The death of Osama bin Laden and the rise of al-Qaeda in Somalia

Although the death of Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011, marked a triumphant day for the United States, the death of the charismatic leader of al-Qaeda did not mark the end of his terrorist organization. Al-Qaeda continues to operate globally and still poses a severe threat to international and homeland security. Of particular interest […]

ISIS & Al-Qaeda fight it out in the Sahel as security forces hammer both

The Sahel remains a hot spot, particularly in Mali where violence continues unabated. Malian troops and jihadist militants have been clashing as militant attacks on civilians and small towns persist.  In a recent raid, Malian troops killed about 30 militants. Mali’s armed forces posted on Twitter that they had killed “about 30 terrorists” near the […]

No shortage of work for Special Operators

Special Operators are going to keep being special. That was the theme on Tuesday when General Richard D. Clarke, the commanding officer of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM), virtually addressed the audience during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOIFC). During this time of relative peace for the U.S.’s conventional military, Clarke stated that Special […]

The Special Operations world of Sub-Saharan Africa

It is common knowledge that warfare has greatly evolved in our times: from the strategic to the operational and tactical levels, from training and equipment to mission statements and structure. Indeed, literally every facet of warfare has seen close to a complete doctrinal overhaul. A good number of countries across the globe have firsthand experienced […]

Continuous Israeli pounding makes Iran rethink its footprint in Syria

Since the 2011 Civil War in Syria began, the Iranians have seen a huge window of opportunity to not only increase their influence throughout the region, but to get their troops and, more importantly, their missiles on the border of their most hated enemy — Israel.   The combination of Iranian and Russian intervention has […]

Israeli fighters attack chemical weapons lab inside Syria

Heavy airstrikes struck the Scientific Studies and Research Center, a Syrian government defense laboratory, as well as a military base and warehouse that housed Iranian troops and proxies in Syria. The airstrikes took place at the beginning of this week, according to Syrian state-run media SANA.   Syrian military sources initially told the media that their […]

US SOF troops and Kurdish fighters take down ISIS cell leader

U.S. Special Operation Forces led a Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) operation against an Islamic State cell in Syria in response to increased ISIS attacks in the region. The combined operation resulted in the capturing of an ISIS leader responsible for the recent attacks in the Deir el-Zour countryside.  Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve […]

Sinkhole where ISIS dumped scores of bodies is uncovered

Human Rights Watch (HRW), has uncovered evidence that the Islamic State used a gorge in northeast Syria as a mass grave for the bodies of people it had abducted and executed.   The HRW drone flight and investigation was conducted at the al-Hota gorge located 85km (53 miles) north of Raqqa city. HRW reported that the […]

Irish top Special Operations unit returns from Africa

The Irish Government has ordered the return of the country’s top Special Operators from Mali despite the qualms of the United Nations. The small contingent, approximately 14 men, of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW), Ireland’s Tier 1 Special Operations unit, have been on the ground in Mali for approximately four months. Their main purpose there […]

In a historic move, Germany bans all Hezbollah activities

Germany designated the Lebanese militant and political group Hezbollah a “Shiite terror organization.” This will ban all of Hezbollah’s activities in Germany where about 1,000 Hezbollah members and supporters are located. The ban will also impact the terror group’s transnational ability to raise and launder money for its operations. “As the authority responsible for issuing […]

Iraqi armed forces conduct large counterterrorism operations against ISIS

In a large combined operation carried out over two different directorates and from four different axes of advance, the Iraqi military is attacking ISIS in an attempt to root out the terrorist group from their last remaining areas in the country.  ISIS (or Daesh, as they’re locally called) terrorists tried to take advantage of the […]

The Pic of the Day: Special Forces operators train in Syria

Green Berets prepare to breach an entryway during a readiness exercise near At-Tanf Garrison, Syria, April 25, 2020. Coalition and partner forces regularly train on tactics and various weapon systems in an enduring effort to defeat of Daesh in southern Syria. Special Forces teams have deployed to Iraq and Syria since 2015 for the fight […]