Long War Journal Archives - FDD's Long War Journal

From Guantanamo Bay to ISCAP: The case of Jamal Kiyemba

Caleb Weiss & Akim Mukasa — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:20:35 +0000

In 2002, Jamal Kiyemba, a Ugandan national living in the United Kingdom, was arrested in northwest Pakistan after allegedly attempting to join Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and was sent to the US prison facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Released in 2006 and sent to Uganda, Kiyemba has since been in and out of prison, most recently over his support of the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (ISCAP).

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Generation Jihad | Losing ground: Somalia and Mali’s jihad problem

The LWJ Editors — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:08:11 +0000

The US is losing leverage in Somalia as frustration with Mogadishu threatens critical African Union support and risks strengthening Al Shabaab’s hold. In Mali, renewed US airstrikes against JNIM raise a parallel concern—whether air power alone, without a ground strategy or political reform, can contain the group’s advance. Bill Roggio and Caleb Weiss examine these dynamics across the Sahel and the assess the murky state of Al Qaeda.

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Analysis: North Korean missile deployment raises urgency of Ukraine’s Starlink plea

John Hardie & Chloe Hurd — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 17:36:29 +0000

North Korea is reportedly dispatching as many as 120 additional ballistic missiles to Ukraine as the embattled country searches for ways to destroy Russian missile launchers.

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Sudanese Armed Forces gains in civil war force strategic adjustment from paramilitia rival

Mariam Wahba & Angelo Schiciano — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:10:54 +0000

The Sudanese military's recapture of the Al Sadarat highway marks its most significant success against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the fourth year of the Sudanese civil war. However, the RSF's shift toward tribal mobilization and the growing role of foreign-backed drone warfare suggest the conflict's broader cycle of adaptation and attrition will continue.

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Afghan United Front commences operations against Taliban

Will Selber — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:37:47 +0000

The Afghan United Front has emerged as the first major Pashtun-led resistance organization to launch operations against the Taliban. The group's likely focus on operations in southern Afghanistan would expand resistance organizations’ historical focus in the country’s north.

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Houthis escalate attacks in Red Sea and on Saudi Arabia, Riyadh evaluates options

Bridget Toomey — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 14:03:38 +0000

Yemen’s Houthis claimed attacks on eight Saudi-linked vessels as well as energy facilities and an airport to enforce its blockade of the kingdom. Saudi Arabia is reportedly pursuing a diplomatic path to de-escalate the conflict or military options if necessary.

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Iraq pressured by regional countries to rein in Iran-backed militias as new data on extent of attacks released

Seth Frantzman — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:20:56 +0000

Iraq faces mounting pressure to rein in the militias while balancing tensions with neighboring countries, the US, and Iran. The Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq has come under nearly 1,000 drone and missile attacks by Iran and its proxies since late February, underscoring the growing threat posed by Tehran's network of militias.

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Board of Peace announces Hamas disarmament agreement, IDF reports 32 Gaza ceasefire violations July 10–31

Samuel Ben-Ur — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:08:14 +0000

US President Donald Trump announced a 15-point Board of Peace roadmap transferring Gaza’s governance and security responsibilities. The plan links verified Hamas disarmament to phased Israeli withdrawal, but sequencing remains disputed.

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Anti-Taliban resistance groups increase attacks in northeast Afghanistan, district center briefly falls

Will Selber — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:41:37 +0000

Three anti-Taliban resistance groups launched separate operations across Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, over a two-week period, temporarily overrunning a district center and attacking Taliban positions in multiple districts. While there is no evidence of direct coordination among the resistance groups, there are signs cooperation may be increasing.

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Israel says Hezbollah launched drone attack on strategic ridge amid ceasefire

David Daoud — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:46:22 +0000

Israel accused Hezbollah of launching an explosive-laden drone at its positions in the Ali Al Taher Ridge on July 29, despite a ceasefire that went into effect on June 19. Hezbollah has not claimed the attack or issued a denial of the Israeli claims.

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Former Israeli prime minister says Qatar funded Iran’s IRGC

Natalie Ecanow — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 18:49:17 +0000

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed to declare Qatar an “enemy state” if reelected to lead the government. Among the reasons he cited was Qatar’s alleged funding of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

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Lebanese security forces incidentally discover Hezbollah weapons cache during raid

David Daoud — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 22:10:09 +0000

Lebanese security forces conducted a raid on a home in Beirut over a family dispute. During the operation, they reportedly discovered a large weapons cache, and subsequent interrogation allegedly uncovered that the cache’s owner was a “member of Hezbollah.”

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Suspect in deadly Berlin Pride attack pledged allegiance to Islamic State, prosecutors say

Will Selber — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:51:09 +0000

A 21-year-old German who had reportedly previously attempted to join the Islamic State allegedly carried out the deadly vehicle-ramming attack at Berlin's Pride festival, killing one person and injuring 29 others.

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Generation Jihad | Seeking forgiveness from the Taliban

The LWJ Editors — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:18:47 +0000

Former Marine and New York Times journalist Thomas Gibbons-Neff recently returned to Afghanistan to find accountability and closure, specifically seeking out a Taliban commander he had battled in 2010. Bill Roggio and Will Selber break down the merits of Gibbons-Neff’s recent tour in country and whether this type of article will skew a full understanding of the Afghan War as the 25th anniversary of 9/11 nears.

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US, Saudi Arabia strike Iranian-backed militias in Iraq after militia attacks

Seth Frantzman — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:48:49 +0000

Iranian-backed militias in Iraq escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Kurdistan Region in late July, prompting US and Saudi airstrikes against militia logistics and weapons sites across Iraq. The escalation comes as Washington pressures Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi to disarm Iran-aligned militias and bring their weapons under state control.

