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- ABOUT
- REFERENCES
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APPENDICES
- A: Abbreviations
- B: International Organizations and Groups
- C: Selected International Environmental Agreements
- D: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
- E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes
- F: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names
- G: Weights and Measures
- H: Strategic Materials
- T: Terrorist Organizations
- FAQs
- CONTACT
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK ARCHIVE
aka – AAB, Ziyad al-Jarrah Battalions of the Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Yusuf al-‘Uyayri Battalions of the Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Marwan Hadid Brigades; Marwan Hadid Brigade; Abdullah Azzam Brigades in the Land of Al Sham
history – assessed as disbanded; formed around 2005 as a Sunni jihadist group with ties to al-Qa’ida; formally announced its presence in a 2009 video statement while claiming responsibility for a rocket attack against Israel; in 2013, became involved in the Syrian War where it fought against Iranian-backed forces, particularly Hizballah; has been largely dormant over the past several years and in 2019 announced that it was disbanding
goals – rid the Middle East of Western influence, disrupt Israel's economy and its efforts to establish security, and erode Shia Muslim influence in Lebanon
leadership and organization – Sirajeddin ZURAYQAT (var: Siraj al-Din Zreqat, Siraj al-Din Zuraiqat) was AAB's spiritual leader, spokesman, and commander; was divided into regionally based branches representing fighters in southern Lebanon (Ziyad al-Jarrah Battalions), the Gaza Strip (Marwan Hadid Brigade), and Syria
areas of operation – was based in Lebanon and operated chiefly in Lebanon; was also active in Gaza and Syria, but announced in November 2019 that its forces Syria were dissolving
targets, tactics, and weapons – principal targets were Shia Muslims, the Shia terrorist group Hizballah, and Israel; was responsible for several car and suicide bombing attacks against Shia Muslims in Beirut, Lebanon; claimed responsibility for numerous rocket attacks against Israel and Lebanon; members were typically armed with small arms, light machine guns, grenades, rockets, and improvised explosive devices
strength – was estimated to be down to a few dozen members prior to disbanding
financial and other support – funding support is unknown but probably received donations from sympathizers and engaged in smuggling contraband, including weapons
designation - placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 30 May 2012
aka – al-Harakat al Islamiyya (the Islamic Movement); al-Harakat-ul al-Islamiyah; Bearer of the Sword; Father of the Executioner; Father of the Swordsman; International Harakatu'l Al-Islamia; Lucky 9; Islamic State in the Philippines; Mujahideen Commando Freedom Fighters
history – formed in 1991 when it split from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front; has carried out dozens of attacks in the Philippines; linked to al-Qa’ida in the 1990s and 2000s; in recent years, the group has focused on local violence and criminal activity, especially kidnap-for-ransom operations
goals – establish an Islamic State in the southern Philippines and ultimately across Southeast Asia
leadership and organization - loosely structured and family/clan-based; Sulu-based Radullan SAHIRON (aka Putol, Kahal Mohammad) reportedly became the leader in 2017
areas of operation – the southern Philippines, especially Basilan, Jolo, and Tawi-Tawi islands and their surrounding waters; also has been active in Malaysia
targets, tactics, and weapons - targets military and security personnel, facilities, and checkpoints; also attacks civilian targets, such as churches, markets, and ferry boats; conducted the country’s deadliest terrorist attack when it bombed a ferry boat in Manila Bay in 2004, killing 116 people; known for kidnapping civilians, particularly foreigners, for ransom and has killed hostages when ransoms were not paid; tactics include car bombings, ambushes, complex assaults involving dozens of fighters, beheadings, and assassinations; weapons include small arms, light and heavy machine guns, mortars, landmines, and improvised explosive devices
strength – assessed in 2019 to have 300-400 fighters
financial and other support – funded primarily through kidnapping-for-ransom operations and extortion; may receive funding from external sources, including remittances from overseas Philippine workers and Middle East-based sympathizers; has received training and other assistance from other regional terrorist groups, such as Jemaah Islamiya; buys weapons and ammunition from corrupt local government officials or smuggles them in from nearby countries
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – al-Aqsa Martyrs Battalion; al-Aqsa Brigades; Martyr Yasser Arafat; Kata'ib Shuhada al-Aqsa; The Brigades; al-Aqsa Intifada Martyrs' Group; Martyrs of al-Aqsa Group
history – emerged at the outset of the second intifada in September 2000 as an armed wing of Yasser ARAFAT's Fatah faction in the West Bank; in 2002, some members splintered from Fatah while others remained loyal to Fatah
goals – drive the Israeli military and Israeli settlers from the West Bank and establish a Palestinian state loyal to Fatah
leadership and organization – formerly under Zaki al-SAKANI, who was released in late 2016 from HAMAS's custody in Gaza, where he had been held since 2008, only on the condition that he leave Gaza; since al-SAKANI's imprisonment, has operated under a decentralized power structure, with each cell reporting to a local leader
areas of operation – appears defunct in the West Bank, but remains active in Gaza; previously planned and conducted attacks inside Israel and the West Bank; has members in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily employed bombing and small-arms attacks against Israeli military personnel and settlers after the second intifada began in September 2000, but by 2002 had turned increasingly to attacks against civilians inside Israel, including the first female suicide bombing; since 2010, has launched numerous rocket attacks against Israeli communities; largest attack was in November 2012, when it fired more than 500 rockets into Israel during Israeli military operations in Gaza; fighters typically armed with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, grenades, mortars, improvised explosive devices, and rockets
strength – estimated in 2019 to have a few hundred members
financial and other support – Iran has provided AAMB with funds and guidance, mostly through Hizballah facilitators
designation –placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 27 March 2002
aka - Saraya al-Ashtar
history – is an Iranian-backed Shia militant group established in 2013 with the aim of overthrowing the ruling Sunni family in Bahrain; in 2018, formally adopted Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps branding in its logo and flag and reaffirmed the group’s loyalty to Tehran; did not claim any attacks in 2019
goals – foment an insurgency against the ruling Sunni family of Bahrain and, ultimately, replace it with a Shia-based government; also seeks to expel US and other Western military forces from Bahrain
leadership and organization – Qassim Abdullah Ali AHMED (aka Qassim al Muamen) is the Iran-based leader of AAB; operates in cells
areas of operation – located in Bahrain; also active in Iran and Iraq
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets local security forces in Bahrain and plotted to attack oil pipelines; also promotes violence against the British, Saudi Arabian, and US governments; methods include shootings and bombings; equipped with small arms and explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – unknown
funding and other support – receives funding, training, and weapons support from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps; also receives training from the Iraq-based Kataib Hezbollah terrorist group
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 11 July 2018
aka – al-Mulathamun Brigade; al-Muwaqqi’un bil-Dima; Those Signed in Blood Battalion (or Brigade); Signatories in Blood; Those who Sign in Blood; Witnesses in Blood; Signed-in-Blood Battalion; Masked Men Brigade; Khaled Abu al-Abbas Brigade; al-Mulathamun Masked Ones Brigade; al-Murabitoun; The Sentinels
history – was part of al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) but became a separate organization; it split from AQIM in 2012 over leadership disputes; merged with the Mali-based Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa to form al-Murabitoun in August 2013; some members split from the group in mid-2015 and declared allegiance to the Islamic State, which acknowledged the pledge in October 2016, creating the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara; in late 2015, al-Mulathamun/al-Mourabitoun announced a re-merger with AQIM and in 2017, joined a coalition of al-Qa’ida-affiliated groups operating in the Sahel region known as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); the group remained active in 2019
goals – replace regional governments with an Islamic state
leadership and organization – unknown; founder and emir Mokhtar BELMOKHTAR (aka Laaouar or the One-Eyed) reportedly killed by an airstrike in Libya in 2015 or 2016; operations guided by a governing shura council but specific structure unknown
areas of operation – Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, and Niger
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily targets Western interests in the Sahel but also regional military forces; known for high-profile attacks with small arms and explosives against civilian targets frequented or run by Westerners, including restaurants, hotels, mines, and energy facilities; in 2013, took over 800 people hostage during a four-day siege at the Tiguentourine gas plant in southeastern Algeria, resulting in the deaths of 39 civilians; has claimed responsibility for suicide car bombings at military bases in Niger and Mali, including a suicide car bombing attack on a military camp in Gao, Mali, that killed at least 60 and wounded more than 100; has been involved in fighting against French and local military forces in Mali; armed with small arms, machine guns, landmines, mortars, and improvised explosive devices
strength – unknown
financial and other support – engages in kidnappings for ransom and smuggling activities; receives support through its connections to other terrorist organizations in the region; acquired weapons from Libya, battlefield captures, and seized stockpiles from local militaries
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 19 December 2013
aka – Jabhat al-Nusrah; Jabhet al-Nusrah; The Victory Front; al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant; al-Nusrah Front in Lebanon; Jabhat al-Nusra li-Ahl al-Sham min Mujahedi al-Sham fi Sahat al-Jihad; Support Front for the People of the Levant; Jabhat Fath al-Sham; Jabhat Fath al Sham; Jabhat Fatah al-Sham; Jabhat Fateh al-Sham; Front for the Conquest of Syria; the Front for liberation of al Sham; Front for the Conquest of Syria/the Levant; Front for the Liberation of the Levant; Conquest of the Levant Front; Fatah al-Sham Front; Fateh al-Sham Front; Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham; Hay’et Tahrir al-Sham; Hayat Tahrir al-Sham; HTS; Assembly for the Liberation of Syria; Assembly for Liberation of the Levant; Liberation of al-Sham Commission; Liberation of the Levant Organization; Tahrir al-Sham; Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at
history – formed circa late 2011 when former al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) leader Abu Bakr al-BAGHDADI sent Syrian militant Abu Muhammad al-JAWLANI (var: al-GOLANI, al-JOLANI) to organize al-Qa'ida cells in Syria; split from AQI in early 2013 and became an independent entity; operated as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham briefly in 2016; in 2017, joined with four smaller Syrian Islamist factions (Harakat Nur al Din al Zenki, Liwa al Haqq, Ansar al Din, and Jaysh al Sunna) and created Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, "Assembly for the Liberation of the Levant") as a vehicle to advance its position in Syria; continued to fight against Syrian government forces and its allies in 2019 while suffering heavy casualties
goals – oust Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regime and replace it with a Sunni Islamic state
leadership and organization – led by an overall commander (al-JAWLANI) assisted by a small consultative council (“majlis-ash-shura”); the group’s operational structure varies from clandestine cells to semi-conventional military units such as battalions and brigades
areas of operation – headquartered in Syria's Idlib Province in the northwest, operationally active primarily in northwestern Syria after regime advances cleared opposition groups from other areas of the country
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily attacks Syrian Government and pro-regime forces and other Syrian insurgent groups, including the Islamic State, as well as some minorities and civilians; engages in conventional and guerrilla-style attacks using small arms and other light weapons, artillery, rockets, landmines, anti-tank missiles, armored combat vehicles, and surface-to-air missiles; also known for using terrorist tactics, including assassinations and suicide attacks incorporating car bombs and explosive vests
strength – assessed in 2019 to have between 5,000 and 10,000 fighters
financial and other support – derives funding from smuggling, extortion, taxes and fines on local populations and at border crossings it controls, and donations from external Gulf-based donors; has conducted kidnappings-for-ransom operations in the past
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 15 May 2014; on 31 May 2018, the Department of State amended the designation of al-Nusrah Front to include Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other aliases
aka – al-Qa’eda; al-Qaeda; Qa’idat al-Jihad (The Base for Jihad); formerly Qa’idat Ansar Allah (The Base of the Supporters of God); the Islamic Army; Islamic Salvation Foundation; The Base; The Group for the Preservation of the Holy Sites; The Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places; the World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders; the Usama Bin Laden Network; the Usama Bin Laden Organization; al-Jihad; the Jihad Group; Egyptian al-Jihad; Egyptian Islamic Jihad; New Jihad
history – formed under Usama BIN LADIN (UBL) circa 1988 and now one of the largest and longest-operating jihadist organizations in the world; helped finance, recruit, transport, and train fighters for the Afghan resistance against the former Soviet Union in the 1980s; in the 1990s, was based in Sudan and then Afghanistan, where it planned and staged attacks; merged with al-Jihad (Egyptian Islamic Jihad) in June 2001; developed a reputation for carrying out large-scale, mass casualty attacks against civilians; has lost dozens of mid- and senior-level operatives to counterterrorism efforts, including UBL in May 2011, which has disrupted operations but continues to recruit, plan, inspire, and conduct attacks; has established affiliated organizations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia and its contemporary strength is primarily in these affiliates
goals – eject Western influence from the Islamic world, unite the worldwide Muslim community, overthrow governments perceived as un-Islamic, and ultimately, establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia; direct, enable, and inspire individuals to conduct attacks, recruit, disseminate propaganda, and raise funds on behalf of the group around the world; destabilize local economies and governments by attacking security services, government targets, and civilian targets
leadership and organization – led by Egyptian Ayman al-ZAWAHIRI, who was selected to lead following UBL's death, along with a leadership council (“majlis al-shura”); al-Qa’ida reportedly maintains branches for military, political, religious, financial, and media affairs; affiliates have separate emirs (leaders) and organizational structures that vary by region
areas of operation – employs an affiliate or proxy model, which includes al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen), al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (North Africa and the Sahel), Hurras al-Din (Syria), al-Shabaab (Somalia), and al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan); has supporters, sympathizers, and associates worldwide, including in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America; maintains a strong online presence and individuals inspired by AQ’s ideology may conduct operations without direction from its central leadership
targets, tactics, and weapons – considers its enemies to be Shia Muslims, Saudi Arabia, US and Western interests, so-called "apostate" governments perceived to be supporting the US and the West, and the Islamic State; in 2019, leader Zawahiri encouraged followers to attack European (particularly British and French), Israeli, NATO, Russian, and US targets, specificially military bases and forces; targets have included embassies, restaurants, hotels, airplanes, trains, and tourists sites; employs a combination of guerrilla warfare hit-and-run and terrorist tactics against security and military forces; known for use of suicide bombers, car bombs, explosive-laden boats, and airplanes; conducted the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, which involved 19 operatives hijacking and crashing four US commercial jets—two into the World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon, and the last into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania—killing nearly 3,000 people
strength – the group’s membership is considerably degraded; reportedly has 400-600 operatives in Afghanistan; remains a focal point of inspiration for a worldwide network of affiliated groups and other sympathetic terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Islamic Jihad Union, Lashkar i Jhangvi, Harakat ul-Mujahideen, the Haqqani Network, and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan
financial and other support –primarily depends on donations from like-minded supporters and from individuals, primarily in the Gulf States and has received some funds from kidnapping for ransom operations; historically has received some funds from Islamic charitable organizations
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1999
aka – al-Qa’ida in the South Arabian Peninsula; al-Qa’ida in Yemen; al-Qa’ida of Jihad Organization in the Arabian Peninsula; al-Qa’ida Organization in the Arabian Peninsula; Tanzim Qa’idat al-Jihad fi Jazirat al-Arab; AQY; Ansar al-Shari’a; Sons of Abyan; Sons of Hadramawt; Sons of Hadramawt Committee; Civil Council of Hadramawt; National Hadramawt Council
history – formed in January 2009 when the now-deceased leader of al-Qa’ida (AQ) in Yemen, Nasir AL-WAHISHI, publicly announced that Yemeni and Saudi al-Qa’ida operatives were working together under the banner of AQAP; the announcement signaled the rebirth of an AQ franchise that previously carried out attacks in Saudi Arabia; beginning in 2015, AQAP was able to take advantage of Yemen’s civil war and expand operations in Yemen, controlling a large portion of the southern part of the country by 2016; continued to operate in 2019 and is considered one AQ’s most effective affiliates
goals – establish a caliphate and sharia in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Middle East; support the broader goals of AQ’s central leadership
leadership and organization – current leader is Khalid BATARFI; has a leadership council (“majlis al-shura”) comprised of lieutenant commanders who are responsible for overall political direction and military operations, as well as a propaganda wing to draw in recruits and build support (in 2010, AQAP launched an English online magazine, Inspire, to reach Western sympathizers and potential recruits) and a religious branch to justify attacks from a theological perspective and offer spiritual guidance
areas of operation – most active in southern and central Yemen; limited presence in Saudi Arabia
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Yemeni Government officials, military and security forces, oil facilities, merchant ships, and Shia Muslims, especially Yemen's Houthi community; targets Saudi Arabian and Western interests, including embassies, diplomats, business people, tourists, and airliners; has waged open warfare with Islamic State elements in Yemen since 2018; employs guerrilla-style and terrorist tactics, including ambushes, complex assaults, assassinations, snipers, bombings, and suicide attacks; equipped with small arms, machine guns, artillery, rockets, landmines, anti-tank missiles, armored combat vehicles, man-portable air defense systems (MANPADs), and improvised explosive devices, including car bombs, road side bombs, and suicide vests
strength – assessed to range from 1,800 to 2,800 members
financial and other support – receives funding from theft, robberies, oil and gas revenue, kidnapping-for-ransom operations, and donations from like-minded supporters; for nearly a year after seizing the city of Mukallah in April 2015, had access millions of dollars from port fees and funds stolen from the central bank; many of its weapons have been seized from the Yemeni military
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 19 January 2010
aka – al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent; Qaedat al-Jihad in the Indian Subcontinent, Qaedat al-Jihad, Jamaat Qaidat al-Jihad fi'shibhi al-Qarrat al-Hindiya,
history – al-Qa'ida leader Dr. Ayman al-ZAWAHIRI announced AQIS's inception in a video address in September 2014; the group has conducted a limited number of small attacks, but has not publicly claimed any attacks since 2017
goals – establish an Islamic caliphate in the Indian subcontinent; support the broader goals of al-Qai’da’s central leadership
leadership and organization – unknown; former leader Maulana Asim UMAR (aka Sanaul HAQ, Sana-ul HAQUE) was killed in a September 2019 joint US-Afghan military raid in Helmand Province, Afghanistan; UMAR led with a shura council, which, like other AQ affiliates, probably included subordinates for military, religious, propaganda, and political matters; reportedly has regional branches for Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan
areas of operation – primarily in Afghanistan with elements operating in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan
targets, tactics, and weapons – military and security personnel, political parties, foreigners, foreign aid workers, university professors, students, and secular bloggers; has used small arms and improvised explosive devices, as well as crude weapons such as machetes; claimed responsibility for the 2016 machete murders of two editors of a human rights magazine in Dhaka, Bangladesh
membership – estimated in 2019 to have several hundred members
financial and other support – likely receives financial and material support from AQ senior leadership; also engages in kidnapping-for-ransom and extortion to raise funds
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 30 June 2016
aka – GSPC; Le Groupe Salafiste Pour la Predication et le Combat; Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat; Salafist Group for Call and Combat; Tanzim al-Qa’ida fi Bilad alMaghrib al-Islamiya
history – formed in 1998 in Algeria under Hassan HATTAB, when he split from the Armed Islamic Group; known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) until rebranding itself as AQIM in September 2006; has since undergone various schisms and rapprochements; in 2011, a Mauritanian-led group broke away, calling itself the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJWA); in 2012, the Veiled Men Battalion split off and rebranded itself the al-Mulathamun Battalion; al-Mulathamun and MUJWA merged to form al-Mourabitoun in 2013; in late 2015, AQIM reincorporated al-Murabitoun and in 2017, the Mali Branch of AQIM and al-Murabitoun joined the Mali-based al-Qa’ida coalition Jama‘at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); continues to be active in 2020 despite losses to counterterrorism operations, especially in using North Africa as a support zone for assisting JNIM operations in Mali and the Sahel, including operating transnational financial networks to move and share funds
