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Check out my new paper from the Center for Justice and Accountability: “Everyday Life in the Islamic State’s Wilayat al-Raqqah”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Examining the Islamic State’s administrative and bureaucratic apparatus, activities, and how they affected the daily life of local and foreign residents living under Islamic State rule in al-Raqqah between 2013 and 2017.

Click here to read the paper.

Featured

New article for Karam Shaar Advisory Limited’s Newsletter: “The New Syrian Government and the Current Status of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda in Syria”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Nearly six months after the fall of the Assad regime, Syria’s new government faces immense challenges following fourteen years of civil war. One key issue is the ongoing threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and al-Qaeda, both a domestic security concern and a test of the Interim Government’s (IG) credibility in the eyes of Western powers. The US-led Global Coalition has spent nearly a decade combating ISIL in Syria and continues to target al-Qaeda operatives. If Damascus can demonstrate competence in countering these groups, it may ease international concerns rooted in the IG leadership’s past ties—having broken with ISIL in 2013 and al-Qaeda in 2016. The current leadership, once part of Jabhat al-Nusrah and later Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has now been unaffiliated with ISIL for twelve years and al-Qaeda for nine.

Click here to read the rest.

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #497″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior newsletter issues see: #496, #495, #494, #493, #492, #491, #490, #489, #488, #487, #486, #485, #484, #483, #482, #481, #480, #479, #478, #477, #476, #475, #474, #473, #472, #471, #470, #469, #468, #467, #466, #465, #464, #463, #462, #461, #460, #459, #458, #457, #456, #455, #454, #453, #452, #451, #450, #449, #448, #447, #446, #445, #444, #443, #442, #441, #440, #439, #438, #437, #436, #435, #434, #433, #432, #431, #430, #429, #428, #427, #426, #425, #424, #423, #422, #421, #420, #419, #418, #417, #416, #415, #414, #413, #412, #411, #410, #409, #408, #407, #406, #405, #404, #403, #402, #401, #400, #399, #398, #397, #396, #395, #394,  #393, #392, #391, #390, #389, #388, #387, #386, #385, #384, #383, #382, #381, #380, #379, #378, #377, #376, #375, #374, #373, #372, #371, #370, #369, #368, #367, #366, #365, #364, #363, #362, #361, #360, #359, #358, #357, #356, #355, #354, #353, #352, #351, #350, #349, #348, #347, #346, #345, #344, #343, #342, #341, #340, #339, #338, #337, #336, #335, #334, #333, #332, #331, #330, #329, #328, #327, #326, #325, #324, #323, #322, #321, #320, #319, #318, #317, #316, #315, #314, #313,  #312, #311, #310, #309, #308, #307, #306, #305, #304, #303, #302, #301, #300, #299, #298, #297, #296, #295, #294, #293, #292, #291, #290, #289, #288, #287, #286, #285, #284, #283, #282, #281, #280, #279, #278, #277, #276, #275, #274, #273, #272, #271, #270, #269, #268, #267, #266, #265, #264, #263, #262, #261, #260, #259, #258, #257, #256, #255, #254, #253, #252, #251, #250, #249, #248, #247, #246, #245, #244, #243, #242, #241, #240, #239, #238, #237, #236, #235, #234, #233, #232, #231, #230, #229, #228, #227, #226, #225, #224, #223, #222, #221, #220, #219, #218, #217, #216, #215, #214, #213, #212, #211, #210, #209, #208, #207, #206, #205, #204, #203, #202, #201, #200, #199, #198, #197, #196, #195, #194, #193, #192, #191, #190, #189, #188, #187, #186, #185, #184, #183, #182, #181, #180, #179, #178, #177, #176, #175, #174, #173, #172, #171, #170, #169, #168, #167, #166, #165, #164, #163, #162, #161, #160, #159, #158, #157, #156, #155, #154, #153, #152, #151, #150, #149, #148, #147, #146, #145, #144, #143, #142, #141, #140, #139, #138, #137, #136, #135, #134, #133, #132, #131, #130, #129, #128, #127, #126, #125, #124, #123, #122, #121, #120, #119, #118, #117, #116, #115, #114, #113, #112, #111, #110, #109, #108, #107, #106, #105, #104, #103, #102, #101, #100, #99, #98, #97, #96, #95, #94, #93, #92, #91, #90, #89, #88, #87, #86, #85, #84, #83, #82, #81, #80, #79, #78, #77, #76, #75, #74, #73, #72, #71, #70, #69, #68, #67, #66, #65, #64, #63, #62, #61, #60, #59, #58, #57, #56, #55, #54, #53, #52, #51, #50, #49, #48, #47, #46, #45, #44, #43, #42, #41, #40, #39, #38, #37, #36, #35, #34, #33, #32, #31, #30, #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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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #497

