul Haq al-Turkistani is responsible for leading this group.

Sources continue to confirm that this group is currently rebuilding its strongholds in the Wurduj district of Badakhshan province. A source tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily: "They have occupied the area and are reinforcing their strongholds. They control the region entirely." The United Nations Security Council’s monitoring committee report also states that this group has reconstructed several strongholds in Badakhshan province and expanded its operational area. According to the report, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) has clandestinely procured arms to enhance its military capabilities.

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the former government of Afghanistan, estimates the number of murderous Moslems in the Turkestan Islamic Party

...... Uighur jihadi group based in Badakshan, Afghanistan and listed under Tehrik-e-Taliban in the Al Qaeda organization table. Their Syria subsidiary currently reports to Al Nusra in the Idlib-Latakia region, where the Russians and Americans have been taking turns shooting them — they’re on their third Number 1 in three years......
(TIP/ETIM) to be around 700 to 800 individuals. Mr. Nabil has stated that the Uighur murderous Moslems are led by Haji Furqan and Sheikh Abuzar, who are mostly active in the northern and northeastern regions of the country. Mr. Nabil also mentions that this group is active in the provinces of Badghis and Ghor, with an estimated 100 to 150 hard boys.

According to the United Nations Security Council’s Monitoring Committee report, it has been mentioned that this group is actively engaged in exchanging military experiences and manufacturing kabooms in collaboration with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) and Ansarullah group. The Security Council’s report states that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is focusing its attacks on China’s interests in Afghanistan. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement’s (ETIM) primary goal is to establish an independent Islamic state for Uighurs in China and other Turkic-speaking groups in East China and Central Asia. While this group was previously listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, Washington removed it from the list last year.

Sources speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily claim that Haji Furqan is between 65 to 70 years old. One source states: "[Haji Furqan] mostly resembles Afghan Turkmens. He has a long beard, and a strong build, and is considered a religious scholar. He possesses eloquence and fluency, speaking fluent Persian. His preaching has had a significant impact in the areas he has operated in, attracting a larger following. The Taliban hold him in high respect. He has also trained the Taliban in using mines, explosives, and tanks during their fight against the former Afghan government."

Another source, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, stated that Haji Furqan spent most of his time during the Republic era in the village of "Keyu" in the Jurm district, near the Khostak and Warduj valleys. This source added, "During the Republic era, Haji Furqan was a primary financial supporter of Qari Fasihuddin [the chief of staff of the armed forces of the Taliban]. To the extent that Furqan gave money to the Taliban in Badakhshan province, the Taliban themselves [the Taliban regime] did not provide financial assistance." This source mentioned, "Furqan is currently on the move. He is mostly in Fayzabad. He has a close relationship with a drug smuggler and the third-ranking member of the Taliban in this province, and he spends most of his time at his house. He has taken a wife and established personal connections."
Furthermore, this source mentions another Taliban member who monitors the security situation of Haji Furqan, but due to security issues, the name of this Taliban member is not disclosed.

It is noteworthy that according to the claims of sources, Haji Furqan has also been involved in the Kharooq uprisings in Tajikistan’s Badakhshan province. According to one source, some members of this group operate under different aliases in a secretive manner in Tajikistan, and their financial resources are provided by drug smugglers. It is mentioned that Haji Furqan has spent some time with the al-Qaeda network and currently maintains close ties with that network as well. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the Hasht-e Subh Daily cannot independently confirm Haji Furqan’s role in the Kharooq uprisings in Tajikistan’s Badakhshan province.

Members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) have also attempted to establish familial ties in Afghanistan. Some members of this group have obtained Afghan identity cards and passports with the help of the Taliban. The United Nations Security Council report states that this group seeks to establish a presence in Afghanistan through various methods, including marriage, acquiring identities through fraudulent documents, and portraying their members as Afghan residents.

Earlier, Ramazon Rahimzoda, the Interior Minister of Tajikistan, had stated that the Taliban had distributed passports to around 3,000 members of "terrorist groups." He added that terrorist groups in northern Afghanistan are located near the Tajikistan border. Rahimzoda also asserted that over 20 terrorist groups are active in Afghanistan.