goals – overthrow “apostate” African regimes and establish a regional Islamic state across all of North and West Africa; support the broader goals of al-Qai’da’s central leadership
leadership and organization – Abu Obaida al-ANNABI (aka Yazid MUBARAK); previous leader (Abdelmalek DROUKDAL killed in northern Mali by French military forces in June 2020; has a 14-member shura council comprised of regional commanders and the heads of the political, military, judicial, and media committees; locally organized into battalions, which range in size from a few dozen to several hundred fighters at any given time
areas of operation – based in northeastern Algeria; also operates in northern Mali, southwest Libya, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Cote d’Ivoire
targets, tactics, and weapons – local and international military and security forces using both terrorist and guerrilla warfare tactics; employs improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers, as well as light weapons, machine guns, mortars, rockets, and landmines; also attacks “soft” civilian targets such as hotels, resorts, and restaurants that cater to Westerners and tourists with small arms, explosives, and suicide bombers; known for assassinations and kidnappings
strength – estimated in 2020 to have about 500-1,000 fighters
financial and other support – engages in kidnappings-for-ransom and other criminal activities, particularly extorting drug trafficking groups and others; arms largely acquired from Libyan stockpiles, battlefield captures, or via illicit regional arms markets
designation – GSPC was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on 27 March 2002; the Department of State amended the GSPC designation on 20 February 2008, after the GSPC officially joined with al-Qa’ida in September 2006 and became AQIM
aka – the Harakat Shabaab al-Mujahidin; al-Shabab; Shabaab; the Youth; Mujahidin al-Shabaab Movement; Mujahideen Youth Movement; Mujahidin Youth Movement; al-Hijra, Al Hijra, Muslim Youth Center, MYC, Pumwani Muslim Youth, Pumwani Islamist Muslim Youth Center
history – descended from Al-Ittihad Al-Islami, a Somali terrorist group whose leaders fought in Afghanistan in the 1990s and formed circa 2003; operates as a core al-Qa'ida affiliate; was the militant wing of the former Somali Islamic Courts Council that took over parts of Somalia in 2006; since the end of 2006, has engaged in an insurgency against the transitional governments of Somalia and supporting foreign military forces and a campaign of violence against Somali civilians; responsible for numerous high-profile bombings and shootings throughout Somalia, and more than 3,000 civilian deaths since 2015; provides rudimentary government services in areas under its control, including rule of law through sharia courts, sharia-based institutions and schools, funding, services (including security), and food; in 2019, was involved in more than 1,000 violent incidents in Somalia and eastern Kenya
goals – discredit and destabilize the Federal Government of Somalia and establish Islamic rule in Somalia and Kenya's border regions; drive out Western influence
leadership and organization – led by Ahmad DIRIYE (aka Abu UBEYDAH/UBAIDAH, Abu Ubaidah DIREYE, Ahmad UMAR) since September 2014; structure is both hierarchical and decentralized and influenced by Somalia’s many clans; DIRIYE directs a shura council made up of multiple branches, including regional commanders and a media wing (Kata'ib Media); each regional division has military and administrative wings; regional commanders can make decisions and take actions without the approval of the emir or the council
areas of operation – controls a large swathe of the Lower and Middle Juba regions, as well as the Gedo, Bakol, Bay, and Shabelle regions; also maintains a presence in northern Somalia along the Golis Mountains and within Puntland’s urban areas; has conducted attacks in Djibouti, Kenya, and Uganda
targets, tactics, and weapons – Somali Government officials, military units, police, and civilians, international aid workers, journalists, foreign troops, and neighboring countries contributing to military stabilization operations in Somalia, particularly Kenya and Uganda; has attacked hotels, schools, military bases, police stations, shopping areas, and telecommunications towers in Kenya; has clashed with an Islamic State faction operating in northern Somalia; methods include assassinations, suicide bombings, hostage taking, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians; typical attacks consist of a single or multiple suicide bombers, followed by an assault by members carrying small arms and explosives; in March 2019, for example, operatives attacked a hotel in Mogadishu using a suicide bomber and small arms, killing at least 20; has placed truck-mounted bombs in high-density urban areas; such attacks in Mogadishu in December 2019 and October 2017 killed 90 and more than 500 civilians, respectively; uses guerrilla warfare and terrorist-type tactics against Somali and international military forces, including ambushes, hit-and-run attacks, improvised explosive device operations, mortar attacks, and targeted killings; typically armed with small arms, light and heavy machine guns (including truck-mounted machine guns), mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive device, and man-portable air defense systems
strength – assessments in 2020 ranged from 5,000 to 10,000 combatants
financial and other support – obtains funds primarily through extortion of businesses, taxation, and zakat (religious donations) collections from the local populations, robbery, and remittances and other money transfers from the Somali diaspora; probably receives training, arms, and bomb-making materials from other al-Qa’ida branches
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 18 March 2008
aka – Ansar Dine; Ansar al-Din; Ancar Dine; Ansar ul-Din; Ansar Eddine; Defenders of the Faith
history – created in late 2011; was among the terrorist groups (including al-Qa’ida) to take over northern Mali following the March 2012 coup that toppled the Malian government; proceeded to destroy UNESCO World Heritage sites and enforce a severe interpretation of Islam upon the civilian population living in the areas under their control; beginning in 2013, French and African military forces forced AAD and its allies out of the population centers they had seized, severely weakening AAD, although the group made a comeback in 2015 and 2016; currently a member of Jama'ah Nusrah al-Islam wal-Muslimin (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida-linked groups in Mali that formed in 2017; continues to conduct attacks under the JNIM banner
goals – replace the Malian government with an Islamic state
leadership and organization – led by its founder Iyad Ag GHALI (aka Abu al-FADEL), who also leads JNIM; reportedly has regionally based branches
areas of operation – operates mostly in central and northern Mali
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Malian military and security forces, French troops, and UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) personnel; uses a mix of guerrilla warfare hit-and-run and terrorist tactics, including ambushes, complex ground assaults involving dozens of fighters, road side bombs, rocket attacks, assassinations, kidnappings, and car and suicide bombings; fighters are armed with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, landmines, mortars, rockets, trucks mounting machine guns (aka “technicals”), and explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – unknown
financial and other support – cooperates with and has received support from al-Qa’ida since its inception; also reportedly receives funds from foreign donors and through smuggling; many of its arms were captured from the Malian Army or taken from Libyan military stockpiles; takes advantage of trans-Saharan smuggling routes to resupply from illicit markets in Libya and elsewhere in the region
designation - placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 22 March 2004
aka – Ansar al-Sunna; Ansar al-Sunna Army; Devotees of Islam; Followers of Islam in Kurdistan; Helpers of Islam; Jaish Ansar al-Sunna; Jund al-Islam; Kurdish Taliban; Kurdistan Supporters of Islam; Partisans of Islam; Soldiers of God; Soldiers of Islam; Supporters of Islam in Kurdistan
history – founded in December 2001 with support from al-Qa’ida; originated in the Iraqi Kurdistan region with the merger of two Kurdish terrorist factions, Jund al-Islam and a splinter group of the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan; from 2003 to 2011, conducted attacks against a wide range of targets in Iraq, including government and security forces, as well as US and Coalition troops; in the summer of 2014, a faction of AAI pledged allegiance to ISIS and the two factions reportedly have fought each other; after 2014, most activity has been in Syria where AAI has fought against Syrian regime forces
goals – expel Western interests from Iraq and, ultimately, establish an Iraqi state operating according to its interpretation of sharia
leadership and organization – led by Amir Shaykh Abu Hashim Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman al-IBRAHIM; organization is unknown
areas of operation – headquartered in northern Iraq with its largest presence in Kirkuk, Tikrit, and Mosul; also active in central and western Iraq and in Syria
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Iraqi security and police forces, citizens, politicians, and Shia militia forces for assassinations, bombings, and executions; also targets Syrian government forces and pro-Syrian regime militias with guerrilla-style hit-and-run assaults and terrorist attacks; equipped with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – unknown
financial and other support – receives assistance from a loose network of associates in Europe and the Middle East
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 22 March 2004
aka – Ansar al-Shari'a in Benghazi; Ansar al-Sharia in Darnah; Ansar al-Shariah Brigade; Ansar al-Shari’a Brigade; Katibat Ansar al-Sharia in Benghazi; Ansar al-Shariah-Benghazi; Al-Raya Establishment for Media Production; Ansar al-Sharia; Soldiers of the Sharia; Ansar al-Shariah; Supporters of Islamic Law; Partisans of Islamic Law; Supporters of Islamic Law in Darnah, Ansar al-Sharia Brigade in Darnah; Ansar al-Sharia in Derna
history – consists of Ansar al-Shari'a in Benghazi (AAS-B) and Ansar al-Sharia in Darnah (AAS-D); AAS-B and AAS-D were formed in 2011 following the fall of the QADHAFI regime as Sunni Muslim Salafist armed groups with links to al-Qa’ida; at their peak in 2013, held territory and operated branches in Benghazi, Darnah, Sirte, Ajdabiya, and Nawfalia; promoted charitable work to gain popular support from local communities; in 2014, began fighting against the Libyan National Army (LNA) under General HIFTER and the Islamic State in Libya (ISIS-Libya) and by 2015 had lost most of their territory and suffered heavy losses; in May 2017, AAS-B announced its dissolution due to battle losses, as well as defections to ISIS-Libya; AAS-D was still active in 2019, but did not claim any attacks
goals – a strict implementation of sharia in Libya
leadership and organization – unknown; AAS-B’s last known emir (leader) was Abu Khalid al-MADANI; the last known emir of AAS-D was founder Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin QUMU who defected to ISIS in 2014; organizations are also unknown, but AAS-B reportedly had two main divisions, one dedicated to military affairs and one to charitable work
areas of operation – operated mostly in eastern Libya, particularly Benghazi and Darnah
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Libyan political and security officials and Westerners for kidnappings, executions, bombings, and assassinations; AAS-B participated in the 2012 attacks on US diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, for example; also conducted guerrilla warfare hit-and-run and terrorist attacks against Libyan security forces, LNA militias, and other terrorist groups using small arms and light weapons, rockets, mortars, anti-tank guided missiles, anti-aircraft artillery and missiles, improvised explosive devices and suicide bombings
strength – unknown
financial and other support – obtained funds from al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb, witting and unwitting Islamic charities, donations from sympathizers, and criminal activities; raided Libyan military bases for weapons and ammunition
designation – AAS-B and AAS-D were placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 13 January 2014
aka – Al-Qayrawan Media Foundation; Supporters of Islamic Law; Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Ansar al-Shari’ah; Ansar al-Shari’ah in Tunisia; Ansar al-Sharia
history – formed in April 2011 as a Sunni Salafi-jihadist militant organization linked to al-Qa'ida; combined community service, proselytization, and violence to promote its ideology and goals; in 2014, multiple AAS-T leaders swore loyalty to the Islamic State and many left the group to fight in Syria; did not claim any attacks in 2019, and its current status is unclear
goals – expand its influence in Tunisia and, ultimately, replace the Tunisian Government with one operating according to Islamic law
leadership and organization – founded and led by Seifallah Ben HASSINE (var: Sayf Allah 'Umar Ben HOCINE; aka Abu Iyad al-Tunisi); was reportedly a decentralized movement that gave considerable autonomy to local groups or cells and loosely organized into northern, central, and southern branches; included a media wing known as al-Bayariq Media (The Banners Media)
areas of operation – headquartered in Tunisia; also operated in Libya
targets, tactics, and weapons – attacked Tunisian military and security personnel with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades; also targeted Tunisian politicians, religious sites, and groups and places representing Western influence, such as tourists and tourist sites, with assassinations and bombings; organized riots and violent demonstrations against the Tunisian government; members are typically armed with small arms and other light weapons, as well as explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – unknown
financial and other support – sources of financial support are unknown but believed to come from Tunisian charities, private donors, and smuggling contraband
designation - placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 13 January 2014
aka – Jaysh al-Islam; Jaish al-Islam; JAI
history - formed around 2005 as a Salafi Sunni Muslim splinter from HAMAS; subscribes to Salafist ideology of global jihad blended with the traditional model of armed Palestinian resistance; traditionally focused on attacking Israel and Egypt; in September 2015, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and declared itself part of the Islamic State’s Sinai Province (IS-SP); did not claim responsibility for any attacks in 2018 or 2019
goals – establish a regional Islamic emirate
leadership and organization – unknown
areas of operation – headquartered in Gaza
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets the Egyptian and Israeli governments and their citizens; has a history of conducting rocket attacks against Israel, kidnapping civilians, and attacking Christians; conducted a bombing attack on a Coptic Christian church in Egypt in 2011 that killed 25 and wounded 100, probably has conducted joint attacks with IS-SP against Egyptian security service personnel; equipped with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, mortars, rockets, and improvised explosives devices
strength – precise numbers unknown, estimated in 2018 to number in the low hundreds
financial and other support – generates funding through criminal activities conducted primarily in Gaza City, including kidnappings for ransom; also receives funds from foreign sympathizers and organizations
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 19 May 2011
aka – Ahl al-Kahf; Band of the Righteous; Bands of Right; Islamic Shia Resistance in Iraq; Khazali Faction/Network; Khazali Special Groups Network; League of Righteousness
history – is an Iraqi Shia militia and political group that split off from Jaysh al-Mahdi in 2006; fought US military forces in Iraq from 2006 until the US withdrawal in 2011 and has continued attack planning against US and coalition interests following Operation Iraqi Freedom; following the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) in 2013, fought alongside the Iraqi military as part of the Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC) until ISIS’s territorial defeat in 2017; fought in support of the ASAD regime in Syria from 2011 until at least 2017; in 2017, AAH’s affiliated political party (Al Sadiqun Bloc) was approved by the Iraqi electoral commission to run in the national election; in 2018, Al Sadiqun joined the Al Fatah Alliance (Victory), a political coalition primarily comprised of parties affiliated with Iranian-backed Shia militias; in the 2018 election, Al Fatah won 48 of the 329 seats in the Iraqi parliament
goals – maintain a Shia-controlled government in Iraq, promote Iran's political and religious influence in Iraq, and expel the remaining US military presence
leadership and organization – led by Qays al-KHAZALI; maintains a paramilitary force inside the PMC that is divided into three brigades (the 41st, 42nd, and 43rd PMC brigades) representing geographic sectors of Iraq; reportedly models itself after Lebanese Hizballah
area(s) of operation – maintains political offices in Baghdad, Al Basrah, An Najaf, Babil, Salah ad Din, and Ninawa Governorates; militia forces reportedly dominate the area from Baghdad to Samarra; active in Syria through at least 2017
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets foreign military forces, ISIS fighters, and Sunni Muslims; from 2006 to 2011, claimed to have conducted more than 5,000 attacks against US and Coalition forces using small arms, road side bombs, car bombs, and mortars; has carried out abductions, executions, and targeted killings of Sunni Muslims; fought as a paramilitary/irregular force in Syria and alongside the Iraqi military; armed with a variety of weapons, including small arms, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, rockets, artillery, and armored vehicles
strength – estimated to have approximately 10,000 fighters
financial and other support – receives funding, logistical support, training, and weapons from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Force Qods Force and Lebanese Hizballah; solicits donations online and through a pro-Iran television channel; also raises funds through legitimate business enterprises, as well as criminal activities, including kidnappings-for-ransom, smuggling, and taxing/extortion of economic activities in areas where the group is dominant
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 3 January 2020
aka – Band of Helpers; Band of Partisans; League of Partisans; League of the Followers; God’s Partisans; Gathering of Supporters; Partisan’s League; Esbat al-Ansar; Isbat al-Ansar; Osbat al-Ansar; Usbat al-Ansar; Usbat ul-Ansar
history – emerged in the early 1990s in Lebanon under the late Shaykh Hisham SHRAID, a Palestinian refugee and preacher; until the 2000s, was known for assassinating Lebanese religious leaders and government officials, as well as bombing venues it deemed un-Islamic and representing Western influence, such as nightclubs, theaters, and liquor stores; from 2005 to 2011, some members fought against US and Coalition forces in Iraq; has links to al-Qa’ida and other Sunni terrorist groups; remained active in 2018-19 but has not claimed responsibility for any attacks in recent years
goals – overthrow the Lebanese Government, rid Lebanon of Western influence; destroy Israel and establish an Islamic state in the Levant; oppose Christian, secular, and Shia Muslim institutes operating in the Levant
leadership and organization – unknown
areas of operation – primary base of operations is the Ayn al-Hilwah Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon in southern Lebanon; has been reluctant to involve itself in operations in Lebanon in recent years, in part because of concerns of losing its safe haven in the camp
targets, tactics, and weapons – until the mid-2000s, operatives conducted small-scale bombing and shooting attacks in Lebanon against Christian, secular, and Shia Muslim figures and institutions, elements of foreign influence inside the country, and Lebanese government officials, such as judges; has also plotted against foreign diplomatic targets; weapons include small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, and improvised explosive devices
strength – estimated in 2019 to be in the low hundreds
financial resources – receives donations from sympathizers and through international Sunni extremist networks
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 27 March 2002
aka – Aum Shinrikyo Shiryu Ha (Supreme Truth); A.I.C. Comprehensive Research Institute; A.I.C. Sogo Kenkyusho; Aum Supreme Truth
history – formed circa 1984 as a spiritual group mixing Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and mystic aspects from other religions; founder and spiritual leader Shoko ASAHARA (aka Chizuo MATSUMOTO) preached that an apocalypse was near and AUM followers would be the only survivors; turned violent following ASAHARA's declaration of himself as both the Messiah and the first enlightened "one" since Buddha; following AUM’s 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system, the Japanese government arrested ASAHARA and nearly 200 other members of the group; however, the group continued to exist and to adhere to the apocalyptic teachings of its founder; in 2016, Montenegro expelled 58 people associated with AUM holding a conference in the country, while Russian authorities conducted raids on AUM properties and opened a criminal investigation into an AUM cell; in 2017, the Japanese government raided the Hokkaido offices of the successor group to AUM, Aleph; did not claim any attacks in 2019
goals – attract new members seeking religious guidance and exhibiting a willingness to financially support the organization; historically sought to overthrow the Japanese Government and to spark a nuclear war between Japan and the US to create a global armageddon, 'cleansing' the world so its members could achieve salvation
leadership and organization – in 2004, ASAHARA was found guilty on charges of masterminding the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo; he and 12 other AUM members were executed in July 2018 for the crime, while 85 others were sentenced to prison terms up to life; new leadership and organization unknown but reportedly consists of two factions
areas of operation – headquartered in Hokkaido in northern Japan; also maintains a presence in Russia
targets, tactics, and weapons – has used chemical weapons, including VX and sarin, on Japanese civilians in 1994 and 1995 and US naval bases in 1990; most notorious attack was the release of sarin gas in the Tokyo subway in 1995, which killed 13 people and hospitalized more than 6,000; also has assassinated suspected dissident members or their families, as well as attorneys and judges involved in cases concerning the group
strength – estimated in 2019 to have about 1,500 followers
financial and other support – funding comes primarily from member contributions and group-run businesses; developed and produced the chemical weapons used in the 1990s attacks
