Militant Leadership Monitor – August 2014 Issue

The August 2014 issue of Militant Leadership Monitor begins with two briefs on Syrian rebel commanders fighting against the Islamic State. Abu Thabit commands the FSA affiliate Kata’ib Syuuf al-Shabaa while Akram al-Ka’abi, formerly of the Jaysh al-Mahdi, now leads Harakat al-Nujaba. Jacob Zenn offers a portraits of Hafsat Bako and Babuji Yaari, who were recently arrested for their work with Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram and were likely involved in the Chibok kidnapping. Next, an analysis of Lavdrim Muhaxheri, a former ISAF Kosovar contractor who now fights for the Islamic State in Iraq is given by Ebi Spahiu. Farhan Zahid covers Hammad Adil, the former leader of an al-Qaeda/TTP cell in Islamabad. Finally, John C.K. Daly covers the recent arrest of Andergachew Tsege, an Ethiopian opposition leader and alleged terrorist.