Previously, the Taliban have repeatedly declared that they have severed ties with terrorist groups in the region and denied the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan. This group, which interacts with regional countries, has also provided written assurances to China that it will not support the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other groups opposing the government of China in Afghanistan. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
it is noteworthy that the leadership members of this group (ETIM) in northeastern Afghanistan receive protection and identity documents under the stringent security management of the Taliban. Rahmatullah Nabil has also confirmed that foreign terrorist groups, due to their deep and ideological connections with the Taliban, have obtained Afghan identities and have settled in various parts of the country under different names.

It should be noted that alongside the United States, China, Pakistain, and Central Asian countries, Russia has also expressed serious concerns about the infiltration of murderous Moslem groups in Central Asia. Although Vladimir Putin
...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...
, the President of Russia, handed over the Afghan embassy in Moscow to the Taliban, he has issued warnings about the presence of terror groups in Afghanistan. He stated that these terrorist groups pose a threat to the stability and security of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. It remains unclear how long these concerns will persist, but documents and evidence indicate that the relationship between the Taliban and regional and global jihadist groups is not conclusively terminated. It appears that in any case, the group will either protect them within their structures or under their support.

Link

Terror Networks

Whatever Happened to Al Qaeda?

2023-08-06

[ForeignPolicy] The once-powerful organization’s disappearance from headlines and the broader foreign-policy conversation is remarkable.

On July 31, 2022, a U.S. dronezap killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
at a Taliban

Link

Afghanistan

Taliban Flaunts Terrorism Commitments by Appointing al-Qaida-Affiliated Governors

2023-06-27

[VOA] For more than 15 years, Qari Baryal has been on a special list of Washington’s "most-wanted" Taliban
Taliban

...the Pashtun equivalent of men...
and al-Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan, accused of carrying out bombing and suicide kabooms across the country.

Baryal and the bully boyz he oversaw were "involved in the supervision of IED [improvised bomb] production, suicide personnel allocation, and overall attack planning and execution" in Kabul and surrounding provinces, according to U.S. military reports.

In November 2021, two months after U.S. and NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis....
forces withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban appointed Baryal as the governor of Kabul province. In March 2022, he became the provincial governor for Kapisa province, northeast of Kabul.

Baryal is among those listed in a recent United Nations
...an idea whose time has gone...
report as one of the Taliban’s leaders "affiliated" with al-Qaeda. Besides Baryal, Nuristan Governor Hafiz Muhammad Agha Hakeem and Tajmir Jawad, the Taliban’s deputy director of intelligence, are also listed in the report.

"With the patronage of the Taliban, al-Qaeda members have received appointments and advisory roles in the Taliban security and administrative structures," the U.N. Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team said in the report earlier in June. It called relations between the Taliban and al-Qaeda "strong and symbiotic."

According to the report, an estimated 400 al-Qaeda gunnies were in Afghanistan, and there are signs that the terrorist group "is rebuilding operational capability."

The Taliban rejected the report, calling it "biased and far from reality."

U.S. officials have long expressed skepticism over Taliban claims that they have distanced themselves from al-Qaeda. When a U.S. drone killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
last July, he was found living in a home in a central neighborhood of the capital, Kabul.

The U.S. said his presence there demonstrated the Taliban had broken the 2020 Doha Agreement signed by the U.S. and the Taiban. By hosting and sheltering the al-Qaeda leader, the Taliban violated commitments to not allow bully boyz in Afghan territory threaten the security of other countries.

The Taliban "will send a clear message that those who pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies have no place in Afghanistan," the agreement stated.

Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told VOA that by appointing "double-hatted" al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders, including Baryal, who killed American troops, the Taliban "are openly flouting" the so-called peace agreement.

These appointments show that the Taliban "are not concerned about the perception of the international community," Roggio said.

He said the Taliban "always lied" about their ties with al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, and that the group’s statements cannot be "trusted."

Roggio said Afghanistan could again become a training hub for the terrorist group.

"This is everything that al-Qaeda can hope for. They have safe haven. They have support from the Taliban, who are in full control of the country," he said.

But some experts do not think the country is becoming a magnet for imported muscle.

Sami Yousafzai, a journalist who covered Afghanistan for years, told VOA he believes al-Qaeda members now in Afghanistan are mainly Arabs, with just a few Afghan Taliban members who joined "out of necessity."

"They had contacts with al-Qaeda since they were living there, and they were protecting al-Qaeda as they paid them," he said.

Other regional experts say the region’s long military conflict between the Taliban and U.S.-led forces created loose alliances among regional militia groups.