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Askatasuna; Batasuna;, Ekin; Euskal Herritarrok; Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna; Herri Batasuna; Jarrai-Haika-Segi; K.A.S.; XAKI
history – founded in 1959 with the aim of establishing an independent homeland based on Marxist principles in the Spanish Basque provinces of Alava, Guipuzcoa, and Viscaya, plus the autonomous region of Navarre and the southwestern French territories of Labourd, Lower-Navarre, and Soule; since the formal start of its campaign of violence in 1968, responsible for killing more than 800 civilians and members of the Spanish armed forces and police and injuring thousands; refrained from conducting attacks after declaring a permanent cessation of violence in Oct 2011 and in April 2018 formally disbanded
goals – establish an independent Basque homeland based on Marxist principles in northern Spain and southwestern France
leadership – governed by an executive committee of senior leaders
areas of operation – operated primarily in the Basque autonomous regions of northern Spain and southwestern France, and Madrid
targets, tactics, and weapons – attacked Spanish government officials, businessmen, politicians, judicial figures, and security and military forces; also targeted journalists and major tourist areas; primarily conducted assassinations and bombings, including car bombings
strength – since 2004, approximately 900 ETA militants have been arrested in Spain, France, and abroad; unknown how many ETA members remained at the time of its announced dissolution, but it was likely in the hundreds
financial and other support – primary source of funding was extortion from Basque region businesses, which it called "revolutionary taxes"
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Nigerian Taliban; Jama’atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda’Awati Wal Jihad; Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad; People Committed to the Prophet’s Teachings for Propagation and Jihad; Sunni Group for Preaching and Jihad
history – formed in 2002 under the late Muslim cleric Mohammed YUSUF; in 2009, launched an insurgency and campaign of terror against the Nigerian Government, its security forces, and civilians; hundreds of BH attacks between 2009 and 2019 killed almost 30,000 people, mostly civilians, and displaced more than 2.5 million; between 2011 and 2015, captured territory roughly the size of Belgium in northeastern Nigeria; since 2015, the Nigerian military has dislodged BH from almost all of the territory it previously controlled, although the group continues to operate and conduct attacks in Nigeria, as well as in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger; in March 2015, declared allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and began calling itself ISIS-West Africa; continued conducting attacks and maintained limited safehaven in northeast Nigeria in 2020
goals – establish an Islamic state in Nigeria based on Islamic law
leadership and organization – Abubakar bin Muhammad SHEKAU has led BH since 2009; reportedly a fractious group with a decentralized organizational structure; has a shura council under SHEKAU that commands the group’s regionally based cells
areas of operation – most active in northeastern Nigeria but also operates in northern Cameroon, southeastern Niger, and areas of Chad near Lake Chad; police have arrested suspected Boko Haram members in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets tourists and other foreigners, wealthy civilians, and government leaders to kidnap for ransom or kill; conducts shootings and suicide bombing attacks against government buildings, police stations, schools, markets, places of worship and entertainment, and sometimes entire villages; has kidnapped thousands of civilians, including children, many of whom are either forced or indoctrinated into fighting with the group or conducting suicide bombings; some female captives are subjected to forced labor and sexual servitude; combines guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics against military and security forces; uses small arms, light and heavy machine guns, landmines, mortars, rockets, armored vehicles, trucks mounted with machine guns, improvised explosive devices, car bombs, and suicide bombings
strength – estimated in 2020 to have between 1,500 and 2,000 fighters
financial and other support – largely self-financed through criminal activities such as looting, extortion, kidnapping-for-ransom, bank robberies, cattle rustling, and assassinations for hire; has seized vehicles, weapons, and ammunition from the Nigerian and Nigerien militaries and has acquired other arms from the regional black market
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 14 November 2013
aka – Communist Party of the Philippines; the CPP; New People’s Army; the NPA; Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front or CPP-NPA-NDF
history – CPP formed in 1968 and followed in 1969 by the creation of its military wing, the NPA; since 1971, has waged a Maoist-based insurgency and terrorist campaign against the Philippine Government that has resulted in about 40,000 civilian and combatant deaths; from 2016 to 2019, several attempts were made to establish a cease-fire and peace deal between the CPP/NPA and the Philippine Government without success; talks typically broke down when each side accused the other of initiating attacks or violating cease-fires; remains active in 2020
goals – destabilize the Philippines’ economy to inspire the populace to revolt; ultimately wants to overthrow the government and install a Maoist-based regime; opposes the US military and commercial presence in the Philippines
leadership and organization – Jose Maria SISON reportedly directs CPP/NPA activity from the Netherlands, where he lives in self-imposed exile; highest leadership body is its 26-member Central Committee, which reports directly to SISON; operates in cells at the local level; overt political wing is known as the National Democratic Front
areas of operation – operates primarily in rural Luzon, Visayas, and parts of northern and eastern Mindanao but also maintains cells in Manila and other metropolitan areas
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets military and security forces, government officials and facilities, local infrastructure (including power facilities, telecommunication towers, and bridges), foreign enterprises, and businesses that refuse to pay “revolutionary taxes”; follows a Maoist-inspired protracted guerrilla warfare strategy; tactics include ambushes, bombings, assassinations, raids on military and security posts, and kidnapping security personnel; also has attacked plantations, mines, and US personnel and interests; employs small arms, light weapons, grenades, improvised explosive devices, and landmines; has employed city-based assassination squads at times
strength – the Philippine Government in 2019 estimated the group to have about 4,000 members; retains a significant amount of support from communities in rural areas
financial and other support – raises funds through theft and extortion, including extracting “revolutionary taxes” from local businesses; probably also receives donations from sympathizers in the Philippines, Europe, and elsewhere; arms and ammunition largely stolen or captured from Philippine military and security forces
designation –placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 9 August 2002
aka – Continuity Army Council; Continuity IRA; Republican Sinn Fein
history – terrorist splinter group that became operational in 1986 as the clandestine armed wing of Republican Sinn Fein, following its split from Sinn Fein; “Continuity” refers to the group’s belief that it is carrying on the original goal of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) of forcing the British out of Northern Ireland; rejects ceasefires, weapons decommissioning, and all peace accords, including the Belfast Agreement and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement; cooperates with the larger Real IRA (RIRA); in June 2017, released a statement claiming it would disband and decommission some of its arms over the following three months, describing the conflict as a “futile war”; in late 2019, however, CIRA members claimed two attacks on the Police Service of Northern Ireland
goals – disrupt the Northern Ireland peace process, remove British rule in Northern Ireland and, ultimately, unify Ireland
leadership and organization – operations are guided by its Irish Continuity Army Council
areas of operation – operates in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets the British military, Northern Ireland security forces, and Loyalist paramilitary groups; has carried out bombings, assassinations, hijackings, extortion operations, and robberies; on occasion, has provided advance warning to police of its attacks; members are typically equipped with small arms and explosives
strength – estimated in 2019 to have fewer than 50 members; police counterterrorism operations have reduced the group’s strength considerably
financial and other support – receives donations from local and international sympathizers, but the majority of funds are obtained through criminal activity, including bank robberies, extortion, and smuggling
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 13 July 2004
aka – the Islamic Resistance Movement; Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya; Izz al-Din al Qassam Battalions; Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades; Izz al-Din al Qassam Forces; Students of Ayyash; Student of the Engineer; Yahya Ayyash Units; Izz al-Din al-Qassim Brigades; Izz al-Din alQassim Forces; Izz al-Din al-Qassim Battalions
history – established in 1987 at the onset of the first Palestinian uprising, or intifada, as an outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood; prior to 2005, conducted numerous attacks against Israel, including more than 50 suicide bombings; in addition to its anti-Israel stance, used a network of Dawa or social services that included charities, schools, clinics, youth camps, fundraising, and political activities to help build grassroots support amongst Palestinians in Gaza; won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in 2006, giving it control of significant Palestinian Authority (PA) ministries in Gaza; expelled the PA and its dominant political faction Fatah in a violent takeover in 2007; since 2007, HAMAS and Fatah have made several attempts to reconcile, though all attempts through early 2020 failed; during the same period, claimed responsibility for numerous rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and organized protests at the border between Gaza and Israel, resulting in clashes that killed HAMAS members, Palestinian protesters, and Israeli soldiers; remained the de facto ruler of Gaza into 2020
goals – maintain control of the Gaza Strip to facilitate Palestinian nationalist aims
leadership and organization – selected Ismail HANIYEH as its chief of the Political Bureau in 2017; organization includes political, military, social services, and media wings; military wing (the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades) organized into six brigades and various paramilitary units; Al-Aqsa TV is the group's primary media outlet
areas of operation – has controlled Gaza since 2007 and has a presence in the West Bank; also has a presence in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and key regional capitals
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Israeli military forces and civilians, as well as Islamic State and other Salafist armed group members based in Gaza; has conducted suicide bombings, improvised explosive attacks, shootings, and rocket launches; weapons include small arms, light and heavy machine guns, artillery rockets, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, man-portable air defense systems, anti-tank missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and improvised explosive devices
strength – estimated to have 15,000 to 25,000 fighters
financial and other support – receives funding, weapons, and training from Iran and procures additional weapons from the regional black market; also raises funds in Gulf countries and receives donations from Palestinian expatriates, as well as through its own charity organizations; weapons and other military support often supplied through tunnels under the border with Sinai and/or through maritime smuggling routes
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Haqqani Taliban Network, Afghanistan Mujahidin
history – formed in the late 1980s during the then-Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan; founder, Jalaluddin HAQQANI, established a relationship with Usama BIN LADIN in the mid-1980s and joined the Taliban in 1995; helped the Taliban capture the capital, Kabul, in 1996; after the fall of the Taliban to US and allied forces in 2001, HAQQANI retreated to Pakistan where, under the leadership of his son, Sirajuddin HAQQANI (Jalaluddin HAQQANI reportedly died in 2018), continued to conduct an insurgency in Afghanistan against Afghan, Coalition, and US forces through 2019; ideologically aligned with al-Qa’ida and cooperates with other regional terrorist groups, including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Lashkar e-Tayyiba
goals – expel foreign military forces from Afghanistan and replace the Afghan Government with an Islamic state operating according to a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia under the Afghan Taliban
leadership and organization – operational commander is Sirajuddin HAQQANI, who leads the group through its Peshawar Shura, which features both military and political wings and consists of Haqqani family members along with veteran commanders trusted by the family; operates under Taliban command and control but maintains significant regional influence in its area of operations in southeast Afghanistan; since July 2015, HAQQANI also has been Deputy Leader of the Afghan Taliban
areas of operation – active along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and across much of southeastern Afghanistan, particularly in Loya Paktia; has repeatedly attacked Kabul; leadership historically maintained a power base around Pakistan’s tribal areas and a presence in Pakistan’s settled areas
targets, tactics, and weapons – incorporates guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics, including coordinated small-arms assaults coupled with the use of mortars and rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices, suicide attacks, and car/truck bombs; also targets the Afghan Government, civilians, and foreigners with kidnappings, bombings, and suicide attacks; attacks government buildings, hotels, embassies, markets, and schools; conducted some of Afghanistan’s most deadly bombings, including truck bomb attacks in Kabul in 2017 and 2018 that killed more than 250 civilians; in 2019, conducted multiple attacks in Kabul that killed 100 people and injured more than 500; equipped with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, mortars, rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, and improvised explosive devices
strength – assessed in 2019 to have between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters; may be able to mobilize upwards of 10,000 fighters if needed
financial and other support – in addition to the funding it receives as part of the broader Afghan Taliban, receives some assistance from donors in Pakistan and the Gulf; most funds are from taxing local commerce, extortion, smuggling, kidnapping-for-ransom, and other licit and illicit business ventures; recruits, trains, raises funds, resupplies, and plans operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan; reportedly receives weapons smuggled in from Iran and Pakistan
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 7 September 2012
aka – Movement of Islamic Holy War; Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami; Harkat-al-Jihad-ul Islami; Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami; Harakat ul Jihad-e-Islami; Harakat-ul Jihad Islami
history – formed in 1980 in Afghanistan to fight against the former Soviet Union; following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, redirected its efforts to the cause of Muslims in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir; also has supplied fighters to the Taliban in Afghanistan to fight Afghan, Coalition, and US forces; has experienced internal splits, and a portion of the group aligned with al-Qa’ida; largely inactive and has not publicly claimed any attacks since 2015
goals – annexation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan, expulsion of foreign forces from Afghanistan, and establishment of Islamic rule in Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan
leadership and organization – leader unknown since the killing of Qari Saifullah AKHTAR in 2017 by Afghan security services; organization also unknown, although it has an affiliated branch in Bangladesh and reportedly another one in Burma
areas of operation – historically extended throughout South Asia with operations focused on Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan
targets, tactics, and weapons – targeted Pakistani military, security, and police personnel, as well as Indian security forces in the Kashmir region and Indian Government officials; also targeted Hindu and Western civilians; most significant attack was the bombing of the New Delhi High Court in 2011, which killed 11 people and injured 76; claimed the bombing was intended to force India to repeal the death sentence of a HUJI member; attacks typically involved the use of small arms, grenades, and improvised explosive devices
strength – unknown
financial and other support – unknown
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 6 August 2010
aka – Harakat ul Jihad e Islami Bangladesh; Harkatul Jihad al Islam; Harkatul Jihad; Harakat ul Jihad al Islami; Harkat ul Jihad al Islami; Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami; Harakat ul Jihad Islami Bangladesh; Islami Dawat-e-Kafela; IDEK
history – formed in 1992 by a group of former Bangladeshi Afghan veterans wanting to establish Islamist rule in Bangladesh; HUJI-B leaders signed the February 1998 fatwa sponsored by Usama BIN LADEN that declared US civilians legitimate targets; in October 2005, Bangladeshi authorities banned the group; has connections to al-Qa’ida and Pakistani terrorist groups advocating similar objectives, including HUJI and Lashkar e-Tayyiba; activities have waned in recent years, and did not carry out any known terrorist acts in 2018 or 2019
goals – install an Islamic state in Bangladesh
leadership and organization – current leader unknown; Bangladeshi authorities executed former leader Mufti Abdul HANNAN and two of his associates in 2017 for a 2004 grenade attack on the British High Commissioner in Sylhet, Bangladesh; most of HUJI-B's other leadership have been in Bangladeshi custody for years
areas of operation – headquartered in Bangladesh and mostly active in the southeast; maintains a network of madrassas and training camps in Bangladesh
targets, tactics, and weapons – conducts low-level bombing attacks against Bangladeshi officials and Westerners; also targets activists, bloggers, academics, religious minorities, and political rallies; most lethal attack occurred in 2004, when operatives lobbed grenades during a political rally in Dhaka, killing 24 and injuring about 400 others; attackers typically use small arms, hand grenades, and various explosives, including petrol bombs and improvised explosive devices
strength – unknown
financial and other support – garners donations from sympathetic individuals and organizations
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 5 March 2008
aka – Harakat ul-Ansar; HUA; Jamiat ul-Ansar; JUA; al-Faran; al-Hadid; al-Hadith; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Ansar ul Ummah
history – formed in 1985 under Maulana Fazlur Rahman KHALIL in the Pakistani state of Punjab as an anti-Soviet jihadist group that splintered from Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); operated terrorist training camps in eastern Afghanistan until US air strikes destroyed them in 2001; a significant portion of the group defected to Jaysh-e-Mohammed after 2000; in 2003, began using the name Jamiat ul-Ansar; Pakistan banned the group the same year; has long been an ally of al-Qa’ida and has links to other terrorist groups in the region, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi; activities have waned in recent years; did not carry out any known terrorist acts in 2018 or 2019
goals – annex Indian-controlled Kashmir into Pakistan and establish an Islamic state in Kashmir
leadership and organization – Dr. Badr MUNIR has led the group since 2005; former leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman KHALIL joined Pakistan’s ruling political party in 2018; organization unavailable
areas of operation – operates primarily in Afghanistan and in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir; also operates in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir and in other cities in Pakistan
targets, tactics, and weapons – conducted numerous attacks against Indian troops, government officials, and civilians in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in India’s northeastern states, especially between 2005 and 2013; also attacked Western targets, such as the 2002 suicide car bombing of a bus carrying French workers in Karachi, Pakistan, that killed 15 and wounded 20; uses various attack methods, including suicide bombings, airplane hijackings, kidnappings, and assassinations; typically used small arms, grenades, and improvised explosive devices
strength – estimated in 2019 to have only a small number of cadres active
financial and other support – receives donations from wealthy supporters in Pakistan
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – the Party of God; Hezbollah; Islamic Jihad; Islamic Jihad Organization; Revolutionary Justice Organization; Organization of the Oppressed on Earth; Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine; Organization of Right Against Wrong; Ansar Allah; Followers of the Prophet Muhammed; Lebanese Hizballah; Lebanese Hezbollah; LH; Foreign Relations Department; External Security Organization; Foreign Action Unit; Hizballah International; Special Operations Branch; External Services Organization; External Security Organization of Hezbollah
history – formed in 1982 following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon as a Shia militant group that takes its ideological inspiration from the Iranian revolution and the teachings of the late Ayatollah KHOMEINI; generally follows the religious guidance of the Iranian Supreme Leader, which since 1989 has been Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI; closely allied with Iran and the two often work together on shared initiatives, although Hizballah also acts independently in some cases; shares a close relationship with the Syrian ASAD regime and has provided assistance – including thousands of fighters – to regime forces in the Syrian civil war; since the early 1990s, has evolved into a business and political enterprise and become a state within a state in Lebanon with strong influence in Lebanon’s Shia community; actively participates in Lebanon’s political system and runs social programs, such as hospitals and schools; military capabilities continue to expand and have the characteristics of both a paramilitary and a conventional military force; fought a month-long war with Israel in 2006 and continues to prepare for large-scale conflict with Israel; also continues to conduct direct attacks on Israel, including firing anti-tank missiles at an army base and vehicles near the border in 2019
goals – accrue military resources and political power and defend its position of strength in Lebanon; wants to expel Western influence from Lebanon and the greater Middle East, destroy the state of Israel, and establish Islamic rule in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories
