Latest news with #al-Qaeda-linked
Saudi Gazette
4 days ago
- General
- Saudi Gazette
Al-Qaeda linked group says it carried out huge attack on Mali's army
BAMAKO — An al-Qaeda-linked group says it carried out a major attack on the Malian town of Boulikessi and the seizure of an army base there. More than 30 soldiers were killed in Sunday's attack, according to sources quoted by the news agency Reuters, however that figure has not been confirmed by the authorities. On Monday the same group, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), said it targeted the military in the historic city of Timbuktu, with residents reporting hearing gunfire and explosions. Mali's army said in a statement late on Monday that it had repelled an "infiltration attempt by terrorist fighters" in Timbuktu, "neutralizing" 14 militants and arresting 31 suspects. It added that weapons, vehicles and other items were seized, but did not name the group responsible for the attack. The army said search operations across Timbuktu were ongoing. In an earlier statement, the army said it "reacted vigorously" to Sunday's attack, before "withdrawing" — suggesting a tactical retreat."Many men fought, some until their last breath, to defend the Malian nation," the statement unnamed local source told Reuters that JNIM had left many casualties and "cleared the camp".Unverified video footage showed dozens of militants storming the base, including one which captured them stepping on bodies, according to Monday's attack, JNIM said its fighters had attacked a military airport and Russian and security sources told the AFP news agency they were "fighting back", but that the militants were "everywhere in the city".A local official said the attackers had arrived "with a vehicle packed with explosives" that detonated close to the army a UN World Heritage Site, was captured by Islamist militants in 2012 before they were driven out, but has once more been under siege in recent attacks, the latest sign of collapsing security in Mali and the wider Sahel region, came after the United States Africa Command warned about growing efforts by various different Islamist militant groups which operate in the Sahel to gain access to West Africa's a press conference on Friday, the commander of United States Africa Command (Africom), Gen Michael Langley, described recent attacks in Nigeria, the wider Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin as deeply troubling, warning that the groups' access to the coast would significantly boost their capacity for smuggling and arms is thought that more than 400 soldiers have been killed by militants since the beginning of last month in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Reuters reports. — BBC
First Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Al-Qaeda Affiliate Claims Killing 200 Soldiers in Burkina Faso Firstpost Africa
Al-Qaeda Affiliate Claims Killing 200 Soldiers in Burkina Faso | Firstpost Africa | N18G Al-Qaeda Affiliate Claims Killing 200 Soldiers in Burkina Faso | Firstpost Africa | N18G An al-Qaeda-linked group has claimed it killed 200 soldiers in an attack on a military base in northern Burkina Faso. The base in Djibo town was attacked early Sunday, along with a police station and a market. Although there's no official confirmation of the death toll, residents said many soldiers and civilians died. The group, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), released a statement claiming responsibility, according to a US-based organisation that tracks militant activity. The attack is part of a recent surge in violence by JNIM in the region. Earlier, the group's leader in Burkina Faso warned locals in Djibo to leave the area. Burkina Faso has been struggling with extremist violence for years. See More
News18
15-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Trump Praises 'Attractive, Tough Fighter' Syrian Leader, Once A US-Designated Terrorist
Last Updated: Donald Trump's praise for Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa came after a meeting in Riyadh, marking a departure from decades of US policy. US President Donald Trump lauded Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a 'young, attractive, tough guy" with a 'real shot at doing a good job" rebuilding war-torn Syria. This praise came after a meeting in Riyadh, marking a departure from decades of US policy. The meeting, held at the request of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, followed Donald Trump's decision to lift sweeping sanctions against Syria, imposed by the US since 1979. Donald Trump Praises Ahmad al-Sharaa Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One, described Ahmad al-Sharaa as a 'fighter" with a 'very strong past," expressing optimism about his ability to 'hold it together" in Syria. He also mentioned that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 'who is very friendly with him," shared this sentiment. ⚡️🇺🇸🇸🇾JUST IN: U.S President Trump speaking about Syria's President Al-Sharaa:Young, attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He's got a real shot at holding it together. — Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) May 14, 2025 Why Donald Trump's Meeting With Ahmad al-Sharaa Is Significant The meeting, the first between a US president and a Syrian leader in 25 years, saw Donald Trump urging Ahmad al-Sharaa to normalize ties with Israel. Despite lifting sanctions, Donald Trump did not indicate any intention to remove Syria from the US blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation stemming from its support of Palestinian militants. The lifting of sanctions represents a significant boost for Syria, which is still recovering from the aftermath of Ahmad al-Sharaa's December ousting of Bashar al-Assad. This shift in US policy signals a potential realignment of geopolitical forces in the Middle East, even as questions remain about the long-term implications of engaging with a leader with Ahman al-Sharaa's controversial past. Ahman al-Sharaa Was Once A Designated Terrorist Until December 2024, Ahmad al-Sharaa led the rebel forces that overthrew Bashar al-Assad. Ahmad al-Sharaa was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani and was the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)- an offshoot of al-Qaeda. Ahmad Al-Sharaa himself was designated a terrorist by the US in 2013, and a $10 million bounty was placed on his head. He publicly broke with both ISIS and al-Qaeda by 2021 as he focused on fighting against the Bashar al-Assad regime. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 15, 2025, 09:19 IST
Business Insider
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Al Qaeda-linked group claims deadly attack on Burkina Faso troops