Rahmatullah Andar, the former front man for Afghanistan’s National Security Council, told VOA that the Taliban groups in the districts have been hosting al-Qaeda members for more than 20 years.

"Therefore, it is difficult to separate them. Not only with al-Qaeda but also with the Pak Taliban," he said.

Andar added that some Afghans were working with al-Qaeda, but there were also some who were group members.

"They have the same worldview, the same goals and the same approach," he said.

Back in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province, Baryal now posts Facebook videos showing his outreach to the local community as the Taliban government’s official representative.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Thread connecting Newroz crime in Syria’s Jindires with ISIS

2023-03-30

[NPASyria] Since ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
and its affiliated armed opposition factions, also known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), took control over areas in Syria’s north, including Afrin in 2018, and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad in 2019, human rights
One man's rights are another man's existential threat.
violations against civilians have never ceased.

Both military operations against Afrin (Olive Branch) and against Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad (Peace Spring) caused the total displacement of about 700,000 individuals.

The ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-backed SNA factions in these areas have committed an endless series of violations mainly targeting the original inhabitants — Kurds, Yazidis, Christians, and Alawites — in addition to committing systematic violations that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The factions have posted footage of holy warriors stealing, seizing civilians’ properties, and inciting the killing of the areas’ residents.

Although these factions have violated international and human rights laws and international norms since the date they occupied these areas, and though many documentations and human rights reports prove their involvement in arbitrary arrests, kidnappings, killings and many other crimes, they have never been held accountable.

JINDIRES CRIME
On the eve of Newroz, on March 20, the new year that is celebrated by Kurds all over the world, holy warriors of Jaish al-Sharqiya, a ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-backed SNA faction, carried out a systematic crime in the town of Jindires of Afrin countryside, shooting to death five civilian Kurds, four from one family — Farah al-Din Othman, 43, Nazmi, 38, Muhammad Nazmi, and Muhammad — and wounding a child, for igniting the Newroz flame, which is a key ritual of celebrating the holiday, in front of their house.

According to the victims’ sister, the holy warriors shot at her brothers and nephew with more than five bullets. The sister said in a video that went viral on social media, "ten bullets were removed from the body of my brother."

She went further adding that the ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-backed holy warriors were about to attack residents of Jindires when they gathered in front of a hospital, where the dead and maimed were brought to, while shouting the names of the victims, expressing their anger over the crime.

The victims’ another sister stressed that this is not the first time SNA holy warriors have attacked her brothers. In 2018, during the invasion of Afrin, they fled strikes by ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish aircrafts. When they returned after Afrin was occupied, they were shocked to see that the factions had seized the house of one of her brothers. When he demanded that his house be returned, he was arrested and tortured, before being released.

The Liberation and Construction Movement (LCM), a coalition of factions headed by Ahrar al-Sharqiya, denied that the perpetrators were affiliated to their faction. In a statement issued on March 21, they indicated that the perpetrators of the crime were two individuals, one of whom was arrested, while the whereabouts of the other is unknown.

In another statement, the LCM announced that three IDPs had been arrested as the perpetrators of the crime, and later it announced that a fourth person, who was also involved in the crime, had also been arrested.

Despite the contradicted statements of the First Legion within the Syrian opposition Interim Government’s Ministry of Defense, residents and eyewitnesses stressed that the perpetrators are affiliated with Jaish al-Sharqiya. One of them is called Hassan al-Dabaa, nicknamed ’Abu Hamza al-Khasham’. Another is Ali Khalaf, nicknamed ’Abu Habib al-Khasham’.

The North Press Monitoring and Documentation Department, based on eyewitnesses and the victims’ family members, reported that the criminals are from Jaish al-Sharqiya, which is affiliated with the ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-backed SNA.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also commented on the opposition factions and said that the ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-backed opposition factions rarely hold their factions responsible for the series of human rights violations committed in the past five years. The HRW also emphasized in its report that Jaish al-Sharqiya is the mainly responsible for the crime.

The HRW called on Turkey, as an occupying power and as a backer of the local factions operating in areas under its control in northern Syria, to investigate these killings and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

It also stressed that Turkey should cut all support to SNA factions implicated in recurring or systemic human rights abuses and international humanitarian law violations.

155 Syrian organizations signed a statement condemning the crime committed on the eve of Newroz. They called on the UN to take all necessary measures to protect the civilians in Afrin and throughout Syria, and immediately cease the violations against them.

