January 13, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A roadside IED injured four Canadian soldiers in Kandahar Province’s Panjwaii district. – Canwest News Service, January 14
January 13, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Eight police officers were killed after Taliban militants stormed their checkpoint. The attack occurred in Maywand district of Kandahar Province. – AP, January 13
January 13, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Scotland Yard detectives investigating the death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto have found that al-Qa`ida-linked militants were likely responsible for the assassination. – The Sunday Times, January 13
January 14, 2008 (THAILAND): At least eight soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded in Chanae district of Narathiwat Province. – AP, January 14
January 14, 2008 (IRAQ): The U.S. military announced that with the assistance of Iraqi forces they killed 60 militants and detained 193 more during the first week of a large offensive against al-Qa`ida in northern Iraq. The operation was launched on January 8. – Reuters, January 14
January 14, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A group of militants attacked Kabul’s luxury Serena Hotel, killing at least eight people. The Taliban claimed immediate responsibility. – CNN, January 14
January 14, 2008 (IRAQ): Appeals court judge Amir Jawdat al-Naeib was killed by gunmen while on his way to work. The high-ranking Sunni judge was killed in Mansour district of western Baghdad after he was ambushed by gunmen in two vehicles. – AP, January 15
January 15, 2008 (UNITED STATES): New charges were added in the “Fort Dix” court case, where five foreign-born Muslims face a number of charges revolving around an alleged plot to attack the U.S. military base at Fort Dix in 2007. The men include three ethnic Albanians from the former Yugoslavia, a Turk and a Jordanian. The trial is set for March 24, although it is expected to be delayed. – AP, January 16
January 15, 2008 (LEBANON): Arrest warrants were issued for 10 al-Qa`ida suspects already in custody, charging them with a number of crimes, including planning to execute terrorist attacks. It is not clear when the 10 were originally detained. In addition, arrest warrants were issued for a separate 10 alleged al-Qa`ida militants who are not yet in custody. – AP, January 15
January 15, 2008 (LEBANON): A bomb targeted a U.S. Embassy vehicle in the Beirut suburb of Dora, killing three Lebanese bystanders and injuring the vehicle’s driver. According to a Chicago Tribune reporter, “The last time American interests were systematically targeted in Lebanon was in the 1980s, when bombings against U.S. Marine barracks and embassies in Beirut killed hundreds.” – Chicago Tribune, January 16
January 16, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Militants believed linked to Baitullah Mehsud stormed a paramilitary fort in South Waziristan, killing 22 soldiers and taking some hostage. The attack, which was claimed by Tehrik-i-Taliban, involved approximately 200 fighters who charged the Sararogha Fort, breaking through the fort’s walls with rockets and explosives. – AP, January 16
January 16, 2008 (UNITED STATES): Former congressman Mark Deli Siljander was indicted for allegedly sending more than $130,000 to al-Qa`ida and Taliban supporter Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. According to the Associated Press, Siljander was charged with “money laundering, conspiracy and obstructing justice for allegedly lying about lobbying senators on behalf of an Islamic charity that authorities said was secretly sending funds to terrorists.” The charges are part of a 42-count indictment against the Islamic American Relief Agency, a charity that was based in Columbia, Missouri and was designated as a terrorist fundraiser by the Treasury Department in 2004. – AP, January 16
January 16, 2008 (KUWAIT): The UN Security Council placed sanctions on three Kuwaitis charged with recruiting fighters for al-Qa`ida and funding the group’s operations. The men—Hamid al-Ali, Jaber al-Jalamah and Mubarak Mushakhas Sanad al-Bathali—already had sanctions imposed on them by the U.S. Treasury Department since December 2007. – AP, January 16
January 16, 2008 (IRAQ): A female suicide bomber targeted Shi`a worshippers as they prepared for a ceremony marking `Ashura, the minority sect’s holiest day. The attack, which took place in Diyala Province, killed at least nine people. According to the Associated Press, the attack marked the fourth case of a female suicide bombing in three months, all of which occurred in Diyala Province. – AP, January 16
January 16, 2008 (IRAQ): Three U.S. soldiers were killed by small-arms fire in Salah al-Din Province. – Reuters, January 16
