Introduction After the establishment of Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (The Group for Support of Islam and Muslims—JNIM) in March 2017, the geographic shift characterizing al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s (AQIM) strategic trajectory became even more visible. The group became primarily focused on the Sahelian... MORE

The Arab inhabitants of eastern Syria have once again turned out in protest against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Western partner force in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS). The rejection of the SDF’s rule in the area has its roots in political... MORE

In March, the shura (consultative council) of Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) released an audio recording announcing Abdullah Ibn Umar al-Barnawi (a.k.a. “Ba Idrisa”) as ISWAP’s new leader (Twitter.com/A_Salkida, March 4). [1] Ba Idrisa had formerly been a follower of Muhammed Yusuf, who... MORE

Iraq: US-Iran Tensions Inflaming Divisions Already Being Exploited by Islamic State Brian M. Perkins Tensions between the United States and Iran have continued to escalate in recent weeks amid concerns regarding the persistence of Islamic State (IS) fighters in Iraq. IS cells had remained in... MORE

Introduction On  April 23, 37 individuals were killed in state-mandated executions across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, each accused of terror-related crimes; at least 33 of those killed were Shia Muslims (Arab News, April 23). The individual charges have not been released, with officials only... MORE

Aside from a branch of fighters in the restive region of Jammu and Kashmir, India has largely been spared violence at the hands of fighters belonging to, or aligned with, Islamic State (IS). Similarly, many of the once potent terrorist groups operating in India have... MORE

As it lost control of key regions in Iraq and Syria, Islamic State (IS) may have found a foothold in the conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In April, IS claimed responsibility for two attacks on villages in eastern DRC, a region beset by rebel... MORE

Burkina Faso:  Recent Attacks Point to Spread of Terrorism in Burkina Faso and the Region Brian M. Perkins On May 16, Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister called for the creation of a new counterterrorism coalition in the Sahel amid an escalation of terrorist activity throughout the... MORE

Since its establishment in 2007, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has remained a potent threat and the most dangerous Islamist terrorist organization in Pakistan. The TTP has been involved in upwards of 1,400 terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s four provinces, tribal areas, and the federal capital of Islamabad... MORE

The jihadist landscape has increasingly pivoted from the Middle East to Africa, with a proliferation of both local and international terrorist organizations to the continent. The past several years has seen the growth and expansion of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in the Sahel region... MORE