They also called on the UN to pressure Turkey as an occupying power to assume its legal responsibilities in ensuring public order and safety, and to stop the demographic changes in Afrin and all the ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-occupied areas of Syria.

FACTION’S CONNECTION TO ISIS
On December 7, 2022, an unidentified drone targeted two members of Jaish al-Sharqiya riding a cycle of violence in the countryside of Jindires. Later, the Pentagon clarified that it was a US drone and that it had targeted one of the top five ISIS leaders, Maher al-Agal, along with one of his senior assistants. al-Agal was carrying an ID from the local council of Afrin under a pseudonym.

Al-Agal was responsible for the development of ISIS networks outside of Iraq and Syria and was in charge of a region in Raqqa under ISIS’ rule. He moved to Tel Abyad, which is under the control of SNA factions. Later the leader of Ahrar al-Sham
...a Syria jihadi group made up of Islamists and salafists, not that there's that much difference, formed into a brigade. They make up the main element of the Islamic Front but they don't profess adoration of al-Qaeda and they've been fighting (mainly for survival) against the Islamic State. Their leadership was wiped out at a single blow by a suicide kaboom at a crowded basement meeting in September, 2014...
, which was designated as a "terrorist" group, ordered his removal to Afrin.

According to sources from Afrin and publicly available information, the man responsible for the Jindires crime, Hassan al-Dabaa, has connections with ISIS and is closely connected with the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS, formerly al-Nusra
...formally Jabhat an-Nusrah li-Ahli al-Sham (Support Front for the People of the Levant), also known as al-Qaeda in the Levant. They aim to establish a pan-Arab caliphate. Not the same one as the Islamic State, though .. ...
Front), Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, who in turn was a member in ISIS and worked with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. screeching muppets released photos of al-Dabaa accompanied by al-Jolani.

A military source confirmed to North Press that a great number of Jaish al-Sharqiya holy warriors are former ISIS and al-Nusra members that are designated as terrorist groups.

VIOLATIONS BY SNA FACTIONS
Jaish al-Sharqiya has a long history of violations, such as murder, kidnapping, torture, expropriation of property, cutting down trees, blackmail, in addition to hundreds of assaults since 2018, particularly in Jindires and its countryside.

In 2015, the faction slaughtered two defectors from the Syrian government forces after arresting and torturing them on the Azaz-Tel Rifaat road in the northern countryside of Aleppo.

Jaish al-Sharqiya committed many violations alongside other factions before detaching itself from Ahrar al-Sharqiya. They committed blackmail, arrests, abduction of civilians in return for a ransom, and robbed public and private property. They also executed and killed many civilians under the charge of working with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

According to human rights organizations, the group is responsible for kidnapping more than 200 civilians in Afrin in return for ransom. It is known they killed the civilians Sharaf al-Din Sido, Rashid Hamid Khalil, and his disabled son, Muhammad Khalil, in 2022 after subjecting them to physical torture, as their relatives were not able to pay the ransom for their release.

The faction participated in the execution of Hevrin Khalaf, secretary-general of the Future Syria Party, and several of her companions on the M4 Highway, between Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye, on October 12, 2019.

The harassment and actions of the factions against the people of Afrin are inhumane and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. They have been ongoing for more than five years, and the perpetrators of these violations have not been punished or held accountable, which has exacerbated the situation in the region and increased the frequency of violations.

The deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch, Adam Coogle, said, "these killings come after over five years of unaddressed human rights abuses at the hands of ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish forces and the local Syrian factions they empower. Turkey has allowed these fighters to abuse people living in the areas under their control with impunity, risking making itself complicit in the violations."

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Foreign fighters in NW Syria invested by Turkey, HTS

2023-03-24

[NPASYRIA] Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS, formerly al-Nusra
...formally Jabhat an-Nusrah li-Ahli al-Sham (Support Front for the People of the Levant), also known as al-Qaeda in the Levant. They aim to establish a pan-Arab caliphate. Not the same one as the Islamic State, though .. ...
Front) continues to use imported muscle as political leverage in coordination with ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
, as well as a tool against government forces and opposition factions, taking advantage of the large number of foreigners who cannot leave areas under their control.

In 2012, imported muscle from different countries began entering Syria through Turkey. ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish intelligence reportedly guided the bully boyz into different factions, the most prominent of which are the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS), al-Nusra Front, Jund al-Sham, and Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad.