January 17, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A suicide bomber detonated his payload in a Shi`a mosque in the Mohalla Jangi neighborhood of Peshawar, killing at least nine people. The attack occurred during the annual Shi`a festival of Muharram, and it is believed that the bomber was a teenage boy. – New York Times, January 18; Los Angeles Times, January 18
January 17, 2008 (IRAQ): Shi`a worshippers preparing for a ceremony marking `Ashura, the minority sect’s holiest day, were targeted by a suicide bomber, leaving at least 11 dead. The attack, which occurred in Ba`quba in Diyala Province, took place at the door of a mosque. The incident is separate from a similar attack that occurred the previous day in Diyala Province, which involved a female suicide bomber. – AP, January 18
January 17, 2008 (PAKISTAN): According to news reports, Pakistani paramilitary troops fled the Sipla Toi military post in South Waziristan over concerns that militants were planning a raid on the base. The development comes a day after hundreds of militants associated with Tehrik-i-Taliban successfully overran a fort in South Waziristan Agency, killing more than 20 soldiers. – BBC, January 17
January 17, 2008 (UNITED KINGDOM): British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that her government would examine ways to remove al-Qa`ida-linked websites from the internet. “Where there is illegal material on the net, I want it removed,” she told reporters. Smith said that she would work with experts to find out “how you can filter out content, how you can work with Internet service providers, how you can work internationally to get illegal stuff off the Internet.” – AFP, January 18; Financial Times, January 18
January 18, 2008 (YEMEN): Two Belgium women and their Yemeni driver were gunned down in a remote desert mountain valley in Yemen’s eastern Hadramawt region. The two Belgium victims were part of a group of 15 Belgium tourists who were on an organized tour to visit ancient ruins and other historical attractions. The convoy of at least four vehicles was attacked as it was leaving the town of Hajrin, and it is believed that the assailants were affiliated with al-Qa`ida. – AP, January 19
January 18, 2008 (UNITED STATES): A New York court sentenced Canadian al-Qa`ida member Mohammed Mansour Jabarah to life in prison for his role in a plot to bomb U.S. embassies in Manila and Singapore in 2001. The 26-year-old militant is a Canadian citizen of Iraqi descent. After the 2001 plot was foiled by authorities in Singapore, Jabarah was apprehended in Oman in 2002. – AFP, January 18
January 18, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Pakistani authorities apprehended 10 militants after a raid in the Tank area of the North-West Frontier Province. The military announced that some of the captured fighters were commanders. – Reuters, January 19
January 19, 2008 (SPAIN): Authorities apprehended 14 suspected Islamist terrorists for planning an attack on Barcelona. The suspects were Pakistani and Indian and allegedly belonged to Tablighi Jama`at, which is known as an Islamic proselytizing group. During the raids—conducted at the well-known Torek Ben Ziad mosque, but also including private apartments and a prayer hall—authorities discovered explosives materials such as timing devices. – New York Times, January 19
January 19, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Pakistani military forces announced the capture of 40 militants in the Chaghmalai area of South Waziristan. The announcement comes a day after militants ambushed a convoy in the same area, and they reportedly suffered 20-30 fatal casualties after they were engaged by security forces. – Reuters, January 19
January 19, 2008 (GUINEA-BISSAU): Concerned that its decision to extradite five al-Qa`ida-linked terrorists on January 12 will make the country a target for retaliatory terrorist attacks, Guinea-Bissau has taken a number of security actions, including tightening border controls, increasing the number of police patrols and increasing inspection of foreigners. – Reuters, January 19
January 19, 2008 (IRAQ): Two U.S. soldiers were killed in separate incidents. One died in a roadside bomb in Arab Jabour, which is in southern Baghdad. The second soldier was killed during combat operations in Anbar Province. – Bloomberg, January 21
January 19, 2008 (IRAQ): Six policemen were killed outside their station by two to three suicide bombers near Ramadi in Anbar Province. – Reuters, January 20; AP, January 22