leadership and organization – led by Secretary General Shaykh Sayyid Hasan NASRALLAH since 1992; NASRALLAH leads with two deputies through a Shura Council; the Council has five subordinate specialized assemblies: the Executive, Judicial, Parliamentary, Political, and Jihad Councils; each assembly oversees several sub-entities that handle Hizballah’s affairs in various sectors; for example, the Jihad Council manages paramilitary, intelligence, and external and internal security operations
areas of operation – headquartered in the southern suburbs of Beirut with a significant presence in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon; however, operates around the world and operatives and financiers have been arrested or detained in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and North America; in September 2018, NASRALLAH declared the group would remain in Syria indefinitely with the ASAD government’s permission
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets include: Israeli security forces and civilians; Jews; US and Western military forces and other symbols of American/Western influence in the Middle East; entities in Syria combatting the ASAD regime, particularly Islamic State and al-Qa’ida affiliated forces; historically used a variety of guerrilla-style hit-and-run and terrorist tactics, particularly kidnappings and suicide vehicle bombings; some of its most devastating attacks involved the use of car/truck bombs, such as the 1983 attacks on the US Embassy, the US Marine barracks, and a French military base in Beirut, which killed over 300 civilians and military personnel; has conducted attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets abroad, including the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Argentina and the 1994 suicide bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina, which killed more than 100 and wounded more than 500 others; since the 2000s, has developed elements of a more traditional conventional military force and demonstrated considerable military capabilities in the 2006 conflict with Israel and during the Syrian civil war; forces are equipped with small arms, light and heavy machineguns, mortars, landmines, improvised explosive devises, artillery, armored combat vehicles, rockets, antiaircraft guns, ballistic missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, armed unmanned aerial vehicles, man-portable air defense systems, and antitank guided missiles
strength – has tens of thousands of supporters and members worldwide; in 2019, it was estimated to have about 45,000 fighters, divided between as many as 21,000 full-time personnel and a 24,000-person reserve force; as of late 2019, several thousand fighters remained in Syria
financial and other support – receives most of its funding, training, and weapons, as well as political, diplomatic, and organizational aid, from Iran; Syria also furnishes training, weapons, and diplomatic and political support; receives additional funding in the form of donations from the Shia in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora communities worldwide, some of which are involved in smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and money laundering
designation - placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Hizb-ul-Mujahideen; Party of Mujahideen; Party of Holy Warriors
history – formed in 1989 and is one of the largest and oldest militant separatist groups fighting against Indian rule in the state of Jammu and Kashmir; reportedly operated in Afghanistan through the mid-1990s and trained alongside the Afghan Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin until the Taliban takeover; made up primarily of ethnic Kashmiris and has conducted operations jointly with other Kashmiri militant groups; continues to actively target Indian security forces
goals – supports the liberation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir from Indian control and its accession to Pakistan, although some cadres are pro-independence
leadership and organization - led by Syed SALAHUDDIN (aka Mohammad Yusuf SHAH); organization is unknown but probably operates in small loosely connected networks and cells
areas of operation – headquartered in Pakistan but conducts operations primarily in India, particularly the state of Jammu and Kashmir
targets, tactics, and weapons – focuses attacks on Indian security forces and politicians in the state of Jammu and Kashmir; most attacks involve small arms and grenades
strength – exact size unknown, but several hundred members may be in Pakistan and in the state of Jammu and Kashmir
financial and other support – specific sources of support are unknown but probably originate in Pakistan
designation - placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 17 August 2017
aka – Tanzim Hurras al-Din; Tandhim Hurras al-Din; Hurras al-Deen; Houras al-Din; al-Qa‘ida in Syria; Guardians of the Religion Organization; Sham al-Ribat
history – publicly announced itself in February 2018 as an al-Qa‘ida affiliate after its members broke away from al-Nusrah Front (subsequently rebranded as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS); maintains allied or cooperative relationships with several extremist elements in Syria, including Jamaat Ansar al-Islam, the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP), Sham al-Islam, and Ansar al-Tawhid; viewed as the leading force behind the “Incite the Believers” jihadist alliance in Syria, which conducts battlefield operations against Syrian Government forces in northern Syria, sometimes in collaboration with HTS/al-Nusrah Front
goals – oust Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD’s regime and replace it with a Sunni Islamic State; likely adheres to al-Qa‘ida’s chief objectives of neutralizing Israeli and US influence within the Middle East, specifically within the Levant
leadership and organization – led by veteran Syrian jihadist Samir HIJAZI (aka Abu Hamamm al-Shami), who previously served as a top military commander in al-Nusrah Front and worked as a trainer in al-Qa‘ida’s camps in Afghanistan in the early 2000s; a number of veteran jihadists who defected from al-Nusrah Front or joined from other jihadist groups across the Levant serve in the group’s leadership apparatus or provide support to the group’s goals
areas of operation –headquartered in Syria’s Idlib Province in the northwest; also operationally active in the Syrian Provinces of Latakia and Hama
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily attacks Syrian Government and pro-regime forces and has also conducted armed assaults against Turkish military forces active in Syria; potentially responsible for the kidnapping of aid workers in northwestern Syria; has encouraged violent attacks against Israeli and Western targets in its propaganda releases; active in training operatives at a number of unspecified training camps in Syria; shares propaganda and photos of these activities to gain additional financial resources, public support, and recruits; armed largely with small arms and light weapons, including mortars, machine guns, and trucks mounting machine guns (aka “technicals”)
strength – currently unknown; initial mergers announced with a number of al-Qa‘ida-aligned jihadist groups in Syria provided the group between 1,000 and 2,000 fighters
financial and other support – appeals for donations under the auspices of supporting its efforts against the Syrian Government; leverages social media platforms to call on global supporters to provide financial assistance to the group
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 5 September 2019
aka – Indian Mujahidin; Islamic Security Force-Indian Mujahideen (ISF-IM)
history – formed as an ultra-conservative Islamic movement circa 2004 from remnants of the radical youth organization Students Islamic Movement of India; responsible for dozens of bomb attacks throughout India since 2005 and the deaths of hundreds of civilians; maintains ties to other terrorist entities including Pakistan-based Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Harakat ul-Jihad Islami; outlawed in India in 2010; in 2016, was increasingly linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); six IM operatives were identified in an ISIS propaganda video threatening attacks on India, and that same year, an IM cell linked to ISIS was reportedly plotting attacks on multiple targets in India; Indian authorities claimed they disrupted bombing plots by the group in 2015 and 2017; did not publicly claim any attacks in 2018 or 2019
goals – establish Islamic rule in India; stated goal is to carry out terrorist operations against Indians for their perceived oppression of Muslims
leadership and organization – Indian security services have captured or killed a number of alleged leaders of the group; currently, brothers Mohammed Riyaz BHATKAL and Iqbal BHATKAL are reportedly attempting to lead IM from Karachi, Pakistan; organization is unknown but probably operates in small, loosely connected networks and cells
areas of operation – has conducted attacks throughout India since 2005; has expanded its operations into Nepal, which is now the biggest hub for IM operatives; also operates in Pakistan
targets, tactics, and weapons – known for carrying out multiple coordinated bombings in crowded areas against Indian and Western civilian and economic targets, including restaurants and commercial centers; attackers typically use improvised explosive devices
strength – current strength unknown but has diminished from its height in the late 2000s, and some members have defected to ISIS
financial and other support – probably receives funding and support from other terrorist organizations, as well as from unspecified donors in Pakistan and the Middle East
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 19 September 2011
aka – Islamic Jihad Group; IJG; Islomiy Jihod Ittihodi; al-Djihad al-Islami; Dzhamaat Modzhakhedov; Islamic Jihad Group of Uzbekistan; Jamiat al-Jihad al-Islami; Jamiyat; The Jamaat Mojahedin; The Kazakh Jama’at; The Libyan Society
history – emerged in 2002 as a splinter movement of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) after internal splits over goals; originally known as the Islamic Jihad Group but was renamed Islamic Jihad Union in 2005; committed to overthrowing the government of Uzbekistan, but unlike IMU, also has a global agenda as demonstrated by its attacks on Afghan, Coalition, and US forces in Afghanistan and its involvement in the Syrian civil war; pledged allegiance to the Afghan Taliban in August 2015 and participated in Taliban attacks on the Afghan city of Kunduz, as well as Afghan military bases; as late as 2019, fighters were participating in the Syrian conflict as part of a coalition of al-Qa’ida-linked terrorist groups
goals – overthrow the Uzbek government and replace it with an Islamic state; drive foreign forces out of Afghanistan and destabilize the government; support al-Qa’ida’s efforts to create an Islamic State in Syria
leadership and organization – leadership unknown; founded and previously led by Najmiddin JALALOV, who died in September 2009; organization also unknown but probably operates in a loose network of cells
areas of operation – historically operated in Uzbekistan, with members scattered throughout Central Asia and Europe; most active in northern Afghanistan, as well as in Syria
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets international and Afghan military and security forces in Afghanistan and Syrian regime forces using a variety of guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics; has attacked security checkpoints, law enforcement facilities, market places, and foreign embassies in Uzbekistan, often with suicide bombers; in 2007, an IJU cell in Germany (known as the “Sauerland Cell”) attempted to construct and detonate a series of car bombs to carry out a mass attack, but the militants were arrested before they could carry out the attack and were ultimately convicted; fighters are armed with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, antiaircraft weapons, and various explosives including improvised explosive devices and car bombs
strength – assessed in 2019 to have 100 to 200 members
financial and other support – specific sources of support are unknown but probably receives assistance from allied terrorist groups and sympathetic donors
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 17 June 2005
aka – Islamic Party of Uzbekistan; Islamskaia partiia Turkestana;, byvshee Islamskoe dvizhenie Uzbekistana; Islamic Movement of Turkistan
history – formed in the early 1990s as a Sunni Muslim armed group in Uzbekistan's part of the Ferghana Valley, where the Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Tajik borders converge; moved to Pakistan after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001; operated primarily along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and in northern Afghanistan, where it fought against international forces despite its goal of setting up an Islamic state in Uzbekistan; was closely allied to al-Qa’ida, the Afghan Taliban, and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and frequently conducted joint operations with those organizations until August 2015, when a significant faction, including its top leadership, pledged loyalty to the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) and began cooperating with ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K); numerous IMU members were subsequently reported to have been killed in clashes between ISIS-K and its former Taliban allies; some members reportedly traveled to Syria to fight; operational tempo has decreased in recent years, and it did not claim any attacks in 2019
goals – overthrow the Uzbek Government and establish an Islamic state; drive international forces out of Afghanistan
leadership and organization – current leadership unknown; last known leader was Osman GHAZI (aka Odil Osman), who was reportedly killed in November 2015; organization unknown but probably structured as a network of cells
areas of operation –operates primarily along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and in northern Afghanistan; also active in Syria, Central Asia, and Turkey
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Afghanistan, Coalition, and US military forces in Afghanistan using guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics, including ambushes, assassinations, kidnappings, and suicide bombings; typically uses small arms and light weapons, mortars, rockets, and various explosives, including car bombs and suicide vests
strength – unknown; estimated to have 200-300 members
financial and other support – receives support from a large Uzbek diaspora, allied terrorist organizations, and sympathizers from Europe, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East; also engages in narcotics trafficking and conducts kidnappings for ransom
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 25 September 2000
aka – Islamic Revolutionary Guards, Pasdaran (Guards), Revolutionary Guards, Sepah (Corps), Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enghelab-e Eslami; Quds Force
history – formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; as of 2020, the IRGC is highly institutionalized and a parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it is heavily involved in internal security and has significant influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; its special operations forces are known as the Qods Force which specializes in foreign missions, providing advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad
goals – protect Iran’s Islamic revolution and the state; spread Iranian/Shia influence; provide internal security, including border control, law enforcement, and suppressing domestic opposition; influence Iran’s politics, economy, and foreign policy
leadership and organization – General Hossein SALAMI is the commander of the IRGC; Brigadier General Ismail QAANI is the commander of the Qods Force; organized along the lines of a traditional conventional military force with Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (includes the strategic missile forces), Cyber Command, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Paramilitary Forces (a.k.a. Popular Mobilization Army)
areas of operation – headquartered in Tehran; active throughout Iran and the Middle East region, as well as Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen; has a worldwide capability to commit attacks if Iranian leadership deems it appropriate; in recent years, Qods Force planning for terror attacks has been uncovered and disrupted in a number of countries worldwide, including Albania, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Kenya, Turkey, and the United States
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Israel; Sunni regimes perceived as a threat, particularly Saudi Arabia; the Islamic State; US military forces in the Middle East; Iranian dissidents; has the capability to fight conventionally and conduct a wide-range of terrorist-type attacks; also makes extensive use of proxy and partner forces such as Hizballah; armed as a conventional military with typical ground, air, and naval platforms and weapons
strength – estimates vary; assessed in 2019 to be approximately 125-190,000, including the Qods Force, whose estimated size ranges from 5,000-15,000; also controls the 90,000-member Basij Paramilitary Force, which augments internal security, suppresses domestic opposition, and can increase to several hundred thousand during a major mobilization
financial and other support – receives a portion of the Iranian defense budget, by some estimates as much as 50%; IRGC-linked companies control up to 20% of Iran’s economy; Qods Force also exerts control over strategic industries, commercial services, and black-market enterprises, and has engaged in large-scale illicit finance schemes and money laundering
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 15 April 2019
aka – ISIS in the Philippines (ISIS-P); ISIL Philippines; ISIL in the Philippines; IS Philippines (ISP); Islamic State in the Philippines; Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in Southeast Asia; Dawlah Islamiyah; Dawlatul Islamiyah Waliyatul Masrik; Dawlatul Islamiyah Waliyatul Mashriq; IS East Asia Division; ISIS Branch in the Philippines; ISIS “Philippines province,” Maute Group
history – Islamic militants in the Philippines initially pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2014, however the group officially formed in 2016 with now-deceased leader Isnilon HAPILON as the first amir; ISIS media claimed its first attack in the Philippines against Philippine soldiers on Mindanao Island in March 2016; in May 2017, ISIS-EA fighters stormed and captured the city of Marawi on Mindanao; five months of subsequent fighting for the city between the militants and the Philippine military resulted in nearly 900 militants and more than 160 Philippine soldiers killed; over 300,000 residents were forced to flee the area during the fighting; in 2018, the group conducted the first ever suicide attack in the Philippines that year; ISIS-EA has since claimed several additional suicide and other high-profile bombings and remains active in 2020
goals – create an Islamic state in the southern Philippines and across Southeast Asia adhering to ISIS’s strict interpretation of sharia
leadership and organization – currently unknown; leader Hatib SAWADJAAN reportedly killed by Philippine troops in mid-2020; SAWADJAAN was the former commander of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and succeeded HAPILON as the leader of ISIS-EA after the latter’s death in the Marawi conflict in 2017; the leaders of some ISIS-EA factions reportedly did not support SAWADJAAN; in addition to ASG, the Maute Group, Ansar al-Khilafah Philippines, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters factions have pledged allegiance to ISIS-EA, but operate autonomously and maintain their own leaders and organizational structures
areas of operation – mostly in the southern Philippines, especially the Sulu Archipelago and western and central Mindanao; probably has an unknown number of members in the capital, Manila
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Philippine security forces but increasingly targets non-Muslim civilians; has attacked government targets, military bases and security checkpoints, churches, internet cafés, resorts, and street festivals; utilizes guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics, including armed assaults, mortar attacks, and improvised explosive device attacks using suicide bombers and road-side devices; weapons include small arms, light and heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and hand grenades
strength – estimated in 2020 to have 300-600 fighters
financial and other support – receives some financial assistance from ISIS core, but mostly relies on criminal activities such as kidnappings for ransom and extortion; maintains training camps in remote areas under its control and acquires weapons through smuggling and captured or black market purchases of Philippine military arms; estimated to have a few dozen foreign fighters (mostly Indonesians and some Malaysians) who tend to assume key responsibilities such as financial and communications/media facilitators, bomb-makers, trainers, and attack planners/perpetrators
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 28 February 2018
aka – Islamic State-Sinai Province (IS-SP); ISIS-Sinai Province; ISIS-Sinai; ISIL Sinai Province (ISIL-SP); The State of Sinai; Wilayat Sinai; Islamic State in the Sinai; Ansar Bayt al-Maqdes; Ansar Beit al-Maqdis; Jamaat Ansar Beit al-Maqdis; Jamaat Ansar Beit al-Maqdis fi Sinaa; Ansar Jerusalem; Supporters of Jerusalem; Supporters of the Holy Place; Allies of the Holy House
history – began as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM), which rose to prominence in 2011 following the uprisings in Egypt; ABM was responsible for attacks against Egyptian and Israeli government and security elements and against tourists in Egypt; in November 2014, ABM officially declared allegiance to ISIS; has since conducted a bloody insurgency against Egyptian security forces under the ISIS banner and become one of the most deadly of the ISIS affiliates; the Egyptian military has deployed more than 40,000 troops to the Sinai to suppress the insurgency; continued to be active in 2020
goals – spread the Islamic caliphate by eliminating the Egyptian government, destroying Israel, and establishing an Islamic emirate in the Sinai
leadership and organization – current leader unknown; organization also unknown but reportedly has sections or branches for security, military affairs, bomb-making, and media operations
areas of operation – operations are conducted primarily in the Sinai Peninsula, but its reach periodically extends to Cairo, the Egyptian Nile Valley, and Gaza
targets, tactics, and weapons – mainly targets Egyptian security forces, particularly checkpoints, convoys, and bases; conducts ambushes, assassinations, complex attacks involving dozens of attackers, car and suicide bombings, kidnappings, public executions, and road side bombings attacks; conducted large armed assaults on a military base in 2018 and on the Egyptian city of Sheikh Zuweid in 2014; both attacks included dozens of fighters with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, car bombs, and suicide bombers; also targets Egyptian Government facilities and officials, oil pipelines, tourists, religious minorities, government-allied tribes, places of worship, and airliners; two of its most deadly attacks were the 2017 assault by suicide bombers and gunmen on an Egyptian Sufi mosque that killed more than 300 and the 2015 bombing of a Russian airliner from the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-el-Sheikh, which killed all 231 on board
strength – estimated in 2019 to have 800-1,200 fighters
financial and other support – receives funding from external actors, including core ISIS, and from smuggling; weapons reportedly are smuggled in from Gaza, Sudan, and Libya
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 9 April 2014