An al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a military outpost in Burkina Faso's northern Loroum province, in which the group said it killed 60 soldiers, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. An al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a military outpost in Burkina Faso's northern Loroum province. In 2023 alone, more than 8,000 people were killed in Burkina Faso due to violence in the country. An army base in Djibo also came under heavy attack early Sunday, with militants also targeting a local police station and market. An al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a military outpost in Burkina Faso's northern Loroum province, in which the group said it killed 60 soldiers, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. The recent wave of attacks shows the ongoing struggle that Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, each governed by military-led administrations, face in tackling extremist insurgencies. Burkina Faso's junta leader, Ibrahim Traoré, who has captured the support of many Africans, particularly the youth, rose to power in a 2022 coup, pledging to push back against the jihadist insurgency that has gripped the region since it first erupted in Mali over a decade ago. But despite his promises, no significant progress has been made. In 2023 alone, more than 8,000 people were killed in Burkina Faso due to violence in the country. And around 2.6 million people across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are currently displaced. Ongoing attacks and mounting casualties According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the deadliest attack took place in the town of Solle, where militants from al-Qaeda-linked Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) stormed a military base and killed dozens of soldiers. In a separate incident, SITE reported that 10 members of the pro-government Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) militia were killed in Gnagna province, in eastern Burkina Faso. An army base in Djibo also came under heavy attack early Sunday, with militants also targeting a local police station and market. The Djibo base has come under attack multiple times, including in October 2022, when 10 soldiers were killed and 50 wounded.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Time of India
Who was Daniel Pearl? why the killing of his murderer by India in Operation Sindoor is making headlines
Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter whose dedication to truth, dialogue, and humanity made him a target of al-Qaeda-linked militants, is finally globally avenged. India's Operation Sindoor eliminated Abdul Rauf Azhar—the mastermind of Pearl's 2002 kidnapping and murder and a key figure in the IC-814 hijacking—fulfilling long-awaited, ultimate justice Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The life and mission of Daniel Pearl: a journalist's courage Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Legacy of Daniel Pearl: justice, journalism, and resilience In a dramatic display of precision strikes, India eliminated Abdul Rauf Azhar , the Pakistani terrorist responsible for the abduction and beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, during Operation Sindoor on May 7. The military operation, launched in retaliation to the brutal killing of 26 people in Pahalgam, also eliminated nine other Jaish-e-Mohammed members in Bahawalpur, including Azhar's long wanted for orchestrating the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in December 1999 and involved in the 2001 Parliament and Pathankot attacks, had evaded justice for Daniel Pearl's family, the news marked a somber moment of reckoning. Pearl, then the South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, had ventured into Pakistan to investigate links between British radical Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani and shoe bomber Richard Reid. Instead, he fell into the trap of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Abdul Rauf Azhar—a deadly alliance between Jaish-e-Mohammed and Pearl was more than a reporter. He was a symbol of journalistic courage, dialogue, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Born in 1963 in Princeton, New Jersey, Pearl graduated from Stanford University and later joined The Wall Street Journal, where his global reporting earned widespread the time he arrived in Pakistan in early 2002, tensions were high following the collapse of the Taliban regime in neighboring Afghanistan. The region had become a refuge for militant Islamic groups with deep ties to was researching Gilani's suspected involvement in radical Islamist networks. His dedication led him to send a series of emails to Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who posed as an intermediary willing to arrange a January 23, 2002, after nine days of communication, Pearl entered a car in Karachi under the impression he was on his way to interview a cleric. Instead, he was captors accused him of being a spy and produced a grisly video of his execution—a moment that shocked the world and drew attention to the growing threat of terrorism against journalists The Web of Terror: Inside the Plot to Kill Daniel PearlPearl's murder exposed a nexus of Islamist militant groups operating with impunity in Pakistan. His kidnapping was orchestrated by Omar Sheikh, a British-born jihadist with ties to Jaish-e-Mohammed, while the execution was reportedly carried out by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, al-Qaeda's third-in-command and architect of the 9/11 Memon, who owned the Karachi property where Pearl was held and killed, also played a Rauf Azhar, killed in Operation Sindoor, was the mastermind behind Pearl's abduction. Reports now confirm that the journalist's dismembered body was found three months later in a shallow grave north of numerous arrests, justice was elusive. Sheikh was sentenced to death in 2002, yet the case languished in legal limbo due to over 30 appeal delays and his alleged protection by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).'He even said at the time, 'The people who put me here will die before I do,'' Pearl's widow Mariane recounted, citing the powerful forces shielding the Pearl's legacy transcends his tragic death. His family continues to campaign for justice and truth, criticizing both Pakistani authorities and Western governments for their inaction.'There is a lack of will to pressure Pakistani authorities by the US government and The Wall Street Journal,' Mariane Pearl told setbacks, international focus on Pearl's case has exposed the complex interplay of terrorism, intelligence cover-ups, and delayed Sindoor, carried out in the name of national security and international justice, has brought a sense of closure to a decades-long fight.'India just eliminated the terrorist who beheaded Daniel Pearl,' one X (formerly Twitter) user posted. 'Justice, though delayed, eventually comes for them all.'Pearl's family had long demanded two things: that every person involved in his murder be brought to justice, and that a memorial be built in Karachi to uphold his ideals of truth and the monument remains unbuilt, Operation Sindoor may be the closest realization yet of justice served.