January 20, 2008 (ALGERIA): The U.S. Embassy in Algiers issued an official warning to U.S. citizens, stating that “in response to continuing indications of possible terrorist attacks in Algiers, the embassy has instructed its employees to avoid non-essential movements around the city until further notice, and may occasionally restrict movement completely.” The warning comes after a series of recent terrorist attacks in the country. At least 41 people were killed on December 11 when two suicide attacks hit the capital, one of which targeted UN staff. – AFP, January 20
January 20, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): One NATO soldier was killed, and five others wounded, when an explosion hit their convoy of vehicles. The attack took place in southern Afghanistan. – AFP, January 20
January 20, 2008 (MAURITANIA): Four suspected terrorists were charged with “furnishing logistical support to the perpetrators of a terrorist act” due to their alleged role in the killings of four French tourists on December 24, 2007. Four other suspects were released from custody. The government has said that the accused are linked to al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb. – AP, January 20
January 20, 2008 (IRAQ): U.S. military warplanes bombed the Arab Jabour rural area in southern Baghdad with the goal of destroying roadside bombs and weapons caches. The attacks were part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, which began on January 8. The same area was bombed previously on January 10 and January 16, and the January 20 attack was an extension of those. – AFP, January 20
January 20, 2008 (IRAQ): Six people were killed in Anbar Province as a suicide bomber walked into the home of a man who had just been released from U.S. custody, blowing himself up and killing those celebrating the release in addition to the just released detainee. The attack took place near Falluja. – Reuters, January 20
January 21, 2008 (IRAQ): Approximately 18 people were killed as a suicide bomber detonated his payload inside a funeral tent. The attack took place in Hajaj village, which lies between Tikrit and Beiji—approximately 155 miles north of Baghdad. The target of the attack may have been Ahmed Abdullah, who is the deputy governor in charge of security for Salah al-Din Province. A witness told an AP reporter that policemen guarding the tent were not searching visitors. – AP, January 22
January 22, 2008 (IRAQ): A suicide bomber targeted a high school in Ba`quba, Diyala Province, killing one individual and wounding 21 more. According to an AP report, the bomber was “pushing an electric heater on top of a cart packed with explosives” and detonated the load at a gate in front of the school shortly after classes began. – AP, January 22
January 22, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Five Pakistani troops were killed as Islamist militants attacked a fort and observation post at Ladha in South Waziristan. A Pakistani military spokesman said that in the ensuing gunfight, approximately 37 militants were killed. Following the incident, the Pakistani military launched airstrikes on targets in Ladha. A statement released by a spokesman for the militants claimed that the number of their dead was exaggerated by the military, and that they had killed 10 soldiers and captured 13 more. It is believed that the attack was conducted by forces part of Tehrik-i-Taliban. – AFP, January 21; Guardian Unlimited, January 22
January 22, 2008 (UNITED STATES): U.S. citizen Jose Padilla, an enemy combatant who was accused of planning to detonate a radioactive device in the United States, was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Padilla, who has been detained for more than three years and who had attended an al-Qa`ida training camp in Afghanistan in 2000, was arrested and declared an enemy combatant when he returned to the United States in 2002. Prosecutors were seeking a life sentence for Padilla. Two co-defendants—Adham Amin Hassoun and Kifah Wael Jayyousi—received 15 and 12 year sentences, respectively. – New York Times, January 22
January 22, 2008 (UNITED KINGDOM): The British government announced that young Muslim women are increasingly involved in “violent extremism.” The government announced that there is “no single profile” of a radicalized citizen, but that “they are likely to be young—generally younger than 30—and male, although the number of women who support and participate in violent extremism is increasing.” – AFP, January 22
January 23, 2008 (GLOBAL): A new 28-minute videotape featuring al-Qa`ida operative Abu Yahya al-Libi appeared on Islamist web forums. During the recording, al-Libi calls on Islamic scholars to support the jihad and for militant groups to fight strictly for Islamic causes, rather than national or political ones. – AP, January 24
January 23, 2008 (IRAQ): Approximately 38 people were killed after a bomb exploded and destroyed an estimated 50 buildings in a slum in Mosul. – AP, January 26