aka – Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP); Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-West Africa (ISIL-WA); Islamic State of Iraq and Syria West Africa Province; ISIS West Africa Province; ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA); Wilayat Gharb Ifriqiyya
history – created in 2016 when a faction of Boko Haram broke off and pledged allegiance to ISIS; the split occurred primarily because of the indiscriminate violence Boko Haram inflicted on Muslims; since its founding, has waged an insurgency against the Nigerian Government, overrunning dozens of military bases and killing hundreds of soldiers; by 2019, reportedly controlled hundreds of square miles of territory in the Lake Chad region where it governed according to a strict interpretation of Islamic law and attempted to cultivate support among local civilians by focusing on filling gaps in governance and government; continued conducting attacks through 2020
goals – implement ISIS’s strict interpretation of sharia and replace regional governments with an Islamic state
leadership and organization – reportedly Ba LAWAN; previously led by Abu Abdullah ibn Umar al-BARNAWI; growing centralization of power; shura and military commanders hold influence
areas of operation – primarily in Northeast Nigeria in the Lake Chad region but also operates in southeast Niger, northern Cameroon, and areas of Chad near Lake Chad
targets, tactics, and weapons – seeks to delegitimize the Nigerian Government by focusing its attacks on security forces, state-sponsored civilian defense groups, government targets, and individuals who collaborate with the government; attacks military bases and mobile columns; in November 2018, fighters overran a military base, killing 100 soldiers; employs ambushes, hit-and-run attacks, targeted killings, road side bombs, and kidnappings of security forces personnel; also conducts attacks against Boko Haram and engaged in the kidnapping and murder of aid workers and Christians, as well as civilians who aid the Nigerian military; fighters are typically equipped with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, vehicle mounted weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, mines, rockets, and improvised explosive devices
strength – estimated in 2020 to have between 3,500 and 5,000 active fighters
financial and other support – receives some funding from core ISIS and local sources, including kidnappings-for-ransom and taxation and extortion practices; has captured a considerable number of vehicles, weapons, and ammunition from the Nigerian military
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 28 February 2018
aka – Islamic State in the Levant (ISIL); Islamic State; Islamic State in Iraq; ad-Dawla al-Islamiyya fi al-’Iraq wa-sh-Sham; Daesh; Dawla al Islamiya; al-Qa’ida in Iraq; al-Qa’ida Group of Jihad in Iraq; al-Qa’ida Group of Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers; al-Qa’ida in Mesopotamia; al-Qa’ida in the Land of the Two Rivers; al-Qa’ida of Jihad in Iraq; al-Qa’ida of Jihad Organization in the Land of the Two Rivers; al-Qa’ida of the Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers; al-Tawhid; Jam’at al-Tawhid Wa’al-Jihad; Tanzeem Qa’idat al Jihad/Bilad al Raafidaini; Tanzim Qa’idat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn; the Monotheism and Jihad Group; the Organization Base of Jihad/Country of the Two Rivers; the Organization Base of Jihad/Mesopotamia; the Organization of al-Jihad’s Base in Iraq; the Organization of al-Jihad’s Base in the Land of the Two Rivers; the Organization of al-Jihad’s Base of Operations in Iraq; the Organization of al-Jihad’s Base of Operations in the Land of the Two Rivers; the Organization of Jihad’s Base in the Country of the Two Rivers; al-Zarqawi Network; Al-Furqan Establishment for Media Production
history – formed in the 1990s under the name al-Tawhid wal-Jihad by Jordanian militant Abu Mus’ab al-ZARQAWI to oppose the presence of Western military forces in the Middle East and the West’s support for, and the existence of, Israel; in late 2004, ZARQAWI pledged allegiance to al-Qa’ida (AQ) and the group became known as al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI); ZARQAWI led AQI against US and Coalition Forces in Iraq until his death in June 2006; in October 2006, renamed itself the Islamic State in Iraq; in 2013, adopted the moniker ISIS to express regional ambitions and expanded operations to Syria where it established control of a large portion of eastern Syria; in June 2014, then ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-BAGHDADI declared a worldwide Islamic caliphate with its capital in Raqqa, Syria; by 2015, held an area in Iraq and Syria with an estimated population of between 8 and 12 million, including the Iraqi city of Mosul; imposed a brutal version of Islamic law in the areas under its control and became known for brutality against perceived enemies, including the murder of large numbers of civilians, its large contingent of foreign fighters, and a substantial social media presence; by the end of 2017, had lost control of its largest population centers in both Iraq and Syria, including Mosul and Raqqa, to US and allied military forces; lost its final piece of territory in Baghuz, Syria in March 2019; has since transitioned to an insurgency, reverting to guerrilla warfare and more traditional terrorist tactics, developing sleeper cells, and assimilating into the broader population in Iraq and Syria where it continues to maintain a considerable presence and conduct operations in 2020
goals – replace the world order with a global Islamic state based in Iraq and Syria, expand its branches and networks globally, and rule according to ISIS’s strict interpretation of Islamic law
leadership and organization – Hajji Abdullah al-‘IFRI ((aka Abu Ibrahim al Hashemi al QURAYSHI (also QURAISHI), Amir Muhammad Said Abdal Rahman al-Mawla, Haji Abdallah, Qardash)) became the ISIS leader (emir) in late 2019 following the death of al-BAGHDADI in October; al-‘IFRI and a senior shura council determine the group's strategic direction and appoints the heads of provinces; an "appointed committee" is reportedly charged with security, finances, religious matters, and media operatons; the group typically operates in small cells or groups of 15 or fewer in Iraq and Syria
areas of operation – core operations remain predominately in Iraq and Syria; operational in the rural and desert areas of central and northern Iraq, primarily within and near Sunni populations with some presence in major population areas; maintains a presence throughout Syria but is primarily active in the northeast (Homs and Dayr az Zawr provinces), as well as the deserts of the east; claims named external branches, networks, or wilayat (provinces, governorates) in more than 20 countries: Afghanistan (Khorasan), Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Central Africa (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique), East Asia (Philippines, Indonesia), Greater Sahara (tri-border area of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger), India, Libya, the Caucasus (Russia), Pakistan, Sinai Peninsula (Egypt), Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, Turkey, West Africa (northeastern Nigeria, southeastern Niger, northern Cameroon, areas of Chad around Lake Chad), and Yemen; local terrorist groups in other countries, such as Lebanon and Sudan, have pledged allegiance to ISIS; has supporters, sympathizers, and associates worldwide and has inspired or conducted attacks in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Iran, Maldives, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey, the UK, and the US; authorities in other countries, including, but not exclusive to, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, and the Netherlands have arrested ISIS members or supporters or disrupted plots linked to ISIS; maintains a strong online presence and continuously calls for attacks against Western countries and their interests around the world; individuals inspired by its ideology may conduct operations without direction from the ISIS’s central leadership
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets governments or groups that oppose its hardline Islamist ideology, including military forces and security services, government officials, perceived Sunni rivals, Westerners, and religious and ethnic minorities; known for indiscriminate killings, mass executions, political assassinations, torture, kidnappings, rape and sexual slavery, forced marriages and religious conversions, conscripting children, publishing videos of beheadings, and using civilians as human shields; has engaged in the systematic destruction of antiquities, places of worship, monasteries, and other elements of the cultural heritage of ancient communities; attacks places of worship, shopping centers and markets, tourist sites, hotels, concert venues, restaurants, train stations, nightclubs, and government buildings; attacks on civilians typically involve the use of small arms, vehicle bombs, explosive vests, and ramming vehicles into crowds of people; employs guerrilla-style hit-and-run and terrorist attacks against military and security forces that include the use of ambushes, complex ground assaults, mortar and rocket attacks, road side bombs, and suicide devices; possesses a wide variety of weapons, including small arms, light and heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, rockets, man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), anti-tank guided missiles, and a variety of improvised explosive devices
strength – estimated in late 2020 to have more than 10,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, including approximately 5-6,000 in Iraq; the number of group members, supporters, or sympathizers elsewhere is unknown
note: from 2011-18, it is estimated that 40,000 to 50,000 individuals—mostly men—from more than 80 countries went to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS, including approximately 19,000 from the Middle East and North Africa, 7,000 from Eastern Europe, 6,000 from Western Europe, 6,000 from Central Asia, 1,000 from Southeast Asia, 1,000 from East Asia, 450 from South Asia, 350 from North America, 250 from Sub-Saharan Africa, and 150 from South America; all men, as well as some women, are believed to have received military training, with many acquiring combat experience; estimates on the numbers of individuals that have returned to their country of origin, died, or remain in Iraq and Syria are incomplete and vary
financial and other support – currently raises funds through ad hoc criminal activities, particularly kidnapping for ransom and extortion activities; also receives funds through private donations, crowd-sourcing, online humanitarian appeals, and investments in legitimate businesses; prior to 2019, received virtually of its funding from oil sales, taxation, and selling confiscated goods within areas it controlled in Iraq and Syria; the group currently holds no territory, which has significantly reduced its ability to generate, store, and transfer revenue, but it continues to draw on financial reserves accrued when it controlled territory (estimated in 2020 at more than $100 million); ISIS has armed itself with weapons it has captured, purchased through local arms trafficking networks, and produced on its own
designation – predecessor organization al-Qa'ida in Iraq (AQI) was placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 17 December 2004
aka – ISIS-Bangladesh, Caliphate in Bangladesh; Caliphate’s Soldiers in Bangladesh; Soldiers of the Caliphate in Bangladesh; Khalifa’s Soldiers in Bengal; Islamic State Bangladesh; Islamic State in Bangladesh; Islamic State in Bengal; Dawlatul Islam Bengal; ISIB; Abu Jandal al-Bangali; Jammat-ul Mujahadeen-Bangladesh; JMB; Neo-JMB; New JMB
history – formed in 2014 out of ISIS’s desire to expand to the Indian Subcontinent; consists of individuals who defected from Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Jund at-Tawhid wal-Khilafah and pledged allegiance to ISIS; claimed responsibility for multiple small bombing attacks in 2019
goals – protect Muslims in Bangladesh from perceived injustices and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate in the Indian subcontinent
leadership and organization – leadership and organization unknown; Muhammad Saifullah OZAKI was reportedly the leader of ISIS-Bangladesh when it was formed; probably operates in a cell-based network
areas of operation – active throughout Bangladesh but operates primarily in Dhaka
targets and tactics – primarily targets military and security personnel but also activists, bloggers, academics, religious minorities, and foreigners (particularly Westerners); has attacked restaurants, places of worship, and crowds of civilians, typically with small arms, grenades, and improvised explosives devices, including suicide bombers; most deadly attack was a 2016 armed assault on a bakery in Dhaka, where the attackers used small arms, grenades, and machetes to kill 24 people
strength – unknown but estimated to have a few hundred armed supporters; following the 2016 attack in Dhaka, Bangladeshi security forces staged nationwide raids in which they claim to have killed or captured hundreds of the group’s members
financial and other support – funding sources are largely unknown but has received some support from ISIS
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 28 February 2018
aka – ISIS-Libya, Islamic State-Libya; IS-Libya; Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya (ISIL-L); Wilayat Barqa; Wilayat Fezzan; Wilayat Tripolitania; Wilayat Tarablus; Wilayat al-Tarabulus
history – formed in 2014 when then ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-BAGHDADI dispatched operatives from Syria to establish a branch; claimed responsibility for its first operation, a suicide attack on a hotel in Tripoli, in January 2015; from 2015 to 2016, grew to as many as 6,000 fighters, established a stronghold in Sirte, and expanded operations into Libya’s oil producing region; from late 2016 to 2017, was driven from Sirte into the desert by Libyan forces, with assistance from the US military, while suffering heavy losses in personnel; since 2018, has altered its strategy to what it described as a nikayah (war of attrition) of guerrilla warfare and traditional terrorist tactics with small bands of fighters operating out of ungoverned spaces in Libya and conducting attacks throughout the country; conducted a number of small-scale attacks against local military and security services in 2020
goals – prevent the formation of a reunified Libyan state, secure control over the country’s oil resources and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate in Libya
leadership and organization – current leader unknown; when ISIS-L held territory, its structure included three regionally-based provinces (wilayat) with defined state-like departments (diwans) and a hierarchal chain of command; reportedly currently operates in decentralized guerilla-style desert “brigades” and networked cells
areas of operation – unable to control any population centers, but continues to have some mobile desert camps in rural central and southern Libya; assessed to retain an undetermined number of dormant cells in some coastal cities
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets military and security forces, oil infrastructure, and entities or individuals associated with Libya's competing governments; targets include oil facilities, security checkpoints and police stations, and symbolic state targets such as Libya’s electoral commission headquarters and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; also kidnaps local notables for potential prisoner exchanges or ransom; attacks typically are hit-and-run and conducted with small arms and suicide bombers; weapons mostly include small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, light and heavy machine guns, landmines, and improvised explosive devices
strength – assessed in 2020 to have fewer than 100 fighters
financial and other support – ISIS core has provided ad hoc financial support; additional funding comes from smuggling and extortion, kidnappings for ransom, and external sources; has acquired weapons through captured Libyan military stockpiles and smuggling networks
designation - placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 19 May 2016
aka – ISIS in the Greater Sahara; Islamic State in the Greater Sahel; Islamic State of the Greater Sahel; ISIS in the Islamic Sahel
history – emerged in May 2015 when Adnan Abu Walid al-SAHRAWI and his followers split from the al-Qaida-affiliated group al-Murabitoun and pledged allegiance to ISIS; ISIS acknowledged the group in October 2016; has carried out major attacks in the Sahel region, most notably on a joint US-Nigerien military force in October 2017 in the Tonga region along the Niger-Mali border; since February 2018, has clashed repeatedly with French military forces and allied local militias operating under the French-sponsored counterterrorism operation known as Operation Barkhane, as well as Nigerien, Malian, and Burkinabe troops; for example, conducted attacks against Nigerien and Malian military bases in late 2019 that killed 71 and 54 soldiers, respectively; after a period of some reported cooperation, ISIS-GS was engaged in fighting in 2020 with the local al-Qa’ida-aligned coalition known as Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) over territory and JNIM defectors; ISIS-GS has a close relationship with ISIS-West Africa
goals – replace regional governments with an Islamic state; reportedly has not developed a cohesive, ideologically driven narrative but instead tries to adapt its message to what can garner the most support from local communities
leadership and organization – led by Adnan Abu Walid al-SAHRAWI (al-Sahraoui); organization unknown, but probably operates in small mobile cells or groups that consolidate for operations
areas of operation – mostly concentrated in the Mali-Niger border region but also operates in Burkina Faso
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets local military and security forces, foreign military forces (French, UN, US), ethnic groups, local government officials, and schools; since 2018, has forced the closure of an estimated 2,000 schools in the region with threats, attacks, and murders of teachers and administrators; uses guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics against military and security forces, including ambushes, targeted killings, hit-and-run attacks, mortar attacks, road side bombs, car and truck bombs, suicide bombers, and direct assaults; ISIS-GS fighters attacking Malian and Nigerien military bases in 2019 used assault rifles, light machine guns, motorcycles, trucks mounting machine guns, mortars, and suicide bombers
strength – precise numbers unknown but estimated in 2020 to have about 500 fighters; tries to exploit the grievances of marginalized communities and stoke ethnic tensions to bolster recruitment and support
financial and other support – specific sources unknown, but probably originates from smuggling activities, local donations and taxation, kidnapping for ransom, and from other groups operating in the region
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 23 May 2018
aka – Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan; Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khurasan (ISIL-K); Islamic State Khurasan (IS, ISK, ISISK); Islamic State of Iraq and Levant in Khorasan Province (ISKP); Islamic State's Khorasan Province; ISIL-Khorasan; Wilayat al-Khorasan; Wilayat Khurasan; ISIL's South Asia Branch; South Asian Chapter of ISIL
history – formed in January 2015 primarily from former members of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; ISIS appointed former Pakistani Taliban commander Hafiz Said KHAN as leader (later killed in a US military strike); frequently fights with the Afghan Taliban over control of territory and resources; also has conducted an insurgency against Afghan, Coalition, and US military forces; has suffered heavy losses of fighters, leadership, and territory due to counterterrorism operations, but as of late 2020 continued to retain the ability to orchestrate attacks, recruit, and replenish leadership positions
goals – establish an Islamic caliphate in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of Central Asia, including Iran; eliminate Western influence and Shia Muslims
leadership and organization – Matiullah KAMAHWAL became the group's leader after Abdullah ORAKZAI (aka Aslam Farooqi) was captured by Afghan security services in April 2020; operates in small cells; ISIS restructured the Khorasan Province in May 2019, when it announced the creation of separate provinces for India and Pakistan
areas of operation – mainly operates in eastern Afghanistan (particularly Kunar and Nangarhar provinces) and western Pakistan (note: “Khorasan” is a historical region that encompassed northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, and northern Afghanistan)
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets military and security forces, Taliban members, and civilians, particularly Shia Muslims and religious minorities; known for indiscriminate attacks against civilians in both Afghanistan and Pakistan; killed an estimated 1,200 Afghan and more than 300 Pakistani civilians in armed assaults, assassinations, executions, and suicide bombings between 2016 and 2019; targets included Shia religious sites, neighborhoods, and other gathering places, diplomatic facilities in Kabul, a voter registration center, a television station, a hospital, and an election rally; in August 2020, conducted a raid on an Afghan prison that killed or wounded 80 and freed up to 400 prisoners, including ISIS-K and Taliban loyalists; employs a combination of guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics against Afghan, US, and Coalition military forces; typically armed with small arms, light and heavy machine guns, mortars, rockets, and various improvised explosive devices, including car bombs, road side bombs, and suicide bombers
strength – approximately 2,000 fighters in 2020, although estimates range between 1,000 and more than 3,000
financial and other support – receives periodic funding from ISIS; raises additional funds locally from commerce, taxes, and extortion practices on individuals and businesses
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 14 January 2016
note: this appendix provides short descriptions of identified or self-proclaimed ISIS branches, networks, and provinces that have not been designated by the US State Department as Foreign Terrorist Organizations
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Algeria: the Islamic State declared the establishment of a province in Algeria (Wilayat al-Jazair) in November 2014; includes elements of a local terrorist organization known as Jund al-Khilafa; goal is to replace the Algerian Government with an Islamic state; targets security forces, local government figures, and Western interests; largely defunct due to heavy pressure from Algerian security forces, although ISIS core claimed responsibility for a February 2020 attack on a military base near the border with Mali; historically maintained an operational and recruitment presence mostly in the northeastern part of the country
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham network in Azerbaijan: ISIS declared a new network in Azerbaijan in July of 2019, although it has not claimed responsibility for any attacks; additional details of the network unavailable
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Caucasus Province: ISIS-Caucasus Province (ISIS-CP; aka Wilayat Qawqaz) was announced in June 2015; grew out of the former al-Qa’ida-affiliated Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, which suffered from losses to Russian counterterrorism operations, leadership disputes, and defections to ISIS; claimed responsibility for its first attack against a Russian Army barracks in September 2015; operates in the North Caucasus area of the Russian Federation between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea; typically conducts attacks against local security and military forces, as well as non-Muslim civilians, with small arms, explosives, and knives