LOCATIONS OF DEPLOYMENT
Exclusive sources from HTS’ Office of Foreign Fighters told North Press that there are "over 7,500 fighters" not of Syrian nationality affiliated with HTS in Idlib. "Almost 6,200 — including Uyghurs, Caucasians, Tajiks, Chechens — are the vanguard in the HTS frontlines,

...also known as cannon fodder...

whereas non-Syrian Arabs, mostly from north Africa, hold administrative, security, and military positions."

Foreign fighters who left HTS or refuse to be affiliated with it, whether in combat or ideology, are not included in official statistics. They live with their families in the towns of al-Fu’ah, Kafraya, and Sarmin, in the northeastern countryside of Idlib, as well as in Ariha, Jisr al-Shughur, and various other villages. HTS’ prisons hold 340 imported muscle under charges of joining ISIS or espionage, according to the source.

A military source of HTS, affiliated with the Red Bands, one of the most brutal faction in its ranks, said they hold between 900-1,200 imported muscle from Chechnya, Tajikistan, and East Turkestan [China], in addition to Moroccans, Algerians, Libyans and several from Iraq and Egypt."

The most prominent foreign faction affiliated with HTS is the Bukhari Jamaat, which is composed of Chechens and Uyghurs, as well as Russian Caucasian groups. Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad has Uzbek, Turkmenistani, and Moroccan members. It also harbors fighters from Gulf countries, in addition to numbers of Syrians, and an Uzbek group, which holds over 550 krazed killers.

One of the most loyal foreign factions to HTS is the Turkmen Islamic Party, which holds the largest number of imported muscle, specifically Uyghurs, and is directly supported by Turkey because of their members’ Turkic origins. They also undergo training and security courses within ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish territory and have a hospitalization center in Antakya. Turkey has facilitated their entry into the country, according to the source.

The same source noted that there is also an Iranian faction, named the ’Sunni Youth in Iran’ under the command of ’Abu Muhammad al-Irani’, a former commander of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. ’Abu Yahya al-Asfehani al-Irani’, another high-ranking member of the faction, holds around 150 Iranian fighters, and is affiliated with HTS on the frontlines in Idlib.

HTS also harbors prominent leaders from al-Qaeda in Pakistain and Afghanistan, as well as Iraq, who "have the greatest influence on [HTS leader] al-Jolani’s military approach," according to the source.

Abu Ayub al-Maghrabi is the emir in charge of borders and border crossings and was a former al-Qaeda leader in Pakistain, before heading to Syria. Abu Abdulrahman al-Qahtani, one of Jolani’s top men, was a colleague of Abu-Zaid al Kuwaiti, an al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan and the "most distinguished student of [al-Qaeda leaders] the late Osama bin Laden
...... who is now beyond all cares and woe......
and al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
." Additionally, there is Mazhar al-Ways, the most notable member of HTS’ Shura Council, who operated under the command of ISIS between 2013 and 2014 in ISIS’ so-called ’Wilayat al-Khair’ province in Deir ez-Zor.

There is also Musleh al-Alyan, one of the "most famous politicians of HTS from Saudi Arabia

...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Fifteen of the nineteen WTC hijackers were Saudis, and most major jihadi commanders were Saudis, to include Osama bin Laden. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman quietly folded that tent in 2016, doing terrible things to the guys running it, and has since been dragging the kingdom into the current century...
," together with ’Abdullah al-Mehisani’, a Saudi national and "the most prominent jihadi agitator," who currently works covertly from his residence in Sarmada, in north Idlib.

The Uzbek faction within HTS includes Abu Salah al-Turkistani and Khattab al-Shishani, students of Saifullah al-Jazrawi, one of al-Qaeda’s emirs in Afghanistan during al-Zawahiri’s rule. Many of those who fought under al-Qaeda’s banner are currently in the ranks of HTS, but "avoid publicity for fear of liquidation," according to the source.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Iran denies harboring de facto al-Qaeda leader

2023-02-18

“Wudn’t us!”

[SHAFAQ] Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations
...an organization originally established to war on dictatorships which was promptly infiltrated by dictatorships and is now held in thrall to dictatorships...
in New York on Wednesday rejected a report by the world body's experts that has said de facto al-Qaeda leader Saif al-Adl is currently based in Iran.

"It is worth noting that the address for the so-called newly appointed al-Qaeda leader is incorrect," the Iranian mission announced on Twitter.