January 24, 2008 (IRAQ): Brigadier General Salah al-Juburi, the chief of police of Ninawa Province, was killed by a suicide bomber in Mosul. The assailant was in a police uniform, and the attack occurred as al-Juburi was inspecting a bomb attack from the previous day. – AFP, January 24
January 24, 2008 (TURKEY): Turkish authorities raided suspected al-Qa`ida hideouts in southeastern Turkey. One police officer and at least one militant were killed during the operation, which occurred in the city of Gaziantep. – Guardian Unlimited, January 24; Reuters, January 24
January 25, 2008 (IRAQ): Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced that his government will soon launch an extensive operation against al-Qa`ida fighters in Mosul. The announcement comes after a series of terrorist attacks in the northern Iraqi city. – Voice of America, January 25
January 25, 2008 (LEBANON): A car bombing killed a senior Lebanese intelligence officer, Captain Wissam Eid, along with his bodyguard. Eid was one of Lebanon’s top terrorism investigators. Two others were also killed in the attack, which occurred in Beirut. – AFP, January 25; AP, January 27
January 27, 2008 (IRAQ): U.S. military spokesman Rear Admiral Gregory Smith told reporters that al-Qa`ida in Iraq is using teenagers as suicide bombers. Smith said, “Al-Qaeda in Iraq is trying to brainwash children with hate and death… they seek to create a culture of violence, hate and despair…[and] are sending 15-year-old boys on suicide missions to spread death and helplessness.” – AFP, January 27
January 28, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A grand jirga of 18 tribes in Orakzai Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) was convened in the morning, and an agreement was reportedly reached to form a lashkar (tribal army) against Taliban fighters. According to Pakistani press reports, some “ten to fifteen thousand armed men” attended the jirga. – Daily Times, January 30
January 28, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): A woman was abducted by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Jolo Island in the southern Philippines. ASG has apparently demanded a ransom for the captive’s release. – Gulf News, January 29
January 28, 2008 (SOMALIA): Two Somalis and two aid workers from Medecins Sans Frontieres were killed after a roadside bomb struck their vehicle near Kismayo. – Reuters, January 28
January 28-29, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Top al-Qa`ida operative Abu Laith al-Libi was believed killed by a Predator drone in North Waziristan. Jihadist websites have released congratulatory martyrdom statements recognizing al-Libi’s death. Twelve others were also believed killed in the attack, including Arabs and Central Asians. – ABC News, January 31; AP, February 1
January 29, 2008 (ALGERIA): A suicide bomber drove his vehicle at a police station in Thenia, approximately 30 miles east of Algiers, killing at least four people. Security forces opened fire on the vehicle before it reached the station, causing the bomber to detonate his explosives early. – AFP, January 29
January 29, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Approximately 500 women in Kandahar protested the abduction of Cyd Mizell, a female American aid worker who was kidnapped on January 26. During the gathering, the women drafted a resolution that stated, “We strongly condemn the abduction of a foreign woman who was working for Kandahar people and Kandahar women.” No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. – AFP, January 29
January 29, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A roadside bomb exploded in Kandahar Province, killing two civilians. It is believed that the bomb was intended for government or international security forces. – AFP, January 30
January 30, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Four Afghan roadworkers were beheaded by Taliban militants, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry. The workers were abducted a week earlier in Nuristan Province in the country’s northeast. The militants had demanded a ransom payment for the release of the workers, and according to the Afghan government the families failed to comply with the demands. – AFP, January 30; Reuters, January 30
January 30, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide car bomber targeted a NATO convoy in Kandahar Province, yet missed its target and instead injured four civilians. There were no NATO casualties. – AFP, January 30
January 30, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): According to Philippine Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr., the number of active Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) operatives in the Philippines has been reduced to approximately 20 men from a previous high of 30-40. When questioned as to whether JI is receiving funding from abroad, the military chief said, “We have some indications that there are some funding still coming into them but not as much as they could. The global community has grown so weary about illegal transactions, illegal transfers of funds. We are on the lookout for that.” – Sun Star, January 30
