Al Qaeda Takes Advantage in Syria
While the U.S. remains focused on defeating ISIS in Syria and Iraq, al Qaeda in Syria is accumulating strength at an alarming pace and may […] More
al-Nusra
Al Qaeda in Syria Can Change Its Name, But Not Its Stripes
Following recent infighting with other Syrian rebel groups in the northwestern part of the country, al Qaeda in Syria appears to have recognized the need […] More
How Al Qaeda Exploited The Syrian Civil War
The Cipher Brief sat down with Charles Lister, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, to discuss al Qaeda in Syria’s latest rebranding, how the […] More
Al Qaeda in Syria: The Split That Wasn't
Regardless of its name change and highly publicized “split” from al Qaeda this past summer, Jabhat Fateh-al Sham (JFS), formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, remains […] More
The Latest
Al-Nusra: Stronger than Ever
Three months after its “split” from al Qaeda, which in reality is simply a feint, Jabhat Fateh al Sham (JFS), formerly known as Jabhat al Nusra, […] More
The Destiny of al-Nusra
The battle to liberate Mosul in Iraq from the tentacles of the Islamic State (ISIS) is turning attention away from Syria, where fighting continues to […] More
The Myth of a "Locally Focused" Former Al Qaeda Affiliate in Syria
The recent “cancellation” of Jabhat al Nusra’s operations along with the formation of a new entity independent from al Qaeda, named Jabhat Fatah al Sham, […] More