Casting the UN report as "misinformation," the mission said on Twitter it could "potentially hinder efforts to combat terrorism." According to the Iranian mission, al-Qaeda as a global network was dismantled following the 2011 death of its leader the late Osama bin Laden
...... who used to be alive but now he's not......
The UN report, released on Monday, relied on findings by many member states and described Adl's "presence in the Islamic Theocratic Republic of Iran" as a "fact."

On Wednesday, the same assertion was repeated by the US government, which has placed a $10 million bounty on Adl over his role in deadly bombings targeting American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya back in 1988.

But addressing US authorities, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian dismissed the accusation as a "failed campaign of Iranophobia." In a tweet on Thursday, he also advised Washington against giving "the wrong address" on terrorism, claiming that it was the US government that created such groups as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
A formal announcement on al-Adl's leadership has yet to be made by al-Qaeda, whose last leader Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
was killed in a US ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
in Afghanistan last year. Those delays, according to the UN report, were caused by "sensitivity to Afghan Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
concerns" in making public acknowledgment of Zawahiri's death.

The perceived reluctance of al-Qaeda as a Sunni bully boy group to target Iranian interests despite fundamental ideological differences with the Shiite government in Tehran has left room for speculation on possible links and exchanges between the two sides.

The latest UN report came against the backdrop of older accusations Iran
Iran

...The nation is noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence...
has been facing over providing safe heavens to the al-Qaeda leadership. In January 2021, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alleged that al-Qaeda had found "a new home base" in Iran, as Islamic Theocratic Republic officials were allowing the group to "set up its operational headquarters and fundraise from within Iranian territory."

Link

India-Pakistan

India arrests two terror suspects planning to leave for Afghanistan

2023-02-13

[KhaamaPress] According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India, two terrorist suspects about to travel to Afghanistan were detained in a case involving al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent’s efforts to radicalize and incite young people to commit terrorist crimes in the country.

According to a federal agency official, Hamraz Worshid Sheikh of Maharashtra and Mohd Arif, a resident of Bengaluru, were in online touch with handlers working for banned terrorist groups who were headquartered abroad.

On Saturday, the two were apprehended and taken up for questioning following searches at Thanisandra in Bengaluru and Palghar-Thane in Maharashtra state, India.

"NIA arrested the two accused on Sunday in a case relating to a conspiracy by terrorist organizations based in India and abroad to radicalize the youth and provoke them to indulge in acts of violence and terrorism," a front man said.

After the Doha agreement between the US and the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
group in February 2020, the Taliban agreed to cut ties with al-Qaeda as part of the agreement with the United States.

On the other hand, it will not allow any groups to operate against the United States or other countries. However,
a lie repeated often enough remains a lie...
Ayman al Zawahiri

...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
, the al-Qaeda leader, has found and killed by the US in Kabul last year.

On the other hand, the South Asian branch of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent tries to take advantage of the Taliban’s resurgence in the country.

Link

Afghanistan

'No Details Found to Prove Zawahiri Was Killed in Kabul': Islamic Emirate

2023-02-09

*Snicker* Saying it won’t force Allah to make it so, suggesting that Allah doesn’t love the Talibs nearly as much as they suppose.

[ToloNews] The Islamic Emirate said that they have not found any details to prove that Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
, former leader of al-Qaeda, was killed in Afghanistan.
Oh yeah? Then whose nose is this??
In August, US President Joe The Big Guy Biden
Joe <q>The Big Guy</q> Biden

...46th president of the U.S. Sleazy Dem machine politician, paterfamilias of the Biden Crime Family, the guy who bungled Afghanistan...
in a live address announced the death of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

"We have not reached a result yet. There has been no clear and decisive reason to prove that such an incident happened. It is still at a level of allegation. We have not received a satisfactory reason by the US," said Zabiullah Mujahid, Islamic Emirate’s front man.

However,
there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly...
the Islamic Emirate then condemned the drone attack that took place in August, in which the US said Zawahiri was killed.

"If Zawahiri was alive, he might defend himself and prove somehow the US claim wrong," said Mohammad Hassan Haqyar, a political analyst.

Some political analysts called the death of Zawahiri a controversial issue and urged an international investigation into it.

"To be clearer to the public mind, it is better that the sides agree on an investigation by an international and professional team in this regard," said Asadullah Nadim, a political analyst.