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Source: Telegram

To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #496″

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For prior newsletter issues see: #495, #494, #493, #492, #491, #490, #489, #488, #487, #486, #485, #484, #483, #482, #481, #480, #479, #478, #477, #476, #475, #474, #473, #472, #471, #470, #469, #468, #467, #466, #465, #464, #463, #462, #461, #460, #459, #458, #457, #456, #455, #454, #453, #452, #451, #450, #449, #448, #447, #446, #445, #444, #443, #442, #441, #440, #439, #438, #437, #436, #435, #434, #433, #432, #431, #430, #429, #428, #427, #426, #425, #424, #423, #422, #421, #420, #419, #418, #417, #416, #415, #414, #413, #412, #411, #410, #409, #408, #407, #406, #405, #404, #403, #402, #401, #400, #399, #398, #397, #396, #395, #394,  #393, #392, #391, #390, #389, #388, #387, #386, #385, #384, #383, #382, #381, #380, #379, #378, #377, #376, #375, #374, #373, #372, #371, #370, #369, #368, #367, #366, #365, #364, #363, #362, #361, #360, #359, #358, #357, #356, #355, #354, #353, #352, #351, #350, #349, #348, #347, #346, #345, #344, #343, #342, #341, #340, #339, #338, #337, #336, #335, #334, #333, #332, #331, #330, #329, #328, #327, #326, #325, #324, #323, #322, #321, #320, #319, #318, #317, #316, #315, #314, #313,  #312, #311, #310, #309, #308, #307, #306, #305, #304, #303, #302, #301, #300, #299, #298, #297, #296, #295, #294, #293, #292, #291, #290, #289, #288, #287, #286, #285, #284, #283, #282, #281, #280, #279, #278, #277, #276, #275, #274, #273, #272, #271, #270, #269, #268, #267, #266, #265, #264, #263, #262, #261, #260, #259, #258, #257, #256, #255, #254, #253, #252, #251, #250, #249, #248, #247, #246, #245, #244, #243, #242, #241, #240, #239, #238, #237, #236, #235, #234, #233, #232, #231, #230, #229, #228, #227, #226, #225, #224, #223, #222, #221, #220, #219, #218, #217, #216, #215, #214, #213, #212, #211, #210, #209, #208, #207, #206, #205, #204, #203, #202, #201, #200, #199, #198, #197, #196, #195, #194, #193, #192, #191, #190, #189, #188, #187, #186, #185, #184, #183, #182, #181, #180, #179, #178, #177, #176, #175, #174, #173, #172, #171, #170, #169, #168, #167, #166, #165, #164, #163, #162, #161, #160, #159, #158, #157, #156, #155, #154, #153, #152, #151, #150, #149, #148, #147, #146, #145, #144, #143, #142, #141, #140, #139, #138, #137, #136, #135, #134, #133, #132, #131, #130, #129, #128, #127, #126, #125, #124, #123, #122, #121, #120, #119, #118, #117, #116, #115, #114, #113, #112, #111, #110, #109, #108, #107, #106, #105, #104, #103, #102, #101, #100, #99, #98, #97, #96, #95, #94, #93, #92, #91, #90, #89, #88, #87, #86, #85, #84, #83, #82, #81, #80, #79, #78, #77, #76, #75, #74, #73, #72, #71, #70, #69, #68, #67, #66, #65, #64, #63, #62, #61, #60, #59, #58, #57, #56, #55, #54, #53, #52, #51, #50, #49, #48, #47, #46, #45, #44, #43, #42, #41, #40, #39, #38, #37, #36, #35, #34, #33, #32, #31, #30, #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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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: The Islamic State — al-Nabā’ Newsletter #496

