Analysis & Commentary
ISAF Targets al Qaeda Facilitator in Eastern Afghanistan
During a raid in Nuristan province on May 15, Afghan and Coalition special operations forces targeted a senior Taliban leader who is known to assist members of al Qaeda in Afghanistan...
‘Iranian Citizens’ Reported Killed in ISAF Airstrike
Last week, Afghan news outlets reported that ISAF aircraft killed a Taliban commander, two "Iranian citizens," and several fighters in an airstrike in the Pusht Rod district...
ISAF Launches Multiple Raids Against IMU as Fighting Season Heats Up
Since the beginning of May, Afghan and Coalition forces have launched five operations targeting the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in the northern province of Baghlan.
ISAF Kills 2 ‘Arab’-Linked Commanders in Nuristan
Coalition and Afghan forces killed two "Arab"-linked insurgent commanders, a wanted Saudi and an Afghan, during two separate raids in the Waygal district of Nuristan province...
Afghan Soldier Kills 2 ISAF Troops in Latest Green-on-Blue Attack
An Afghan soldier killed two NATO troops in an attack in western Afghanistan today. The attack is the sixth green-on-blue, or insider attack, in which Afghan security...
ISAF Targets ‘Insurgent Leader’ Linked to Haqqanis, Pakistani Taliban, and ‘Arabs’
Coalition and Afghan special operations forces targeted a "senior insurgent leader" with links to the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, the Haqqani Network, and "Arabs" operating...
Taliban Assassinate Member of Afghan High Peace Council
The Taliban assassinated a member of the Afghan High Peace Council in a complex ambush in Helmand province today. The Taliban have now assassinated three senior members...
ISAF Focusing Efforts Against IMU in Baghlan District
Afghan and Coalition forces continued operations against the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) during a raid on April 28 in northern Afghanistan. The raid successfully...
Haqqani Network’s Taj Mir Jawad Subgroup Targeted in Raid
Coalition and Afghan special operations forces targeted "a high-profile attack facilitator" for the Taj Mir Jawad Network during a raid in eastern Afghanistan yesterday. Taj Mir Jawad...
Taliban Promise Suicide Assaults, ‘Insider Attacks’ in This Year’s Spring Offensive
The Afghan Taliban announced that this year's spring offensive would begin on April 28 and would focus on suicide assaults on Coalition installations, as well as "insider attacks"...
The Syrian Conundrum
President Obama warned the Assad regime not to use chemical weapons against the rebels. To do so, he said, would be to cross a “red line.” So now that it’s been crossed the consequences are . . . unclear.
Has Turkey Betrayed the West?
On January 25 of this year, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a stunning but widely overlooked announcement: His government was interested in joining the Shanghai...
Reduced Security Blamed for Taliban Attack
The Taliban fighters who blew up a half-dozen U.S. Marine fighter jets on a sprawling NATO base last fall were able to walk easily onto the encampment because patrols of the perimeter...
Senior IMU Leader Targeted in Samangan Province
Afghan and Coalition special operation forces conducted a raid targeting a senior leader for the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) two days ago in northern Afghanistan. This is the 19th operation targeting...
ISAF Operations Against IMU in 2013 at Highest Rate Since War’s Start
This past week Afghan and Coalition special operations forces conducted five raids targeting the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in northern Afghanistan.
Uzbek Fighters Gain Support in Afghan North
More than a decade ago, the people of the predominately Uzbek province of Takhar in the country's north fiercely resisted the Taliban's desire to impose Sharia on the region. Indeed, in January 2001, Taloqan...
Taliban Suicide Bomber Kills 5 ISAF Personnel in Southeastern Afghanistan
The Taliban claimed credit for a suicide attack in southeastern Afghanistan today that killed three Coalition soldiers and two civilian personnel who worked for the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team.
Increased Targeting of IMU Continues in Afghan North
During an operation in the northern province of Baghlan on April 3, Afghan and Coalition special operations forces arrested another leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The raid was the 13th operation...
Taliban Suicide Assault Team Strikes Courtroom in Western Afghanistan
A Taliban suicide assault team stormed a courthouse in western Afghanistan today in an attempt to free Taliban prisoners who were on trial. The Taliban assault team, estimated at between six to nine fighters,...
Latest IMU Capture Indicates Resiliency of Terror Group in Afghanistan
Yesterday, Afghan and Coalition forces captured a commander from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan during yet another operation in the Kunduz district of Kunduz province.