January 30, 2008 (KYRGYZSTAN): Authorities arrested Abdulkhai Yuldashev, who they accused of being tied to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. – AP, January 31
January 31, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A car bomb targeted an Afghan army bus in Kabul, wounding four civilians and one soldier. The attack took place in the capital’s Taimani neighborhood. – AP, January 30
January 31, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A suicide bomber exploded inside a mosque in Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province, killing provincial Deputy Governor Pir Mohammad along with five others. – AP, January 31
January 31, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): Philippine soldiers launched an operation on an Abu Sayyaf Group camp in Tawi-Tawi in the southern Philippines. Although the raid targeted Jemaah Islamiyah leader Dulmatin, he managed to elude capture. Abu Sayyaf commander Radi Upao, however, was killed in the attack. – AFP, February 1
February 1, 2008 (MAURITANIA): Gunmen fired shots at the Israeli Embassy in Mauritania. No casualties were suffered by the embassy staff, although three civilian bystanders were injured. The attack was conducted at approximately 2:00 AM, and the terrorists fled in a vehicle after the attack. Al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb later claimed credit for the operation. – AFP, February 1
February 1, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Two Frontier Corps troops and four policemen were killed in North Waziristan Agency, as a suicide car bomber targeted a security checkpoint. The attack took place near Mir Ali. – Reuters, February 1
February 1, 2008 (IRAQ): More than 90 people were killed in Baghdad when terrorists remotely detonated explosives that were carried on the bodies of two women with Down syndrome. One blast occurred in al-Ghazal, while the other was in al-Jadida district. A span of 10 minutes separated the two attacks. – Bloomberg, February 1; AFP, February 1
February 2, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Three Islamist militants and two policemen were killed after a long firefight in the North-West Frontier Province. The attack erupted after police surrounded a house that was believed to contain militants. – AFP, February 2
February 3, 2008 (SOMALIA): Eight civilians were killed after a roadside bomb exploded near a minibus in Mogadishu. – Anchorage Daily News, February 2
February 3, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Two Taliban commanders were killed in Bakwa district of Farah Province after Afghan and international troops raided the compound in which they were being sheltered. – Reuters, February 4
February 3, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Afghan security forces killed 10 Taliban fighters in Deh Rawood district of Uruzgan Province. – Reuters, February 4
February 4, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A police patrol in Helmand Province was targeted by a roadside bomb, killing two officers. The attack, which took place inside Kandahar city, was blamed on Taliban militants. – The Canadian Press, February 5
February 4, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A roadside bomb caused damage to a taxi in Helmand Province, killing five civilians; a woman and two children were among the dead. – The Canadian Press, February 5
February 4, 2008 (IRAQ): Mosul’s regional command of the Islamic State of Iraq posted a statement on an Islamist website that they have started a campaign to attack U.S. troops, Iraqi Shi`a and Kurdish peshmerga forces in northern Iraq. – AP, February 4
February 4, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A suicide bomber riding a motorbike killed at least six people in Rawalpindi. The bomber detonated his payload when he was next to a bus filled with members of the security forces. – al-Jazira, February 4
February 4, 2008 (THAILAND): One person was killed in Mayo district of Pattani Province after a bomb exploded 20 yards from an Islamic boarding school. The attack, which was believed to have been orchestrated by Muslim insurgents, seriously wounded the district’s chief. – AP, February 4
February 4, 2008 (THAILAND): Six people were wounded in Muang district in Yala Province after a bomb exploded in the front basket of a motorcycle. – Bangkok Post, February 4
