The Long War Journal (Site-Wide)

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• Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s ‘grand jihad’ against the world
• Taliban kills 2 US soldiers in Kunduz
• Pentagon: Al Qaeda veteran in Syria was planning attacks against the West

Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s ‘grand jihad’ against the world Posted: 03 Nov 2016 07:41 AM PDT The Islamic State has released an audio message from Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. It is the first message from Baghdadi in nearly one year. Baghdadi frames the wars being fought in Iraq and elsewhere in sectarian terms and says that his men are waging a "grand jihad" agains their many enemies.

Taliban kills 2 US soldiers in Kunduz Posted: 03 Nov 2016 05:01 AM PDT The US soldiers were operating as part of Resolute Support's "train, advise and assist mission."

Pentagon: Al Qaeda veteran in Syria was planning attacks against the West Posted: 02 Nov 2016 09:55 AM PDT The Defense Department announced today that Haydar Kirkan, a veteran al Qaeda operative who was plotting against the West, was killed in an airstrike in Idlib, Syria on Oct. 17. Kirkan was one of several al Qaeda leaders targeted in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen during the month of October. The Pentagon emphasized that the airstrikes demonstrate the "transregional nature" of al Qaeda.