Year: 2013

Check out my new Foreign Policy piece co-authored with Barak Barfi: "Al Qaeda's Syrian Strategy"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin


Al Qaeda is storming across northern Syria. Last month, the al Qaeda affiliate the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) captured the city of al-Bab in the northern province of Aleppo from a rival rebel militia. The capture of the city, one of the largest in the region, gives ISIS control over a key transit point linking Aleppo to its strongholds to the east. And that’s just the latest in a long string of ISIS’s military successes: After brief clashes with outgunned rebel opponents, ISIS took the towns of Azaz and Jarablus, which straddle Syria’s border with Turkey.
To commemorate its victories, the first thing ISIS did in these places was hang its black flag from the top of the highest building. After that, it began to gradually impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
ISIS has embarked on al Qaeda’s most comprehensive campaign yet to win Arab hearts and minds by providing social services to a war-ravaged society. But though the organization’s star is ascendant, its abuses, coupled with an international strategy to limit its influence, could still torpedo its plan to transform northern Syria into an Islamic emirate under its command.
ISIS is thought to count 5,000 to 6,000 fighters within its ranks. That means it’s a lot smaller than other rebel groups, such as the hard-line Salafi Syrian Islamic Front, which boasts 15,000 to 20,000 fighters. But ISIS has one important advantage: Many of its members have previously fought in other jihads, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Libya.
Nowhere is ISIS stronger than in the northern province of Raqqa. It controls the governorate’s capital, Raqqa city, whose prewar population of approximately 277,300 residents has mushroomed due to an influx of displaced persons from other regions. Meanwhile, the brigades affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) are focused on squabbling among themselves. As a result, no FSA unit is strong enough to challenge the group in Raqqa, making it the largest city al Qaeda has ever controlled in the Islamic world.
Click here to read the rest.

New video message from Nāṣir Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Brigades' (Liwā' al-Tawḥīd) 'Amād: "This Is Our Methodology: This is the Path of the Lions"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

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As-Saḥāb Media presents a new video message from al-Qā’idah's Shaykh Abū Khalīl al-Madanī: "Word on the Occasion of a Blessed ‘Īd al-Fiṭr 1434 H"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

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New statement from Jamā'at Anṣār Bayt al-Maqdis: "Declaration of Our Responsibility for the Targeting of the South Sinai Security Directorate: Battle of Revenge for the Muslims of Egypt #2"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

UPDATE 10/13/13 5:26 PM: Here is an English translation of the below Arabic statement:
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Jamā’at Anṣār Bayt al-Maqdis — “Declaration of Our Responsibility for the Targeting of the South Sinai Security Directorate- Battle of Revenge for the Muslims of Egypt #2” (En)
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NOTE: Click here for the first statement in this series.
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Jamā’at Anṣār Bayt al-Maqdis — “Declaration of Our Responsibility for the Targeting of the South Sinai Security Directorate- Battle of Revenge for the Muslims of Egypt #2”
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New statement from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: "Clarification Regarding Rumors About the Release of the Honorable Mullah Baradar Akhond"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin


A hot subject spread by media outlets in the recent past has been rumors regarding the release of the honorable Mullah Baradar Akhond (may Allah hasten his release) which say that he has been released from prison and is living with his family and some media outlets have gone as far as claiming that he is busy in political activities.
However and with great regret!! he is still spending days and nights locked up behind bars in worrisome health conditions which are deteriorating by the day.  The Islamic Emirate and his family believe it to be his legitimate right to be freed under humanitarian and Islamic sympathy from his wrongful imprisonment and due to his deteriorating health condition and also calls for his immediate release. Since high ranking Pakistani officials have repeatedly made statements about his release despite him being in detention therefore we earnestly ask the Pakistani government and officials to give clarification and just as they have announced, he should be released and the subject cleared up.

 

Spokesman of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

04/12/1434

17/07/1392         09/10/13

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New video message from Himam News Agency: “Report 30: The Mujāhidīn of Jabhah al-Nuṣrah Distributing Food Aid to Eligible Recipients – Western Region – Dar’ā"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