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Israel approves entry of International Stabilization Force into Gaza

Seth Frantzman — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:42:36 +0000

Israel has approved the future deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, a significant step in implementing the US-backed peace plan. The planned multinational force is expected to support humanitarian efforts, stabilization, and a transition toward new Palestinian governance as Israel continues operations against terrorist groups in Gaza.

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Russia continues to aid Iran in war with US, Ukraine says

John Hardie — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:04:59 +0000

Russia continues to provide intelligence to help Iran strike American forces, Kyiv alleged over the weekend. Ukraine is also attempting to interdict the transportation of military goods between the two authoritarian powers.

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Analysis: US Treasury sanctions Turkish Hamas financiers as Erdogan presses for F-35s

Tyler Stapleton & Sinan Ciddi — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:14:06 +0000

On July 23, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated a Turkey-based Hamas money exchange and a senior Muslim Brotherhood official, the third round of sanctions against Hamas's Turkish financial network in less than two years. US lawmakers have introduced measures that would condition future F-35 sales to Turkey on certification that Turkey has severed its ties to Hamas.

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Generation Jihad | What is Iran’s breaking point? Part 2

The LWJ Editors — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:09:45 +0000

In part two of their conversation, Generation Jihad’s Bill Roggio, FDD CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman, and FDD Senior Analyst Cameron McMillan ask a tough question following months of kinetic warfare with Iran: What’s the Pentagon’s readiness for the next battle?

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Syria focuses on energy deals, works to revive infrastructure and institutions

Seth Frantzman — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:36:55 +0000

Syria is expanding energy and infrastructure cooperation as it seeks economic recovery and greater regional relevance. Damascus is also rebuilding state institutions, including graduating 1,000 new air force cadets.

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Analysis: Ukraine’s defense leadership crisis becomes blessing in disguise

John Hardie — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:01:07 +0000

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s short-sighted decision to fire his popular defense minister may ultimately redound to Ukraine’s benefit, as the firestorm it unleashed has forced Zelenskyy to install a widely respected, new-school officer as Ukraine’s top general.

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Generation Jihad | What is Iran’s breaking point?

The LWJ Editors — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:59:29 +0000

The US says it's degrading Iran's threat, but as the renewed air campaign approaches the two-week mark, the math still doesn’t check out. In Part 1 of this conversation, Generation Jihad’s Bill Roggio joins FDD CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman and Senior Analyst Cameron McMillan to discuss the real gap between degrading Iran's missile, drone, and naval capabilities and actually eliminating them, and why murky end goals could lead to a long-term, inconclusive standoff.

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Houthis announce blockade of Saudi Arabia, ships reroute to avoid Bab al Mandeb Strait

Bridget Toomey — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:49:06 +0000

The Houthis declared a complete maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, claiming it is in response to blockades imposed by the Saudi-led coalition that supports Yemen's internationally recognized government. Saudi Arabia denounced the blockade and said it will protect its ships, but multiple commercial vessels have rerouted to avoid the Bab al Mandeb Strait.

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Somalia claims it killed senior Shabaab leader

Caleb Weiss — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:51:29 +0000

Somalia said that it and “international partners” killed Maalin Jinow Ibrahim, a reported co-founder of Shabaab and a member of its central shura council, in a targeted operation earlier this month. However, Al Qaeda’s branch for East Africa has yet to confirm his death.

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Iran renews attacks on Kurdish Iranian opposition groups in Iraq

Seth Frantzman — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:16:03 +0000

Iran has intensified drone and missile attacks on Kurdish Iranian opposition groups and energy infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq amid renewed tensions with the United States. Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi is seeking to balance relations with Washington and Tehran after his visit to Washington.

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Iran reportedly tells Houthis to close Bab al Mandeb Strait if US strikes power grid

Bridget Toomey — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:20:19 +0000

Reuters reported that Iran’s leaders instructed the Houthis in Yemen to close Bab al Mandeb Strait, the maritime chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea, if the United States strikes Iran’s power infrastructure. The Houthis are also focused on an escalatory cycle with Saudi Arabia that began after Iran and the Houthis attempted to re-establish direct flights in early July.

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Deadly earthquakes overwhelm Venezuela’s emergency response, stall political transition

Samuel Ben-Ur — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:26:02 +0000

Two earthquakes that hit north-central Venezuela on June 24 have killed at least 4,829 people, injured 16,740, and displaced approximately 18,000, according to government figures. The disaster has overwhelmed Venezuela’s emergency services and slowed political developments that had gained momentum following the American capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in January.

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Russia’s ‘Banderol’ low-cost cruise missile officially breaks cover

John Hardie — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:31:06 +0000

Moscow has now officially acknowledged the existence of its new Banderol low-cost cruise missile, which has seen growing action in Ukraine in recent months.

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Iraq sanctions individuals and entities tied to Lebanese Hezbollah

David Daoud & Bridget Toomey — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:44:32 +0000

Iraq’s Ministry of Finance issued an order imposing sanctions on Hezbollah-linked individuals and entities that mirrors US designations from March and June. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi is currently visiting the United States, where he hopes to garner support for an expanded economic partnership and prove his government’s commitment to countering Iranian influence.

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Iraqi Prime Minister Zaidi meets President Trump, Secretary Hegseth in Washington

Seth Frantzman — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:34:25 +0000

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi met US President Donald Trump and other US officials during his first official visit to Washington since taking office. The talks focused on security cooperation, investment, and Iraq's plans to bring weapons held by Iranian-backed militias under state control. While Trump praised Zaidi's leadership, the visit also drew criticism from pro-Iranian factions in Iraq and skepticism from some US lawmakers.

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