"This is a plan of the ISI and CIA to stress their claim that Afghanistan is a sanctuary of terrorists," said Bilal Fatimi, a political analyst.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, 71, who led the al-Qaeda network after the death of founder the late Osama bin Laden
...... who is now among the dear departed, though not among the dearest......
, was born to an Egyptian family in 1951 in Cairo.

His father Mohammed, who died in 1995,

...so he didn’t live long enough to have to be ashamed at what his son became...

was a pharmacology professor at Cairo University, where Zawahiri obtained a master’s degree in surgery.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

SNA's Military Police arrests 8 Ahrar al-Sham members in Afrin city

2023-02-05

[NPASYRIA] On Saturday, the Military Police of the ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-backed opposition factions, also known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), arrested eight members of Ahrar al-Sham
...a Syria jihadi group made up of Islamists and salafists, not that there's that much difference, formed into a brigade. They make up the main element of the Islamic Front but they don't profess adoration of al-Qaeda and they've been fighting (mainly for survival) against the Islamic State. Their leadership was wiped out at a single blow by a suicide kaboom at a crowded basement meeting in September, 2014...
, a member faction, in the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo.

There are only about 400 of them left. They’re considered an ally of Al Nusra (HTS) nowadays.

A local source told North Press, "The Military Police arrested eight members of the SNA’s Ahrar al-Sham faction on Villat Avenue in Afrin city."

The arrest came after the faction’s members made remarks critical of ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
<del>The Sick Man of Europe</del> Turkey

<del>The Sick Man of Europe</del> Turkey

...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
in the aftermath of a ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish dronezap which killed a member of Ahrar al-Sham on January 25, the source said.

However,
ars longa, vita brevis...
the source added, the Military Police hid the real reason for their arrest behind drug use charges.

The city of Afrin and its countryside have been under the control of Turkey and ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish-backed SNA following an invasion in 2018.

Link

Afghanistan

Al-Qaeda threat, blowback for Pakistan increasing from an Afghanistan in chaos

2023-01-28

[StraitsTimes] Afghanistan is again in chaos, with the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
severely restricting women and fighting elements of the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
Khorasan Province, and its ideological sibling Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) destabilising Pakistain.

And with the Taliban showing no sign of moving against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, an old worry is surfacing — that the terrorist group could be re-emerging as a threat, across the region and to the United States and its allies.

The threat of al-Qaeda is greater today than it was prior to the Sept 11, 2001 attacks in the US that triggered the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, argues Mr Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracy and editor of the Foundation’s Long War Journal, which analyses the US’ global war on terror.

Before Sept 11, 2001, the Afghan Taliban did not fully control Afghanistan, Mr Roggio told The Straits Times’ Asian Insider.

"The Northern Alliance controlled anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent of the country in the north-east. It actively fought the Afghan Taliban," he said. The Northern Alliance was a coalition of militia that resisted the first Taliban regime from 1996 until the regime’s fall in 2001.

Today, the Afghan Taliban is in full control of the country.

"Resistance® is nascent at best. The Afghan Taliban has all of the equipment, billions of dollars in US hardware, military equipment... ammunition, the fuel that was left behind, training bases," he said.

"That relationship between al-Qaeda and the Taliban has been forged in decades of blood and fire while fighting against the US and the West inside of Afghanistan. The Taliban isn’t going to abandon al-Qaeda. It never was going to. This was a fantasy."

When the US signed the February 2020 Doha Agreement paving the way for its withdrawal — which finally came in August 2021 — then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had claimed that the Taliban would "destroy al-Qaeda".

"That’s what he claimed," Mr Roggio said. "(Yet) there’s been zero targeting of al-Qaeda by the Afghan Taliban."

On July 31, 2022, the US killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri

...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
in a dronezap in downtown Kabul, where he had lived in a safe house run by Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani

...son of Pashtun warlord Jalaluddin Haqqani, still titular head of the Haqqani Network....
. The Taliban had "grossly" violated the Doha Agreement by hosting and sheltering al-Zawahiri, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after the strike.

The TTP is threatening the Pak state, said Mr Javid Ahmad, non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Centre in Washington, and a former ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates.

"The TTP is a classic case of reverse insurgency," he told Asian Insider. "This time, it’s threatening the Pak state."

"They believe that if the Afghan Taliban managed to secure their own syariah-based emirate in Afghanistan, so could the TTP in Pakistain," he added.

Link

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