February 4, 2008 (ISRAEL): One person was killed and 11 wounded when a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated his payload in the Israeli town of Dimona. According to the London paper The Times, the bombing was “claimed by a Gaza-based splinter group of Fatah.” – The Times, February 5
February 5, 2008 (IRAQ): According to U.S. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, al-Qa`ida is sending operatives from Iraq to other countries to establish terrorist cells. The decision, according to McConnell, is a result of al-Qa`ida’s weakening presence and ability to operate in Iraq. – AP, February 5
February 5, 2008 (IRAQ): Eight members of an Awakening Council were killed as a suicide bomber detonated his explosives outside the home of Shaykh Shathr al-Obeidi, who leads the council in Awad village 40 kilometers north of Baghdad. – AFP, February 6
February 5-6, 2008 (SOMALIA): At least 20 people were killed in Bosasso after terrorists planted grenades in a building that was primarily used by Ethiopian migrants. – BBC, February 6
February 6, 2008 (IRAQ): Twenty-eight suspected militants were arrested by a tactical Iraqi security force near Salman Pak, 20 miles south of Baghdad. The operation was conducted under the supervision of U.S. Special Forces, and the detained militants were believed linked to al-Qa`ida in Iraq. – UPI, February 7
February 6, 2008 (IRAQ): According to the U.S. and Iraqi militaries, al-Qa`ida in Iraq is training children as gunmen and kidnappers. An AFP report on the development states that “in the [captured] videos released to reporters, boys apparently as young as nine are seen wearing balaclava masks and European soccer jerseys and brandishing pistols, machine-guns and rocket launchers during a series of training exercises.” – AFP, February 7
February 6, 2008 (PAKISTAN): According to various press reports, the Pakistani military has agreed to a temporary cease-fire with Baitullah Mehsud and his Tehrik-i-Taliban in South Waziristan Agency. – National Post, February 9
February 6, 2008 (THAILAND): One soldier was killed after a bomb, hidden in the basket of a motorcycle, exploded near a Chinese shrine in southern Thailand’s Pattani Province. Authorities suspect Muslim insurgents were behind the blast. – AP, February 6
February 6, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): A statement by al-Qa`ida in Afghanistan leader Mustafa Abu’l-Yazid appeared on Islamist internet forums in which he vowed revenge for the killing of al-Qa`ida commander Abu Laith al-Libi, who was allegedly targeted by a Predator drone in Pakistan in late January. – Reuters, February 6
February 7, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Three NATO soldiers were wounded by a suicide car bomber in Khost Province. – Voice of America, February 7
February 7, 2008 (UNITED KINGDOM): The government signed an extradition order that will send Abu Hamza al-Masri, who is currently in prison for inciting racial hatred, to the United States for trial. The well-known former preacher of the Finsbury Mosque, al-Masri faces 11 terrorism-related charges in the United States. – CNN, February 7
February 8, 2008 (GERMANY): The German government announced that “German security authorities have seen a qualitative increase in al-Qaida activity on the internet.” According to an Interior Ministry spokesman, “We have very clearly seen that al-Qa`ida increasingly uses the internet for three components—a massive radicalization, recruiting and the spreading of technical information on how to carry out a terror attack, including construction of explosive devices.” Furthermore, German authorities believe that al-Qa`ida increasingly sees Germany as a target for future attacks. – AP, February 8
February 8, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Two Afghan soldiers were killed after a roadside bomb struck their vehicle in Sangin district, Helmand Province. – Reuters, February 9
February 8, 2008 (IRAQ): Four U.S. soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb during a patrol northwest of Baghdad. – Reuters, February 9
February 8, 2008 (MAURITANIA): France announced that it will increase security assistance to Mauritania. The decision came in the wake of a series of terrorist attacks that have occurred in the country in the last few months. – Reuters, February 9
February 9, 2008 (IRAQ): Iraqi authorities announced the death of an al-Qa`ida in Iraq leader, Abu Omar, who was killed by security forces in Samarra. – Voice of America, February 9
February 9, 2008 (SOMALIA): Gunmen attacked a UN compound in Mogadishu, striking the facility with assault rifle fire and rocket-propelled grenades. There were no known casualties at the compound. – AP, February 9
February 9, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): Mullah Abdul Wasay Akhund accidentally killed himself, along with his two children and two other men, after he prematurely detonated a bomb he was building at his home in Helmand Province. – CNN International, February 11