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Central Africa (ISIS-CA) (aka ISIS – Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC); Islamic State’s Central Africa Province; ISCAP; Wilayat Central Africa; Wilayah Central Africa): first mentioned in an August 2018 speech by then-ISIS leader al-BAGHDADI; claimed its first attack against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) military near the border with Uganda in April 2019; has its origins in the DRC-based militant group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which ISIS has publicly claimed a branch; ADF was founded in 1995 with the stated goal of overthrowing the Ugandan government but later shifted to carrying out attacks against civilians, military forces, and UN peacekeepers in the DRC; ADF has Islamist roots, with many of its early members coming from Uganda’s Salafist movement; online posts by some ADF members in 2016 and 2017 referred to their group as Madinat Tawheed wal Mujahideen (“the City of Monotheism and Holy Warriors”) and displayed an ISIS-like flag; ISIS-CA operates in the DRC, primarily in the Nord Kivu and Ituri provinces, and its goal is to establish an Islamic state in Central Africa; has links to ISIS in Mozambique; attack methods include use of small arms, improvised explosive devices, and kidnappings; strength unknown; ADF was assessed in 2019 to have between 500 and 1,000 fighters in the DRC
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – India: the Islamic State-India (aka ISI; Islamic State-Hin; Wilayah of Hind) was announced in May 2019 when ISIS claimed it had restructured the group’s Khorasan Province and created separate provinces for ISIS-affiliated elements operating in India and Pakistan; the announcement followed an attack claimed by ISIS on Indian security forces in India-administered Kashmir; ISIS-India is reportedly dominated by Kashmiri jihadists and has conducted several additional low-scale attacks targeting Indian security forces in Kashmir; estimated in 2020 to have less than 200 members; ISIS-linked groups reportedly operating in India include Ansar-ut Tawhid fi Bilad al-Hind, Indian Mujahideen, and Junood-ul-Khilafa-Fil-Hind (aka Jundul Khilafa)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – East Asia networks in Indonesia: comprises a loose network of ISIS cells and supporters throughout the country known as Jemaah Anshorut Daulau (JAD), which Aman ABDURRAHMAN has led since 2015; goal is to replace the Indonesian Government with an Islamic state and implement ISIS’s interpretation of sharia; known for attacking security forces and Christians; in 2019, a JAD member attempted to assassinate Indonesia’s security minister and a local police chief; in 2018, staged simultaneous suicide bombings by families against three churches that killed more than 30 civilians; strength unknown, but maintains a clandestine operational presence across the country; JAD includes former members of the FTO-designated group Jemaah Anshortu Tauhid (JAT), which disbanded in 2015 to join JAD; falls under ISIS-East Asia leadership in the Philippines; also includes other radical groups in Indonesia that have pledged allegiance to ISIS, including the East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT), which Indonesian police linked to an assault on a village in Sulawesi in late 2020 that killed four
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham network in Mozambique: ISIS-Central Africa claimed that an ISIS network in Mozambique conducted its first attack against security forces in June 2019 in Cabo Delgado province, an area known for rich liquid natural gas deposits; the ISIS network is also known as a domestic terrorist group named Ansar al-Sunna (aka Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jamaa; Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jammah; Swahili Sunna; al-Shabab) that has conducted an insurgency against the Mozambique Government since 2017 and pledged allegiance to ISIS that same year; attacks by the groups are characterized by ambushes of government security forces and foreign private security contractors, indiscriminate killing of civilians, including women and children, beheadings, kidnappings, and looting and burning out villages; violence associated with the insurgency has reportedly led to the deaths of more than 2,000 civilians and displaced over 300,000 persons since late 2017
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Pakistan: ISIS announced in May 2019 that it restructured the group’s Khorasan Province and created separate provinces for ISIS-affiliates operating in Pakistan, such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan; operates mostly in Baluchistan Province and chiefly targets non-Muslims and the local Shia population, particularly the Hazaras; in January 2020, claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shia mosque in Quetta, the capital of the Baluchistan province
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia: announced in 2016; splinter group of al-Shabaab and reportedly founded by former al-Shabaab commander Abdulqadir MUMIN; includes approximately 100-300 fighters operating primarily in the remote mountains of the Bari area of the semi-autonomous Puntland region; primarily targets Somali Government and security forces, Puntland security forces, African Union peacekeepers, and al-Shabaab elements through targeted assassinations using small arms and improvised explosive devices
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham network in Tunisia: a network of cells, supporters, and Islamic militant groups in Tunisia claiming allegiance to ISIS, including Jund al-Kilafah (JAK or “Soldiers of the Caliph”); goal is to replace the Tunisian government with an Islamic state and implement ISIS’s strict interpretation of sharia; has conducted periodic attacks, including suicide bombings, against security forces in Tunis and attacked tourist sites frequented by Westerners, such as a resort in Sousse and a museum in Tunis in 2015; maintains its strongest presence in the central mountainous region around Kasserine, Sidi Bou Zid, and Gafsa
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham –Turkey: publicly announced in July 2019, when ISIS released a video of a group of fighters in Turkey pledging allegiance to then-ISIS leader al-BAGHDADI and declaring a new province (wilayat) in Turkey; the speaker threatened both Turkey and the US while the fighters in the video were armed with assault rifles, grenades, light machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenade launchers; ISIS has long had a presence in Turkey, which previously served as a transit point for foreign fighters traveling to Syria to join the self-declared Islamic State caliphate and participate in the civil war; prior to the declaration of a province in Turkey, the Turkish government suspected ISIS of responsibility for numerous attacks, including suicide bombings at Ataturk Airport in June 2016 and at a wedding in August 2016, as well as a shooting at a nightclub in January 2017
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Yemen: publicly announced in April 2015 after a self-proclaimed ISIS affiliate calling itself “Wilayat Sana’a” claimed responsibility for a mosque bombing in Yemen that killed approximately 140 people; goal is to replace the Yemen Government and the Huthi rival government with an Islamic state and implement ISIS’s strict interpretation of sharia; led by Nashwan al-ADANI; since 2015, has carried out hundreds of attacks against Yemeni security forces, Yemeni Government facilities and personnel, Huthi forces, Shia Muslims, and al-Qa’ida; methods include suicide bombers, car/truck bombs, road side bombs, ambushes, armed ground assaults, kidnappings, and targeted assassinations; operational primarily in south and central Yemen; reportedly has suffered heavy losses in fighting with the local al-Qa'ida affiliate (al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Pensinsula)
aka – the Army of Mohammed; Mohammed’s Army; Tehrik ul-Furqaan; Khuddam-ul-Islam; Khudamul Islam; Kuddam e Islami; Jaish-i-Mohammed
history – founded in 2000 by former senior Harakat ul-Mujahideen leader Masood AZHAR upon his release from prison in India in exchange for 155 hijacked Indian Airlines passengers that JeM operatives were holding hostage; has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in India-administered Kashmir, India, and Pakistan; after 2008, fought US and Coalition forces in Afghanistan; maintains close relations with the Taliban and al-Qa’ida in Afghanistan; outlawed in Pakistan; has conducted several attacks against Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir since 2018, including a suicide bombing in the city of Pulwama that killed 40 security police in February 2019
goals – annex the state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan and expel Western forces from Afghanistan
leadership and organization – led by Maulana Mohammed Masood AZHAR Alvi (aka Wali Adam Isah), with his brother and deputy, Mufti Abdul Rauf AZHAR Alvi, as well as a seven-member executive committee
areas of operation – headquartered in Punjab Province, Pakistan and stages attacks against Indian forces, primarily in the state of Jammu and Kashmir; also active in Afghanistan
targets, tactics, and weapons – attacks Indian military, security, and government officials, personnel, bases, and buildings; periodically attacks Pakistani government and security personnel; attempted to assassinate former Pakistani President Pervez MUSHARRAF in 2003; has assaulted and kidnapped Christians and foreigners; typically employs small arms, grenades, mines, improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers, and car bombs
strength – estimated in 2019 to have several hundred fighters
financial and other support – to avoid asset seizures by the Pakistani Government, JEM since 2007 has withdrawn funds from bank accounts and invested in legal businesses, such as commodity trading, real estate, and the production of consumer goods; also collects funds through donation requests, sometimes using charitable causes to solicit donations
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 26 December 2001
aka – Jamaat Nosrat al-Islam wal-Mouslimin; Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims; Group to Support Islam and Muslims; GSIM; GNIM; Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen
history – formed in 2017 when the Mali Branch of al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), al-Murabitoun, Ansar al-Dine, and the Macina Liberation Front (aka Macina Brigade/Battalion) agreed to work together as a coalition; describes itself as al-Qa’ida’s official branch in Mali and has pledged allegiance to al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-ZAWAHIRI and deceased AQIM emir Abdelmalek Droukdel; has conducted hundreds of attacks against local and international security troops, vowing to take “combat action against security forces, rather than attacks on the population” to preserve relations with local communities; has tried to displace the authority of local governments in the areas where it operates, including providing services through its own self-described non-profit organizations; after a period of some reported cooperation, JNIM and Islamic State elements in 2020 were reportedly fighting each other in the region over territory
goals – unite all terrorist groups in the Sahel, eliminate Western influence in the region, force out all French and other international military forces, and establish an Islamic state centered on Mali
leadership and organization – currently led by Iyad ag GHALI, the former leader of Ansar al-Dine; has a dedicated media unit known as az-Zalaqah, but coalition members maintain their existing leadership and organizational structures; for example, the Macina Brigade has a decentralized chain of command with sub-units known as markaz (“centre”), each of which has a leader (amirou markaz), assisted by a military commander and an advisory shura council; each markaz exercises considerable local autonomy
areas of operation – predominantly active in Mali but also conducts operations in Niger and Burkina Faso
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets French, Malian, and UN military forces; typically employs guerrilla-style hit-and-run and terrorist tactics; has attacked military bases and outposts, security checkpoints, patrols, and convoys, as well as the French embassy in Burkina Faso with small arms, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, rockets, suicide bombers, and car bombs; also targets other symbols of the government’s authority, including local leaders, civil servants, schools, teachers, and infrastructure, such as bridges, as well as foreign tourists with threats, assassinations, kidnappings, and bombings
strength – assessed in 2020 to have approximately 2,000 fighters
financial and other support – receives funding through kidnappings-for-ransom and extortion, and from smugglers who pay a tax in exchange for safe transit through JNIM-controlled trafficking routes in Mali; has attacked gold mines in areas outside government control and used the profits to recruit new members and buy weapons; equipped with arms captured from local military forces and smuggled in from Libya
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 6 September 2018
aka – Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan; Vanguards for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa; JAMBS; Jama’atu Ansaril Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan
history – formed in January 2012 as a breakaway faction of Boko Haram in the aftermath of a January 2012 Boko Haram attack in the city of Kano, Nigeria, that resulted in the deaths of at least 180 people, mostly Muslims; the Ansaru faction objected to Boko Haram’s attacks on fellow Muslims and killing non-Muslims who posed no threat to Muslims; aligned with al-Qa’ida; it claimed a kidnapping in 2013 and did not claim any attacks until claiming an attack in early 2020 on a Nigerian Army convoy activities that resulted in at least 10 casualties; the group announced its reemergence in late 2019
goals – defend Muslims throughout Africa by fighting against the Nigerian Government and international interests; rid Nigeria of Western influence and establish an Islamic state in Nigeria
leadership and organization – leadership is currently unknown; previously was under Khalid al-BARNAWI until he was captured by the Nigerian Army in 2016; BARNAWI reportedly led Ansaru through a shura, but the group’s organizational structure is unknown
areas of operation – operates in northern Nigeria
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Nigerian Government officials and security/military forces; also kidnaps and kills foreigners, especially Westerners and abducts individuals with ties to potential ransom payers; uses small arms, light weapons, and explosives to carry out coordinated attacks, including ambushes and hit-and-run assaults
strength – unknown
financial and other support – unknown, although some funding probably is generated from kidnappings for ransom; the group reportedly received training from al-Qa’ida elements in Mali
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 14 November 2013
aka – Jeysh al-adl, Army of Justice; Jaish ul-Adl, Jaish al-Adl, Jaish Aladl, Jeish al-Adl; Jundullah; Jondullah; Jundollah; Jondollah; Jondallah; Army of God (God’s Army); Baloch Peoples Resistance Movement (BPRM); People’s Resistance Movement of Iran (PMRI); Jonbesh-i Moqavemat-i-Mardom-i Iran; Popular Resistance Movement of Iran; Soldiers of God; Fedayeen-e-Islam; Former Jundallah of Iran
history – formed in 2002 under the name Jundallah as an anti-Iranian Sunni Muslim armed group; founder and then-leader Abdulmalik RIGI was captured and executed by Iranian authorities in 2010; has engaged in numerous attacks on Iranian civilians, government officials, and security personnel; adopted the name Jaysh al Adl in 2012 and has since claimed responsibility for attacks under that name; continued to be active in 2019
goals – stated goals are to secure recognition of Balochi cultural, economic, and political rights from the Iranian government; procure greater autonomy for Balochis in Iran and Pakistan
leadership and organization – unknown; reportedly has three branches based on regions of southeastern Iran; operates a media outlet known as the Telegram Channel
areas of operation – operates primarily in the province of Sistan va Baluchestan of southeastern Iran and the Baloch areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan (outlawed in Pakistan since January 2017); note: the Sistan-Baluchestan province is home to a large community of minority Sunni Muslims who complain of discrimination in Shia-dominated Iran
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily targets Iranian security forces but also government officials and Shia civilians; attacks include hit-and-run raids, assaults, ambushes, kidnappings, assassinations, suicide bombings, and car bombings; has conducted several ambushes of Iranian security forces near the Pakistan border in recent years; one of its recent most deadly attacks was a February 2019 suicide car bombing of a bus carrying Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel that killed 27; weapons include small arms, light weapons, and various improvised explosive devices such as suicide vests and car bombs
strength – unknown
financial and other support – unknown
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 4 November 2010
aka – Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi; Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order; Armed Men of the Naqshabandi Order; Naqshbandi Army; Naqshabandi Army; Men of the Army of al-Naqshbandia Way; Jaysh Rajal al-Tariqah al-Naqshbandia; JRTN; JRN; AMNO
history – emerged in December 2006 as an Arab secular Ba'athist nationalistic armed group in response to SADDAM Husayn's execution; consisted largely of Iraqi Sunni Muslims following Naqshabandi Sufi Islam ideals; between 2006 and the 2011 withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on US bases and personnel; in 2014, elements joined forces with ISIS in opposition to the Iraqi government and assisted with the taking of Mosul, but fissures later emerged between the two factions; some elements splintered off, but the majority of JRTN was subsumed by ISIS; did not publicly claim any attacks from 2016 to 2019
goals – end external influence in Iraq and, ultimately, overthrow the Iraqi Government to install a secular Ba'athist state within the internationally recognized borders of Iraq
leadership and organization – Izzat Ibrahim al-DOURI, former vice president of SADDAM Husayn's Revolutionary Council, led JRTN with former Ba'ath Party officials and military personnel under SADDAM; organization unknown
areas of operation – historically had a heavy presence in Salah ad Din, Ninawa, Tikrit, Kirkuk, Mosul, and Al Hawija regions and in the north
strength – unknown; assessed in 2016 to have fewer than 5,000 members
targets, tactics, and weapons – targeted Iraqi Government military and security forces and Iraqi Kurds who belong to any of the separatist Kurdish groups; also targeted US military personnel from 2006 to 2011; used small arms, light and heavy machine guns, artillery rockets, various improvised explosive devices, including road side and vehicle-borne bombs
financial resources – received funding from former members of the SADDAM regime, major tribal figures in Iraq, and contributions from Gulf-based sympathizers
designation - placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 30 September 2015
aka – Jemaa Islamiyah, Jema'a Islamiyah, Jemaa Islamiyya, Jema'a Islamiyya, Jemaa Islamiyyah, Jema'a Islamiyyah, Jemaah Islamiah, Jema'ah Islamiyah, Jemaah Islamiyyah, Jema'ah Islamiyyah, Jama'a Assalafiyah Lidda'wa Wal Jihad, Islamic Congregation, Salafi Group for Call and Holy War, Jemaah Islamia, al-Qa’ida Indonesia
history – has roots in the Darul Islam movement that emerged in Indonesia in the 1940s to resist the country’s post-colonial government, which it viewed as too secular; JI’s earliest efforts to organize date back to the late 1960s and early 1970 under co-founders Abu Bukar BA'ASYIR and Abdullah SUNGKAR; gained international notoriety in 2002 for the suicide bombing of a nightclub on the resort island of Bali that killed more than 200 people; since 2002 and into late 2020, Indonesian authorities have killed or captured more than 400 JI operatives, including several senior leaders; remains active in recruiting and cultivating support through religious boarding schools, mosques, print publications, the internet, media outlets, and charitable organizations that are fronts for the organization; trying to use political influence to press for Islamic law in Indonesia while clandestinely building a paramilitary force; has reportedly sent fighters to Iraq, the Philippines, and Syria for training and battlefield experience; affiliated with al-Qa’ida and has ties with the Abu Sayaf Group in the Philippines; did not claim responsibility for any attacks between 2016 and 2020
goals – overthrow the Indonesian Government and, ultimately, establish a pan-Islamic state across Southeast Asia
leadership and organization – currently unknown; previous emir, Para WIJAYANTO, was arrested by Indonesian authorities in mid-2019; has a paramilitary wing and several administrative departments
areas of operation – operates throughout Indonesia; reportedly strongest in Java; has operated in the Philippines and Malaysia
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Christians and Western interests, particularly tourist sites such as nightclubs and hotels; the majority of its victims have been civilians; attackers historically used small arms and improvised explosive devices, including car bombs and suicide vests
strength – estimates in 2019 varied from 500 to several thousand members
financial and other support – fundraises through membership donations and criminal and business activities, including cultivating palm oil plantations; has received financial, ideological, and logistical support from Middle Eastern contacts and Islamic charities and organizations; collects cash remittances from Indonesians abroad; members have received weapons and explosives training in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Syria
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 23 October 2002
aka – KC, American Friends of the United Yeshiva, American Friends of Yeshivat Rav Meir, Committee for the Safety of the Roads, Dikuy Bogdim, DOV, Forefront of the Idea, Friends of the Jewish Idea Yeshiva, Jewish Legion, Judea Police, Judean Congress, Kahane, Kahane Chai (Kahane Lives), Kahane Tzadak, Kahane.org, Kahanetzadak.com, Kfar Tapuah Fund, Koach, Meir's Youth, New Kach Movement, Newkach.org, No'ar Meir, Repression of Traitors, State of Judea, Sword of David, The Committee Against Racism and Discrimination (CARD), The Hatikva Jewish Identity Center, The International Kahane Movement, The Jewish Idea Yeshiva, The Judean Legion, The Judean Voice, The Qomemiyut Movement, The Rabbi Meir David Kahane Memorial Fund, The Voice of Judea, The Way of the Torah, The Yeshiva of the Jewish Idea, Yeshivat Harav Meir
history – Kach—the precursor to Kahane Chai—was formed around 1971 by American-born Rabbi Meir David KAHANE (aka David Kahane, Meir Kahane, Martin Meir); Kach’s offshoot, Kahane Chai (“Kahane Lives”), was founded by KAHANE’s son, Binyamin KAHANE, following his father’s assassination in New York City in 1990; group was outlawed in Israel in 1994 and banned from Israeli elections; Binyamin KAHANE was killed in 2000; linked to a number of mostly low-level attacks from the 1970s until the early 2000s; last linked to an attack in 2005 when an operative shot dead four people on a bus in Israel; considered to be operationally inactive in recent years, although it continues to lobby to run in Israeli elections
