Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda is a transnational jihadist militant network founded by Osama bin Laden. It has carried out terrorist attacks and inspired affiliated groups worldwide.

Osama bin Laden: Saudi-born militant who founded Al-Qaeda and led it until his death in 2011. His leadership, wealth, and organizing shaped the network’s formation and direction.
Al-Qaeda Central: The leadership and organizational core of Al-Qaeda, historically based in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This core set strategy, issued guidance, and maintained ties with regional branches.
September 11 attacks: Four coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda against the United States on September 11, 2001. The attacks were Al-Qaeda’s deadliest operation and prompted a global military response.
Islamic State: A jihadist militant organization that declared a caliphate in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Its territorial state-building and rivalry with Al-Qaeda marked a major split in jihadist politics.
Soviet–Afghan War: A 1979–1989 war in which Soviet forces fought Afghan government forces and Afghan resistance groups. Foreign volunteers and support networks formed during this conflict contributed to Al-Qaeda’s beginnings.
Al-Qaeda affiliates: Regional militant organizations that formally joined Al-Qaeda or adopted its name and allegiance. Affiliates extended the network’s reach while retaining varying degrees of local autonomy.
1998 United States embassy bombings: Near-simultaneous truck bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. The bombings made Al-Qaeda a prominent target of U.S. counterterrorism policy.
Taliban: An Afghan Islamist movement that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 and returned to power in 2021. The Taliban hosted Al-Qaeda before 2001 but pursued a distinct Afghan-centered political project.
Maktab al-Khidamat: An organization that recruited and assisted foreign Muslim volunteers in the Afghan war during the 1980s. Bin Laden’s work with this organization preceded Al-Qaeda’s creation.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula: A Yemen-based Al-Qaeda affiliate formed in 2009 from Saudi and Yemeni militant networks. It became one of the network’s most operationally active regional branches.

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