NOTE: For previous parts in this video series see: #29, #28, #27, #26, #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1.
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New article from Dr. Iyād Qunaybī: "To the Brothers of Aḥrār al-Shām"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin
إلى إخوتنا أحرار الشام السلام عليكم ورحمة الله. بعد مناصحة إخوتنا في الدولة أثار بعض الإخوة المتابعين تساؤلا عن قضية أبي جعفر رحمه الله في دير قانون، وقالوا أن رجلا من حركة أحرار الشام قتله ومع ذلك لم تحاكمه الحركة، شبيها بما حصل مع أبي عبيدة البنشي رحمه الله حسب كلام الإخوة. وما أعرفه من بيان أصدرته الحركة في حينه أن المشتبه في أنه القاتل فصل من الحركة لعدم استجابته لأمر المثول أمام محكمة شرعية. لكن لعله تبقى تساؤلات الإخوة: هل تابعت الحركة الموضوع بشكل كاف من وقتها؟ وهل كان بإمكان الحركة توقيفه بالقوة ومحاسبته وتقديمه لأولياء المقتول؟ وهنا أطلب من إخواننا في حركة أحرار الشام أن يبينوا مجريات القضية وما اتخذوه من إجراءات فيها، لعلهم يشفون صدور إخوانهم، أو –إن تبين أن هناك تقصيرا- فيضم العبد الفقير صوته إلى صوت إخوانه ليطالبهم بحزم أكثر في الموضوع. ولولا أن عديدين من المتابعين ذكروا الحادثة ونسبوا إلى الإخوة ما لا يتناسب مع بيانهم السابق الذي فصلوا فيه من يشتبه أنه الجاني، لولا ذلك لما أعلنت هذه النصيحة. وليعلم إخواني أن المناصحة العلنية بحد ذاتها لا عيب فيها، إذ أننا نسعى في ذلك إلى تقريب وجهات النظر وإعطاء الفرصة لكل طرف أن ينفي ما قد يُنسب إليه بغير حق، وأن نتعاون على إنصاف المظلوم وحث من عليه حق إلى المسارعة في أدائه ولو بضغط من إخوانه المحبين للجهاد وأهله. وإني أرى ذلك أفضل من “الطبطبة” التي تَـخِيط على الجرح دون علاج: إذا ما الجرح رُم على فساد    تبين فيه إهمال الطبيب لكن المناصحة العلنية المرفوضة هي التي تبالغ في الأمر وتضخمه وتغري السفهاء والدخلاء لينفخوا في كير الفتنة، والتي يبني عليها صاحبها استنتاج أن علاج الجرح في عضو يكون ببتره!! وأعلم أني أقل من المنصوحين شأنا لكن علمنا نبينا وحبيبنا صلى الله عليه وسلم أن ((الدين النصيحة)) فلما سؤال: (لمن؟) قال: ((لله ولرسوله ولأئمة المسلمين وعامتهم))…وبما أني من عامة المسلمين فأحب أن أنصح أحبائي وإخوتي المدافعين عن دين الأمة وعرضها من كل الفصائل. وكلمة أخيرة أقولها: أحيانا يعتب المرء على حبيب وفي نفسه أن الناس يدركون محبته لحبيبه هذا، فلا يرى حاجة إلى أن يوضح هذه المحبة قبل العتاب على اعتبار أنها معروفة. بينما حقيقة الأمر أن كثيرين يخفى عليهم حبه لأخيه فيظنون العتاب بغضا ونفورا، لحداثة عهدهم بصاحب العتاب وقلة معرفتهم به. وإني هنا أقول ما ظننته معروفا من قبل: أنا أحب إخوتي المجاهدين من كل فصيل، وأتشرف بخدمتهم والذب عنهم، واحتملت نتيجة ذلك من قبلُ وقد أحتمل المزيد في أي وقت، ولهم من ولايتي ومحبتي بقدر ما يَظهر من حبهم لله ولرسوله ودفاعهم عن دين الله تعالى ورأفتهم بعباد الله. ونصحي لهم ليس عن بغضاء ولا نفور. بل كما قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ((المؤمن مرآة أخيه، يكف عليه ضيعته ويحوطه من ورائه)). والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله.

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Three new statements from Jabhat al-Nuṣrah

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

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Click the following links for safe PDF copies:
Jabhat al-Nuṣrah — Liberation of the al-Fiqīyy’a in North Western Dar’ā
Jabhat al-Nuṣrah — Loss of More than 30 Soldiers in an Ambush on a Convoy for the Nuṣayrī Army in Rural Aleppo
Jabhat al-Nuṣrah — Bombing the Village of al-Qarabāṭīyyah With Mortars and Responding to the Nuṣayrī Planes in Rural Eastern Aleppo
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New video message from Himam News Agency: “Report 29: A Visit to a Sharī’ah Institute and Distribution of Certificates to Outstanding Students in Rural Idlib"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

NOTE: For previous parts in this video series see: #28, #27, #26, #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, and #1.
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