goals – expel Arabs from Israel's biblical lands and, ultimately, restore the biblical state of Israel to include Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank
leadership and organization – senior leaders include Michael GUZOFSKY (aka Yekutiel Ben Yaakov), David HA'LVRY, and Baruch MARZEL; organization unknown
areas of operation – Israel and West Bank settlements, especially the Qiryat Arba' settlement in Hebron
targets, tactics, and weapons – historically attacked, harassed, and threatened Palestinians, Israeli Arabs, and Israeli officials; attacks involved shootings, stabbings, or grenades; most deadly attack occurred in 1994 when an operative shot and killed 29 worshippers at a mosque in the West Bank; weapons include small arms, hand grenades, and various explosives
strength – assessed since 2005 to have fewer than 100 members; most members and support networks are Israeli citizens that live mostly in the West Bank settlements
financial and other support – has received financial support from sympathizers in Europe, Israel, and the United States
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Hizballah Brigades; Hizballah Brigades in Iraq; Hizballah Brigades-Iraq; Kata’ib Hezbollah; Khata’ib Hezbollah; Khata’ib Hizballah; Khattab Hezballah; Hizballah Brigades-Iraq of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq; Islamic Resistance in Iraq; Kata’ib Hizballah Fi al-Iraq; Katibat Abu Fathel al-A’abas; Katibat Zayd Ebin Ali; Katibut Karbalah; Brigades (or Battalions) of the Party of God
history – formed in 2007 from several predecessor networks and former members of the Badr Organization as an Iraqi Shia militia and political organization; fought against US and Coalition forces from 2007 to 2011 and earned a reputation for conducting lethal bombing and rocket attacks; sent fighters to Syria to fight alongside Lebanese Hizballah and Syrian government forces beginning in 2012; fought in Iraq against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) as a member of the Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC), an umbrella group of Shia militia groups; was accused of extrajudicial killings and abductions of Iraqi Sunni Muslims during this period; in 2018, its affiliated political party (Independent Popular Gathering) joined the Al Fatah (Victory) Alliance, a political coalition primarily comprised of parties affiliated with Iranian-backed Shia militias, which won 48 of the 329 seats in the 2018 Iraqi parliament; in 2019, conducted several attacks against US military bases and participated in an assault on the US Embassy in Baghdad; also involved in attacking and abducting anti-government protesters in Baghdad; continued attacks against US and coalition forces through 2020; has strong ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and recognizes Ayatollah KHAMENEI, the Supreme Leader of Iran, as its spiritual leader
goals – overthrow the Iraqi Government to install a government based on Shia Muslim laws and precepts; eliminate US influence in Iraq
leadership and organization – led by a 5-member shura council, with individuals reportedly selected by the IRGC; secretary general of the council is Ahmad Mohsen Faraj al-HAMIDAWI (aka Abu Hussein, Abu Zalata, Abu Zeid); shura council members are responsible for special military operations (al-HAMIDAWI), military/paramilitary forces, funding and logistics, civil affairs, and administration; KH fighters comprise three brigades of the PMC's paramilitary forces (aka Popular Mobilization Forces), the 45th, 46th, and 47th
areas of operation – headquartered in Baghdad; also active in Ninawa, Al Anbar, Babil, and throughout Iraq’s southern governorates, including Al Basrah, Maysan, Dhi Qar, and Wasit; has participated in the Syrian civil war since 2012
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets ISIS fighters, Sunni Muslim civilians, rival Shia factions, and US personnel and interests; employs both guerrilla-style and terrorist tactics, including hit-and-run assaults, ambushes, mortar and rocket attacks, roadside bombs, car bombs, targeted killings/assassinations, sniping, and abductions; has been accused of torturing and executing Sunni civilians, as well as looting and burning Sunni homes; fighters are equipped with small arms, machine guns, rockets (including large-caliber, up to 240mm), mortars, man-portable air defense systems (MANPADs), improvised explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft guns, artillery, recoilless rifles, light tactical vehicles (Humvees), truck-mounted weapons (aka “technicals”), and armored vehicles; reportedly has been involved in the training of Shia militants in other Gulf countries
strength – estimated in 2020 to have upwards of 10,000 fighters
financial and other support – receives funding, logistical support, training, and weapons from the IRGC-Qods Force and Lebanese Hizballah; solicits donations online and through a pro-Iran television channel; also raises funds through criminal activities, including kidnappings-for-ransom, smuggling, and taxing/extortion of activities in areas where the group is dominant; it also has legitimate business enterprises, such as property holdings and investments
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 2 July 2009
aka – Kongra-Gel; the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress; the Freedom and Democracy Congress of Kurdistan; KADEK; Partiya Karkeran Kurdistan; the People’s Defense Force; Halu Mesru Savunma Kuvveti; Kurdistan People’s Congress; People’s Congress of Kurdistan; KONGRAGEL, KGK
history – founded by Abdullah OCALAN in 1978 as a Marxist-Leninist separatist organization comprised primarily of Turkish Kurds; launched a rural campaign of violence in 1984 which expanded to include urban terrorism in the early 1990s; fighting with Turkish security forces peaked in the mid-1990s with an estimated 40,000 casualties, the destruction of thousands of villages in the largely Kurdish southeast and east of Turkey, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Kurds; following his capture in 1999, OCALAN ordered members to refrain from violence and requested dialogue with the Turkish government; PKK foreswore violence until June 2004, when its militant wing took control, renounced the self-imposed cease-fire, and began conducting attacks from bases within Iraq; in 2009, the Turkish Government and the PKK resumed peace negotiations, but talks broke down after the PKK carried out an attack in July 2011 that left 13 Turkish soldiers dead; between 2012 and 2015, negotiations resumed but ultimately broke down owing partly to domestic political pressures and the war in Syria; since 2015, continued attacks and clashes with Turkish security forces have killed more than 3,000 PKK fighters, security forces, and civilians
goals – advance Kurdish autonomy, political, and cultural rights in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, and ultimately, establish an independent Kurdish state centered in southeastern Turkey
leadership and organization – OCALAN, currently serving life imprisonment in Turkey, is still the group's leader and figurehead, but day-to-day affairs and operations are run by Murat KARAYILAN and a three-man Executive Committee
areas of operation – located primarily in northern Iraq (headquartered in the Qandil Mountains) and southeastern Turkey; affiliated groups operate in northwestern Syria, as well as in Iran
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily attacks Turkish government personnel and security forces, including military patrols, convoys, security checkpoints, police stations, and government buildings; uses a mixture of guerrilla warfare and terrorist tactics, including armed assaults, hit-and-run attacks, kidnappings, grenade attacks, car bombs, remotely-detonated improvised explosive devices, and suicide bombers; weapons include small arms, machine guns, grenades, mortars, man-portable air defense systems (MANPADs), and various improvised explosive devices
strength – estimated in 2019 to have 4,000 to 5,000 members
financial and other support – receives logistical and financial support from a large number of sympathizers among the Kurdish community in southeast Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, as well as the large Kurdish diaspora in Europe; additional sources of funding include criminal activity, such as narcotics smuggling and extortion
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Lashkar Jangvi, Army of Jhangvi
history – formed around 1996 as a terrorist offshoot of the Sunni Deobandi sectarian group Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan; banned by the Pakistani Goverment in August 2001 as part of an effort to rein in sectarian violence, causing many LJ members to seek refuge in Afghanistan with the Taliban, with whom the group had existing ties; after the collapse of the Taliban Government in Afghanistan, members became active in aiding other terrorists, providing them with safe houses, false identities, and protection in Pakistani cities; linked to al-Qa’ida and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, and reportedly cooperated with the Islamic State in a 2016 attack against a police training college in Quetta, Pakistan that killed more than 60; since 2017, has lost several senior leaders to Pakistani counter-terrorism operations and has not claimed responsibility for any attacks
goals – exterminate Shia Muslims and religious minorities; rid the region of Western influence and, ultimately, establish an Islamic state under sharia in Pakistan
leadership and organization – unknown; previous leader Asif CHOTU (aka Rizwan) was killed by Pakistani security forces in 2017; crackdowns by Pakistani security forces has reportedly fractured and decentralized the organization, leading to independent cells and factions
areas of operation – based primarily in Pakistan’s Punjab province, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Karachi, and Balochistan; has carried out attacks in both Afghanistan and Pakistan
targets, tactics, and weapons – most known for violent attacks against Shia Muslims; also targets Sufi Muslims, non-Muslims, and Westerners; has attacked buses, markets, mosques, political rallies, and other venues where Shia Muslims congregate, as well as churches and hotels; attacks on Pakistani officials and security personnel have included targeted killings (including an attempted assassination of the Pakistani prime minister in 1999), ambushes, suicide bombings, and vehicle bombings, including exploding a water tanker filled with explosives that killed or wounded more than 250 in Baluchistan, Pakistan, in 2013; operatives typically armed with small arms and light weapons, grenades, improvised explosive devices, and suicide vests
strength – assessed in 2019 to be in the low hundreds
financial and other support – funding comes from donors in Pakistan and the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia; engages in criminal activity, including extortion
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 30 January 2003
aka – Jamaat-ud-Dawa, JuD; Lashkar-i-Taiba; al Mansooreen; Al Mansoorian; Army of the Pure; Army of the Pure and Righteous; Army of the Righteous; Lashkar e-Toiba; Paasban-e-Ahle-Hadis; Paasban-e-Kashmir; Paasban-i-Ahle-Hadith; Pasban-e-Ahle-Hadith; Pasban-e-Kashmir; Jama’at al-Dawa; Jamaat ud-Daawa; Jamaat ul-Dawah; Jamaat-ul-Dawa; Jama’at-i-Dawat; Jamaiat-ud-Dawa; Jama’at-ud-Da’awah; Jama’at-ud-Da’awa; Jamaati-ud-Dawa; Idara Khidmate-Khalq; Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation; FiF; Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation; FalaheInsaniyat; Falah-i-Insaniyat; Falah Insania; Welfare of Humanity; Humanitarian Welfare Foundation; Human Welfare Foundation; Al-Anfal Trust; Tehrik-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool; TehrikeTahafuz Qibla Awwal; Al-Muhammadia Students; Al-Muhammadia Students Pakistan; AMS; Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir; Kashmir Freedom Movement; Tehreek Azadi Jammu and Kashmir; Tehreek-e-Azadi Jammu and Kashmir; TAJK; Movement for Freedom of Kashmir; Tehrik-i-Azadi-i Kashmir; Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Jammu and Kashmir; Milli Muslim League; Milli Muslim League Pakistan; MML
history – formed in the late 1980s as the terrorist wing of Markaz ud Dawa ul-Irshad, a Pakistan-based extremist organization and charity originally formed to oppose the Soviet presence in Afghanistan; began attacking Indian troops and civilian targets in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1993; often operates under the guise of its charitable affiliates and other front organizations, including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), to avoid sanctions; combines with other groups like Jaish-e-Muhammad and Hizbul Mujahideen to mount anti-India attacks; linked to al-Qa’ida and has reportedly provided refuge and training to al-Qa’ida members in Pakistan; also has sent fighters and weapons to Afghanistan
goals – annex India's state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan and foment an Islamic insurgency in India; oust Western and Indian influence in Afghanistan; enhance its recruitment networks and paramilitary training in South Asia; and, ultimately, install Islamic rule throughout South Asia
leadership and organization – led by Hafiz Mohammad SAEED; has a robust infrastructure in Pakistan with district offices and departments overseeing finances, charities, media and propaganda, social welfare programs, military operations, external affairs, education, and the building of mosques and madrassas; activities are coordinated through numerous front organizations, including charities; set up a political party, the Milli Muslim League, in 2017
areas of operation – operational presence throughout Pakistan but concentrated in Azad Kashmir, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab provinces, where it maintains paramilitary training camps, medical clinics, and schools; active in both the Pakistan-administered and Indian-administered Kashmir region, as well as Afghanistan; has global connections and a strong operational network throughout South Asia
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily focuses on Indian military and security, government, and civilian targets; has participated in attacks against Western interests in Afghanistan and called for the killing of non-Muslims and Westerners worldwide; typical attacks include hit-and-run raids, ambushes, grenade attacks, and bombings; most notorious attack was the November 2008 operation against two luxury hotels, a Jewish center, a train station, and a café in Mumbai, India that killed 166 people and injured more than 300; attack was carried out by 10 gunmen armed with automatic weapons and grenades; operatives usually armed with assault rifles, machine guns, mortars, explosives, and grenades, including rocket-propelled grenades
strength – current size unknown; was estimated in 2018 to have several thousand members
financial and other support – collects donations in Pakistan and the Gulf, as well as from other donors in the Middle East and Europe; raises funds in Pakistan through charities, legitimate businesses, farming, and taxation
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 26 December 2001
aka – Ellalan Force, Tamil Tigers
history – formed circa 1975 and began an armed campaign against the Sri Lankan government to establish a Tamil homeland in 1983; started out as a guerrilla force but developed considerable conventional military capabilities, including air, artillery, and naval; employed an integrated insurgent strategy targeting primarily Sri Lanka's key installations and senior political and military leaders; established and administered a de facto state (Tamil Eelam) with Kilinochchi as its administrative capital; provided state functions such as courts, a police force, a bank, a radio station (Voice of Tigers), a television station (National Television of Tamil Eelam), and boards for humanitarian assistance, health, and education; from 1983 until 2009, fighting between government forces and LTTE resulted in 300,000 internally displaced persons, a million Tamils leaving the country, and as many as 100,000 deaths; in early 2009, Sri Lankan forces captured the LTTE’s key strongholds, including Kilinochchi, defeated the last LTTE fighting forces, killed its leader Velupillai PRABHAKARN, and declared military victory; LTTE has maintained an international network of sympathizers and financial support since its military defeat
goals – revive the movement to establish a Tamil homeland
leadership and organization – currently unknown; previous structure included a central governing committee led by PRABHAKARAN that oversaw all LTTE activities; organization had political and military wings; military was divided into conventionally organized brigades and regiments of infantry, artillery, air defense, anti-tank, mortars, and security forces; also included special units for naval (Sea Tigers), air (Air Tigers), and intelligence capabilities, as well as a unit of suicide bombers (Black Tigers)
areas of operation – was based in the northeastern part of Sri Lanka; since its defeat, supporters have been active in India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka
targets, tactics, and weapons – targeted Sri Lankan Government, political, and security officials, and military forces, as well as transportation nodes and infrastructure; carried out a sustained military campaign against Sri Lankan military and security forces; employed a mix of conventional, guerrilla, and terrorist tactics, including ground assaults and numerous assassinations and suicide bombings; forces were armed with a variety of weapons, including small arms, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank weapons, mortars, artillery, explosives, small naval craft, and light aircraft
strength – unknown
financial and other support – employs charities as fronts to collect and divert funds for its activities
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; Mujahideen Shura Council; Shura al-Mujahedin Fi Aknaf Bayt al-Maqdis; Majlis Shura al-Mujahidin; Majlis Shura alMujahideen; Magles Shoura al-Mujahddin
history – formed in 2012 as a consortium of small Salafi jihadist groups based in Gaza, including the Tawhid and Jihad Group in Jerusalem and Ansar al Sunnah; was originally allied with al-Qa’ida but pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in February 2014; has claimed responsibility for numerous rocket attacks against Israel, particularly in the 2012-14 timeframe; also fought against the military wing of HAMAS in Gaza and reportedly assisted the Islamic State in funneling fighters from North Africa to Syria; was assessed in 2019 to be largely defunct, having suffered losses to attacks from HAMAS, counterterrorism operations by Israeli security forces, and defections to other groups
goals – bolster its staging capabilities in the Gaza Strip against Israel and, ultimately, destroy the state of Israel
leadership and organization – last known leader was 'Abdallah al-ASHQAR (aka Abu al-Muhtaseb al-MAQDISI); organization unknown, although it reportedly had a military committee and a media wing
areas of operation – headquartered in Gaza
targets, tactics, and weapons – targeted HAMAS and Israel; most attacks consisted of rockets launched into Israel, although it claimed responsibility for at least two cross-border assaults on Israeli civilian and military targets; fighters typically armed with small arms and light weapons, artillery rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, and various explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – currently unknown; estimated in 2019 to have several hundred fighters
financial and other support – unknown
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 20 August 2014
history – Colombian Marxist-Leninist group formed in 1964 and Colombia’s second-largest armed rebel group after the FARC; reached its peak in the late 1990s, then suffered a marked period of decline, where it suffered from internal conflict and losses to both the Colombian security services and paramilitary forces that targeted leftist guerrilla groups; engaged in periodic negotiations with the Colombian Government throughout the 2000s and early 2010s while continuing to conduct attacks against security forces and the country’s economic infrastructure; formal talks were started again in 2017 and continued into 2018; however, the government suspended the talks indefinitely following a January 2019 ELN car bomb attack on the National Police Academy in Bogota that killed 21 and wounded 68; continues to conduct periodic attacks and kidnappings and has expanded its presence into neighboring Venezuela in order to escape Colombian security forces and exploit opportunities for illicit financing and recruitment
goals – defend Colombians who it believes to be victims of social, political, and economic injustices perpetrated by the Colombian government
leadership and organization – led by Nicolas Rodriguez BAUTISTA (aka Gabino) since 1973; at the top of the organizational structure is the Central Command (“Comando Central” or COCE, led by BAUTISTA), which oversees all ELN political, military, financial, and international operations; under the COCE is a 23-member National Directorate that serves as the link between the COCE and the seven “War Fronts” (six regional and one urban-based front that operates in multiple large cities); each front has multiple subdivisions and subunits and operates with a significant degree of autonomy
areas of operation – operates mainly in the rural and mountainous areas of northern, northeastern, and southwestern Colombia, as well as the border regions with Venezuela; present in the Venezuelan states of Amazonas, Apure, Bolivar, Guarico, Tachira, and Zulia; maintains a narcotics trafficking presence throughout Venezuela
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Colombia’s security services and economic infrastructure, in particular oil and gas pipelines and electricity pylons; typical tactics include mortaring police stations and military bases, placing explosive devices on pipelines, electric pylons, and near roads, and engaging in sniper attacks, roadblocks, and ambushes; conducts numerous kidnappings of civilians and members of the security services; fighters are equipped with small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, landmines, explosives, and mortars
strength – assessed in 2019 to have about 1,500-3,000 combatants; number of supporters is unknown
financial and other support – draws funding from the narcotics trade, extortion of oil and gas companies, illegal mining, and kidnapping-for-ransom payments
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – PIJ-Shaqaqi Faction; PIJ-Shallah Faction; Islamic Jihad of Palestine; Islamic Jihad in Palestine; Abu Ghunaym Squad of the Hizballah Bayt al-Maqdis; Al-Quds Squads; Al-Quds Brigades; Saraya al-Quds; Al-Awdah Brigades; Harakat al-Jihad al-Islami al-Filastin
history – formed by militant Palestinians in 1979 in Gaza; is the smaller of the two main Palestinian militant groups in Gaza, the other being the ruling HAMAS group; unlike HAMAS, PIJ refuses to negotiate with Israel; since the 1980s, has conducted numerous attacks on Israel, including a barrage of mortar and rocket strikes in February 2020; is backed both financially and militarily by Iran
goals – committed to the destruction of Israel and to the creation of an Islamic state in historic Palestine, an area that covers present-day Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank
leadership and organization – led by Ziyad al-NAKHALLAH and an eight-member leadership council (al-Maktab al-Am or General Bureau); has a 15-member political council, which represents PIJ members in Gaza, the West Bank, Israeli prisons, and abroad; also has an armed wing, known as the al-Quds Brigades, which has subordinate regional military commands that are comprised of units
areas of operation – operates primarily in Gaza, with a minimal presence comprised of followers in the West Bank; other leaders and members reside in Lebanon, Syria, and throughout the Middle East