__________________

Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this newsletter issue for a fee email: [email protected]

New issue of al-Qā’idah in the Indian Subcontinent’s magazine: “Nawai Ghazwat al-Hind – April/May 2025”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Previous releases: 2025- March issue. January/February issue. 2024- September/October issue. August issue. June/July issue. April/May issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2023- October/November issue. September issue. August issue. June/July issue. April/May issue. February/March issue. January issue. 2022- December issue. October-November issue. August-September issue. May-July issue. March-April issue. February issue. January issue. 2021- November-December issue. October issue. August-September issue. May-July issue. February-April issue. January issue. 2020- November and December issue. October issue. September issue. August issue. July issue. June issue. May issue. April issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2019- December issue. November issue. October issue. September issue. August issue. July issue. June issue. May issue. April issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2018- December issue. November issue. October issue. September issue. August issue. July issue. June issue. May issue. April issue. February issue. January issue. 2017- December issue. November issue. October issue. September issue. August issue. July issue. June issue. May issue. April issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2016- July issue. June issue. May issue. April issue. March issue. 2015- November issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2014- December issue. November issue. October issue. September issue. August issue. July issue. June issue. April/May issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2013- December issue. October/November issue. September issue. August issue. July issue. June issue. May issue. April issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2012- December issue. November issue. October issue. September issue. August issue. July issue. June issue. May issue. April issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2011– December issue. November issue. September/October issue. August issue. June/July issue. May issue. April issue. March issue. February issue. January issue. 2010– December issue. November issue. October issue. September issue. August issue.

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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: al-Qā’idah in the Indian Subcontinent — Nawai Ghazwat al-Hind Magazine – April:May 2025

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Source: RocketChat

Check out my new ‘Policy Alert’ for The Washington Institute: “The Islamic State Attacks the New Syrian Government”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

For the first time since the fall of the Assad regime, the Islamic State successfully struck the new Syrian government, targeting a security post in the eastern town of Mayadin with a May 18 car bomb attack that left five dead. Intentionally or not, the strike coincided with several other significant developments in the Syria file—it came one day after government forces clashed with an IS cell in Aleppo (the first such sting operation since March), less than a week after President Trump met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, and subsequent to a U.S. military drawdown in Syria that began in mid-April. Although the local IS presence is nowhere near as strong as it once was, the trend lines point to a persistent threat that cannot be ignored.

Click here to read the rest.

New video from The Islamic State: “Fight Them; God Will Punish Them By Your Hands – Wilāyat Gharb Ifrīqīyah”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

The title of this release is in reference to Qur’anic verse 9:14. Here it is in full: “Fight them; God will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people”

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Source: RocketChat

To inquire about a translation for this video message for a fee email: [email protected]

New fatwā from Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Maqdisī: “How Can Someone Who Refuses To Implement Islamic Law and Chooses Man-Made Laws Not Be An Infidel? Is His Jihādī History An Obstacle to Takfīr?”

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

Click the following link for a safe PDF copy: Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Maqdisī — How Can Someone Who Refuses To Implement Islamic Law and Chooses Man-Made Laws Not Be An Infidel? Is His Jihādī History An Obstacle to Takfīr?

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Source: Twitter

To inquire about a translation for this fatwā for a fee email: [email protected]