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On July 31, 2024, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) released a statement in Arabic, English, Urdu and Pashto versions eulogizing Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and threatening Israel and the U.S.[1] This is the first such statement from an Al-Qaeda branch.
In the statement, the organization expresses its "great sorrow and grief" at the news of the "assassination of the one of the leaders of the Mujahideen of Islam." Haniyeh was "martyred" by "the perpetual enemy of Allah, His Messenger and the Muslims: The Jews."
The statement goes on to extend AQIS' condolences "to the entire Muslim Ummah, to all the Mujahideen worldwide, to the leadership and members and Mujahid companions of Hamas and al Qassam Brigades…"
"The martyrdom of the Mujahid leadership in the war against the leadership of Infidelity (Kufr) is nothing new," the statement continues. As examples, it lists prominent leaders of Al-Qaeda and the global jihad movement, such as Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam, together with Hamas leaders, such as Ahmad Yassin.
AQIS claims the "Israeli" strike was outside "the illegitimate boundaries of its occupied lands," thus indicating that the war in Gaza "is not merely a local conflict but rather it is a Global war between Islam and Kufr…" In addition, Israel and the U.S. "are but two faces of the same coin, therefore it is necessary for us to target America and Israel in the whole world, just as American and Israel are waging a global war against us, the people of Islam."
Sending a message to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, AQIS argues that there is no reason to view Haniyeh’s elimination as a “success,” since martyrdom was his goal. "With every tribulation the victory from Allah comes even closer, the liberation of Masjid al Aqsa, the annihilation of the accursed Jews and the Victory of the Muslim Ummah against the Global Zionist … System…"
Following Haniyeh's death, Iran and Iran-backed organizations in the region, such as Hamas, Hizbullah and the Ansar Allah movement (the Houthis), have eulogized him and vowed vengeance.[2]
[1] July 31, 2024.
[2] See JTTM Reports: Hamas, Hizbullah, Houthi Ansar Allah Movement: Assassination Of Haniyeh In Tehran Is Serious Escalation With Weighty Implications For Entire Region; 'The Zionist-American Enemy' Will Suffer The Consequences, July 31, 2024; Iranian Minister Vows To Avenge Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh And Other 'Resistance' Leaders; IRGC-Linked Telegram Outlet: 'Flag Of Vengeance Is Already Hoisted In Qom', July 31, 2024.
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