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Israeli civilians and military personnel with bombings, small arms attacks on military patrols, and mortar and rocket attacks; most rocket attacks have struck southern Israel, but the group has developed longer-range versions capable of reaching further into Israel, including Tel Aviv; armed with small arms and light weapons, artillery rockets, man-portable air defense systems (MANPADs), mortars, antitank guided missiles, and improvised explosive devices; the group in the past targeted Israel with suicide bombings and abductions
strength – assessed to have at least 5,000 combatants in Gaza
financial and other support – receives financial assistance, military training, and weapons primarily from Iran; Hizballah provides safe harbor to PIJ leaders and representatives in Lebanon and probably facilitates Iran’s support to PIJ
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – PLF; PLF-Abu Abbas; Palestine Liberation Front
history – formed in the late 1970s as a splinter group from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command; later split into pro-Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), pro-Syrian, and pro-Libyan factions; pro-PLO faction was led by Muhammad ZAYDAN (aka Abu ABBAS) and was based in Baghdad, Iraq, before the US invasion in 2003; ZAYDAN died in 2004 of natural causes while in US custody in Iraq; responsible for the 1985 attack on the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and the murder of a US citizen on board; suspected of supporting terrorism against Israel by other Palestinian groups into the 1990s, but the group was largely quiet until the 2008-10 timeframe, when it claimed responsibility for several attacks on Israeli civilians and military personnel; has not publicly claimed any attacks since 2016
goals – bolster its staging capabilities in Gaza against Israel and, ultimately, destroy the state of Israel in order to establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital
leadership and organization – led by Secretary General Dr. Wasil ABU YUSUF, a longtime member on the PLO’s executive committee
areas of operation – based in Gaza, where it maintains a recruitment and paramilitary training presence in most of the refugee camps; has members in Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily targeted Israeli military and security personnel with occasional shootings and improvised explosive device attacks; weapons include small arms, artillery rockets, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – precise numbers unknown; estimated in 2018 to have between 50 and 500 members
financial and other support – unknown
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), Al-Jibha Sha'biya lil-Tahrir Filistin-al-Qadiya al-Ama, Ahmed Jibril Militia
history – a Marxist-Nationalist and secular group that split from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in 1968, claiming it wanted to concentrate more on resistance and less on politics; carried out dozens of attacks in Europe and the Middle East during the 1970s and 1980s, including bombings of two Western airliners; was also was known for cross-border terrorist attacks into Israel using unusual means, such as hot-air balloons and motorized hang gliders; since the early 1990s, has primarily focused on supporting Hizballah’s attacks against Israel, training members of other Palestinian terrorist groups, and smuggling weapons; between 2012 and 2015, claimed responsibility for several rocket attacks against Israel, as well as the bombing of a bus carrying civilians; has not claimed responsibility for any attacks since 2015 but remained an active participant in the Syrian conflict through 2019
goals – preserve Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regime; destroy the state of Israel and, ultimately, establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian state
leadership and organization – Ahmad JIBRIL, a former captain in the Syrian army, has led the PFLP-GC since its founding
areas of operation – political leadership is headquartered in Damascus and many of the group’s members have fought in Syria since 2012; maintains bases in southern Lebanon and a presence in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Syria; maintains a small presence in Gaza
targets, tactics, and weapons – contemporary targets are primarily paramilitary groups combatting Syrian regime forces; previously targeted Israeli military personnel and civilians with bombings and rocket attacks; fighters are armed with small arms, light machine guns, artillery rockets; rocket-propelled grenades, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices and suicide vests
strength – assessed in 2019 to have about 800 members
financial and other support – receives funds, logistical support, military training, and weapons from Iran, Hizballah, and Syria; garners payments in exchange for providing training to other armed groups, including HAMAS
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Halhul Gang; Halhul Squad; Palestinian Popular Resistance Forces; PPRF; Red Eagle Gang; Red Eagle Group; Red Eagles; Martyr Abu-Ali Mustafa Battalion
history – formed in December 1967 as an umbrella organization for Marxist and Arab nationalist groups after Israel seized the West Bank; became the second largest faction, and the main opposition force to Fatah, within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO); earned a reputation for large-scale international attacks in the 1960s and 1970s, including high-profile hijackings of Israeli and Western aircraft; has been in decline since the 1980s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union which had been its chief benefactor, and the emergence of non-PLO groups such as HAMAS and Palestine Islamic Jihad; since the 2000s, has focused its attacks on Israel and launched multiple joint operations with other Palestinian militant groups but its operational tempo has been low; since June 2017, only one attack has been attributed to the group; in September 2019, four members were arrested by Israeli security services for detonating an improvised explosive device that killed one Israeli and wounded two others
goals – destroy the state of Israel and, ultimately, establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital
leadership and organization – official leader, General Secretary Ahmad SA'DAT, has been serving a 30-year prison sentence in Israel since 2006; Deputy Secretary General 'Abd-al-Rahim MALLUH (var: Abdul Rahim MALLOUH) oversees daily operations; MALLUH is also a member of the PLO’s Executive Committee; has a Political Bureau and a military wing known as the Martyr Abu-Ali Mustafa Brigade
areas of operation – headquartered in Gaza; also operates in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank
targets, tactics, and weapons – since 2008, has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on Israeli military forces in Gaza, as well as mortar shells and rockets fired from Gaza into Israel; members have been arrested by Israeli security forces for plotting to carry out kidnappings; in 2014, two members with axes, guns, and knives attacked a synagogue in West Jerusalem, killing five; in the early 2000s, the group assassinated the Israeli Tourism Minister and carried out at least two suicide bombings; fighters are equipped with small arms, light machine guns, artillery rockets, mortars, man-portable surface-to-air missiles, improvised weapons, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices and suicide vests
strength – unknown
financial and other support – unknown; historically received funds from the former Soviet Union and China
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Real IRA; 32 County Sovereignty Committee; 32 County Sovereignty Movement; Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association; Real Oglaigh Na hEireann; New Irish Republican Army (New IRA or NIRA)
established – formed in 1997 as the clandestine armed wing of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, a political pressure group dedicated to removing British forces from Northern Ireland and unifying Ireland; claims to be the true descendent of the original Irish Republican Army; many members are former Provisional Irish Republican Army who left the organization after the group renewed its ceasefire in 1997 and brought extensive experience in terrorist tactics and bomb-making to RIRA; has historically sought to disrupt the Northern Ireland peace process and did not participate in the September 2005 weapons decommissioning; despite internal rifts and calls by some jailed members, including the group’s founder Michael “Mickey” McKEVITT, for a cease-fire and disbandment, RIRA has pledged to continue conducting attacks; in 2012, RIRA merged with other small dissident republican groups to form the New IRA; reportedly occasionally cooperates with the Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA); did not claim responsibility for any attacks in 2018 or 2019
goals – disrupt the Northern Ireland peace process, remove British rule in Northern Ireland and, ultimately, unify Ireland
leadership and organization – current leader unknown; reportedly has a command structure similar to the former Provisional IRA, with an “Army Council” consisting of a chief of staff and directors for training, operations, finance, and publicity; rank-and-file members operate in covert cells
areas of operation – operates in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; maintains a presence in Great Britain
targets, tactics, and weapons – primarily targets British security forces and police officers in Northern Ireland, as well as civilians; tactics typically involve shootings and low-impact bombing attacks; weapons include small arms, mortars, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices and car bombs
strength – estimated in 2019 to have approximately 100 active members; may receive limited support from IRA hardliners and sympathizers who are dissatisfied with the IRA’s ceasefire and with Sinn Fein’s involvement in the peace process
financial and other support – suspected of receiving funds from sympathizers in the US; receives funding from money laundering, smuggling, and other criminal activities; has attempted to buy weapons from gun dealers in the US and the Balkans
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 16 May 2001
aka – Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia; People’s Alternative Revolutionary Force; Revolutionary Alternative Common Force; Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común
history – founded in 1964 as a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group; conducted a decades-long insurgency against the Colombian Government, resulting in an estimated 250,000 deaths, tens of thousands of missing persons, and millions of people displaced from their homes; in November 2016, after four years of negotiation the Colombian Government and the FARC reached a peace agreement, putting in motion a disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration process; in accordance with the agreement, the majority of FARC combatants disarmed and demobilized between December 2016 and August 2017 under UN supervision; former FARC members created a political party called the Revolutionary Alternative Common Force (also known as the FARC) in September 2017; however, some FARC dissidents who chose not to participate in the peace process or have since abandoned the peace process continue engaging in terrorist or other criminal activities; in August 2019, the former FARC second-in-command announced he would return to fighting because of frustration over perceived lack of progress in implementing the terms of the peace accord, although the FARC political party said it would continue honoring the agreement; in late 2019, the Colombian government began conducting military operations against the FARC dissidents
goals – the political party seeks to change Colombia’s economic model; agenda includes social justice, development of rural areas, and nationalizing industries like oil and mining; historically, FARC sought to install a Marxist-Leninist regime in Colombia through a violent revolution
leadership and organization – former FARC commander Rodrigo LONDONO Echeverri (aka TIMOCHENKO) is now the leader of the political party; Nestor Gregorio VERA Fernandez (aka Ivan MORDISCO) and Miguel BOTACHE Santilllana (aka Gentil DUARTE) are the most influential leaders of the dissidents; the FARC was previously organized with a seven-member Secretariat that oversaw all activities and appointed bloc commanders; seven blocs, each containing five or more fronts with around 200 fighters each; the dissidents reportedly have adopted a similar organization
areas of operation – dissidents operate primarily in areas previously controlled by the FARC and in the border areas with Venezuela and Ecuador, as well as inside Venezuela
targets, tactics, and weapons – traditionally targeted Colombian political, military, and economic figures, as well as pro-government paramilitary groups and economic targets, such as oil pipelines; was responsible for large numbers of kidnappings-for-ransoms, including foreign citizens; combined guerrilla-style and terrorist tactics, including ambushes, complex ground assaults, grenade and mortar attacks, assassinations, kidnappings, and bombings; weapons included small arms, light and heavy machine guns, landmines, mortars, grenades, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – prior to the peace accord, was estimated to have about 7,000 members, plus several thousand additional supporters; an estimated 1,500-3,000 dissidents continue to operate
financial and other support – before the peace accord, the FARC was primarily funded by the international narcotics trade, extortion, kidnappings-for-ransom, and a "revolutionary tax" collected from businesses operating in areas under its control; dissidents reportedly generate funds through narcotics trafficking and extortion
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Dev Sol; Dev Sol Armed Revolutionary Units; Dev Sol Silahli Devrimci Birlikleri; Dev Sol SDB; Devrimci Halk Kurtulus Partisi-Cephesi; Devrimci Sol; Revolutionary Left
history – formed in Turkey originally in 1978 as Devrimci Sol, or Dev Sol, a splinter faction of Dev Genc (Revolutionary Youth); renamed in 1994 after factional infighting; “Party” refers to the group’s political activities and “Front” alludes to its militant operations; advocates a Marxist-Leninist ideology and opposes the United States, NATO, and the Turkish establishment; reorganized after the death of its founder and leader Dursun KARATAS from cancer in 2008 and was reportedly in competition with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party for influence in Turkey; since the late 1980s has primarily targeted Turkish security and military officials; in the 1990s began to conduct attacks against foreign—including US—interests; activities have declined in recent years
goals – install a Marxist-Leninist government in Turkey
leadership and organization – unknown; Turkish authorities arrested suspected leaders Umit ILTER and Caferi Sadik EROGLU in February 2019; reportedly operates in small, clandestine cells
areas of operation – located in Turkey, primarily in Adana, Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir; other members reside and plan operations in European countries
targets, tactics, and weapons – responsible for killing dozens of current and retired Turkish senior officials, police officers, soldiers, businessmen, and other civilians since its inception; launched rocket attacks on police and government buildings, including a rocket attack against the Istanbul police headquarters in 2017; has targeted foreign interests, especially US military and diplomatic personnel and facilities, such as a suicide bombing attack against the US Embassy in 2013; typical tactics include assassinations, hostage taking, rocket attacks, suicide bombings, remotely detonated bombs, and car bombs; weapons include small arms, hand grenades, artillery rockets, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices, suicide vests, and car bombs
strength – was estimated in 2019 to have several dozen members inside Turkey, with a support network throughout Europe
financial and other support – finances its activities chiefly through donations and extortion; raises funds primarily in Europe
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Epanastatikos Aghonas; EA
history – RS is a Marxist extremist group that emerged in 2003 following the arrests of members of two other Greek Marxist groups, 17 November (17N) and Revolutionary People’s Struggle; first gained notoriety when it claimed responsibility for the September 2003 bombings at the Athens Courthouse during the trials of 17N members; has since conducted numerous attacks against Greek and US targets in Greece; largely inactive since the 2017 arrest of its last known leader
goals – disrupt the influence of globalization and international capitalism on Greek society and, ultimately, overthrow the Greek Government
leadership and organization – unknown; former leader Panagiota ROUPA (aka Pola ROUPA) was Greece's most wanted terrorist until she was taken into Greek custody in January 2017 and later sentenced to 25 years imprisonment; organization is unknown
areas of operation – operated exclusively inside Greece, primarily in Athens
targets, tactics, and weapons – targeted Greek Government officials and buildings and officials' residences, multinational firms, domestic and foreign financial institutes, and embassies and diplomats; modeled its modus operandi on past 17N attacks, incorporating high-profile assassination attempts, armed raids, bank robberies, car bombings, and rocket attacks; used small arms and light weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, and explosives, including improvised explosive devices and car bombs
strength – unknown
financial and other support – unknown but most likely supported itself through criminal activities, including bank robberies
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 18 May 2009
aka – Ejército Guerrillero Popular (People’s Guerrilla Army); EGP; Ejército Popular de Liberación (People’s Liberation Army); EPL; Partido Comunista del Peru (Communist Party of Peru); PCP; Partido Comunista del Peru en el Sendero Luminoso de Jose Carlos Mariategui (Communist Party of Peru on the Shining Path of Jose Carlos Mariategui); Socorro Popular del Peru (People’s Aid of Peru); SPP; Militarizado Partido Comunista del Peru; MCPC; Militarized Communist Party of Peru
history – formed in the late 1960s as a breakaway faction of the Peruvian Communist Party by former university professor Abimael GUZMAN, whose teachings provided the basis of the group’s militant Maoist doctrine; was one of the most ruthless terrorist groups in the Western Hemisphere at its height in the 1980s; conducted an insurgency against the Peruvian Government and waged a campaign of violence on civilians, particularly the rural peasantry, that killed an estimated 70,000 Peruvians between 1980 and 2000; in September 1992, Peruvian authorities captured GUZMAN who, along with key accomplices, is serving a life sentence in prison; following his capture, membership declined and the remnants split into two factions; by 2014, one faction had largely been eliminated, while the other continued to operate; the group continues to try to reinvent itself, organize, and proselytize, particularly amongst university students and in rural areas; in recent years has called itself Militarizado Partido Comunista del Peru (the Militarized Communist Party of Peru)
goals – generate revenue by providing security to narcotics traffickers and by growing coca to produce cocaine; historically aimed to replace existing Peruvian institutions with a peasant revolutionary regime
leadership and organization – political leader is Victor Quispe PALOMINO (aka Comrade Jose), who leads with his brother Jorge Quispe PALOMINO (aka Comrade Raul), the supreme operations commander; organization unknown
areas of operation – Peru; most active in the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro River Valleys (VRAEM) in eastern Peru
targets, tactics, and weapons – primary targets in recent years have been Peruvian soldiers and police personnel running counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations against the group; also abducts civilians; typically uses guerrilla style hit-and-run tactics, including grenade attacks and snipers with long-range rifles; weapons include small arms and other light weapons, grenades, and other explosives, including improvised explosive devices
strength – estimated in 2019 to be between 250 and 300 combatants
financial resources – primarily funded by the illicit narcotics trade
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 8 October 1997
aka – Pakistani Taliban; Tehreek-e-Taliban; Tehrik-e-Taliban; Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
history – formed in 2007 to oppose Pakistani military efforts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas; previously disparate tribal militants agreed to cooperate and eventually coalesced under the leadership of now-deceased leader Baitullah MEHSUD (var. MAHSUD); entered into peace talks with the Pakistani Government in early 2014, but talks collapsed in June of that year; in October 2014, several senior leaders defected and publicly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State; has ties to and draws ideological guidance from al-Qa’ida (AQ), while elements of AQ rely in part on TTP for safe haven in the Pashtun areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistani border; remained active into 2020
goals – push the Pakistani Government out of Khyber Pakhtunkwa Province and establish sharia law; ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate over all of Pakistan
leadership and organization – led by Mufti Noor Wali MEHSUD since June 2018; has a shura council, but because the group is a coalition of diverse tribal factions, it reportedly operates as a loose network of dispersed groups that vary in levels of cooperation and tend to limit their actions to local areas of influence; has a media wing known as Umar Media
areas of operation – uses the tribal belt along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to train and deploy its fighters, especially in Kunar and Paktika Provinces in Afghanistan where it has established sanctuaries; also operationally active in the Pakistani regions of North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Balochistan
targets, tactics, and weapons – targets Pakistani Government officials and military, security, and police personnel, as well as pro-government tribal elders, Shia Muslims, and educational figures; targets US military personnel in Afghanistan and Westerners; claimed responsibility for a failed 2010 attempt to detonate an explosive device in New York City's Times Square; suspected of involvement in the 2007 assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir BHUTTO; has attacked an airport, buses, churches, government buildings, homes of Pakistani officials, markets, military bases and convoys, mosques, public gatherings, schools, security checkpoints, and entire neighborhoods of Shia Muslims; tactics typically involve hit-and-run raids, small arms attacks, complex assaults, kidnappings, assassinations, suicide bombings, and grenade, mortar, and rocket attacks; weapons include small arms, light and heavy machine guns; mortars, and explosives, including remotely detonated improvised explosive devices, suicide vests, and car bombs
strength – assessed in 2019 to have between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters
financial and other support – likely raises most of its funds through kidnappings-for-ransom, extortion, and other criminal activity, including arms and narcotics trafficking
designation – placed on the US Department of State's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations on 1 September 2010