February 9, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Approximately 15-20 people attending an Awami National Party opposition rally were killed by a suicide bomber in Charsadda, in the North-West Frontier Province. – AFP, February 9
February 10, 2008 (UNITED STATES): According to U.S. officials, six Guantanamo Bay detainees, among them Khalid Shaykh Muhammad, may soon be charged for their roles in the September 11 attacks. Prosecutors may seek the death penalty against at least one of the detainees. – Voice of America, February 10
February 10, 2008 (PHILIPPINES): Approximately six people were wounded after a bomb ripped through an amateur song and dance contest in Lanao del Norte Province in Mindanao. – Manila Times, February 12
February 10, 2008 (PAKISTAN): A newly released poll by the U.S.-based group Terror Free Tomorrow found that support for Usama bin Ladin in Pakistan has dropped considerably. According to the poll, which was conducted last month, only 24% of Pakistanis approve of Bin Ladin. In August 2007, a similar survey found that 46% of Pakistanis approved of Bin Ladin, a considerable drop. The January poll also found that only 18% of the population supports al-Qa`ida and only 19% supports the Taliban. – AP, February 10
February 10, 2008 (IRAQ): U.S. military officials announced that they recently captured documents from al-Qa`ida in Iraq leaders demonstrating how the terrorist group has been weakened in the country. According to a U.S. military spokesman, the documents provide “clear and compelling evidence that the Iraq volunteer citizens’ groups…are restricting the terrorists’ freedom of movement,” and “shows that al-Qa`ida regards these groups as a grave threat and the terrorists are increasingly targeting them.” The documents were captured in November 2007. – AFP, February 10
February 10, 2008 (IRAQ): A firefight between a Sunni neighborhood watch group—known as the Sons of Iraq—and al-Qa`ida in Iraq fighters left five members of the group dead along with 10 al-Qa`ida fighters. The al-Qa`ida ambush and subsequent firefight occurred in Ninawa Province. – CNN, February 10
February 10, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): The Norwegian Embassy in Kabul was closed due to terrorist threats. The move comes after terrorists attacked the Serena Hotel in Kabul on January 15, in which a Norwegian journalist was killed. The Norwegian foreign minister was in the hotel at the time, but did not suffer any injuries. – AP, February 10
February 10, 2008 (IRAQ): At least eight civilians were killed as a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives near Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad. It appears that the attack targeted a checkpoint, but the bomber detonated his explosives prematurely after coming under fire. – AP, February 10
February 10, 2008 (IRAQ): Iraqi security forces and U.S. soldiers arrested the acting director of a psychiatric hospital in Baghdad, accusing him of “supplying al-Qa`ida in Iraq with the mentally impaired women that it used to blow up two crowded animal markets in the city on February 1, killing about 100 people,” according to a February 12 report in London’s The Times.
February 11, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Top Taliban commander Mullah Mansour Dadullah was wounded and captured by Pakistani security forces in Baluchistan Province. A military statement said that “initial information reveals that Mullah Mansour Dadullah is injured and has been arrested while trying to enter into Pakistan.” Dadullah’s current role in the Taliban is not clear since it is believed that Taliban leader Mullah Omar dismissed him from command recently. – Reuters, February 11
February 11, 2008 (IRAQ): Twin car bombs ripped through Baghdad, killing at least 11 people. It is suspected that the attack was aimed at Shaykh Ali Hatem, one of the main forces behind the “awakening” movement. – New York Times, February 12
February 11, 2008 (PAKISTAN): Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, disappeared in Pakistan’s tribal Khyber region, and authorities suspect that he may have been abducted. – guardian.co.uk, February 11
February 11, 2008 (PAKISTAN): At least six people were killed when a suicide bomber exploded at a political rally in Eidak, North Waziristan Agency. The rally was affiliated with the Awami National Party. – guardian.co.uk, February 11
February 12, 2008 (AFGHANISTAN): One NATO soldier was wounded after a suicide car bomber exploded next to a convoy in Farah Province. – AP, February 12
February 12, 2008 (SYRIA): Top Hizb Allah operative Imad Mughniyyeh was killed in a car bomb in Damascus. – Reuters, February 13
