Al-Qaeda in the Sinai Peninsula

Al-Qaeda in the Sinai Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Sinai Peninsula
القاعدة في شبه جزيرة سيناء
	Shahada flag
Leaders	Mohammed Eid Muslih Hamad (POW) (Unknown-2011); Ramzi Mowafi (2011-2014)
Dates of operation	5 August 2006 —present
Group(s)	Ansar al-Sharia (Egypt); Jamaat al-Murabiteen; Muhammad Jamal Network; Jund al-Islam; Military faction of al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya; Ansar al-Jihad in Sinai Peninsula; Nasr City Cell; Mimbar Sinai;
Headquarters	Rafah and Arish; Nasr City
Active regions	Sinai Peninsula, Egypt and Libya
Ideology	Salafist jihadism; Anti-Zionism; Antisemitism;
Size	Under 40 (2011 Egypt estimate); 7,000-9,000 fighters (2013 estimates by Debkafile) 1,000 (2018 estimate by the Council on Foreign Relations)
Part of	Al-Qaeda
Allies	State allies Qatar (alleged); Non-state allies Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb; Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula;
Opponents	State opponents United States; Egypt; Israel; Palestine (Gaza Strip); Non-state opponents Hamas Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades; ;
Battles and wars	Egyptian crisis (2011–2014); Insurgency in Egypt (2013–present); Sinai insurgency; Global War on Terrorism

Al-Qaeda in the Sinai Peninsula (Arabic: القاعدة في شبه جزيرة سيناء, romanized: al-Qā‘idah fī shibh Jazīrat Sīnāʼ), or AQSP, is an Egyptian militant jihadist organization possibly formed by a merger between al-Qaeda operatives in Sinai and Ansar al Jihad. It was Al-Qaeda's branch in the Sinai peninsula, and is composed of many Al-Qaeda factions in the area.^[14] AQSP made international headlines in November 2014 when the organization pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in a nine-minute audio speech released on Twitter.^[15]

^ "Islamists Threaten to Disrupt Egyptian Presidential Elections".
^ "'Egypt preparing operation against al-Qaida cells in Sinai'". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
^ "Egyptian forces to launch offensive against al Qaeda cells in the Sinai". The Long War Journal. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
^ "EXLCLUSIVE: New details on Hisham Ashmawy, alleged terrorist behind Oasis Operation - Egypt Today". www.egypttoday.com. 30 October 2017.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Al Qaeda's Sinai commander was Bin Laden's physician Dr. Ramzi Mowafi, a chemical arms expert". 21 July 2013.
^ "DEBKAfile, Political Analysis, Espionage, Terrorism, Security". Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
^ "Global al Qaeda: Affiliates, Objectives, and Future Challenges - New breed of terror in N. Ireland". dentisty.org.
^ "Al-Qaeda's Resurrection".
^ "Ansar al Sharia Egypt founder 'honored to be an extension of al Qaeda' - FDD's Long War Journal". 27 November 2012.
^ "Qatar chose to ride the tiger of terror: Gargash". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
^ "Mujahideen Shura Council calls attack in Israel a 'gift' to Zawahiri and al Qaeda 'brothers'". The Long War Journal. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
^ "Egypt arrests al Qaeda-linked Benghazi suspect - FDD's Long War Journal". 8 December 2012.
^ "Ansar al Jihad in the Sinai Peninsula announces formation". The Long War Journal. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
^ Cassman, Daniel. "The Islamic State - Sinai Province | Mapping Militant Organizations". web.stanford.edu. Retrieved 5 October 2017.

[1] "Islamists Threaten to Disrupt Egyptian Presidential Elections".

[2] "'Egypt preparing operation against al-Qaida cells in Sinai'". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com. Retrieved 16 March 2016.

[3] "Egyptian forces to launch offensive against al Qaeda cells in the Sinai". The Long War Journal. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2016.

[egypttoday.com-4] "EXLCLUSIVE: New details on Hisham Ashmawy, alleged terrorist behind Oasis Operation - Egypt Today". www.egypttoday.com. 30 October 2017.

[5] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[ncrenegade.com-6] "Al Qaeda's Sinai commander was Bin Laden's physician Dr. Ramzi Mowafi, a chemical arms expert". 21 July 2013.

[7] "DEBKAfile, Political Analysis, Espionage, Terrorism, Security". Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.

[8] "Global al Qaeda: Affiliates, Objectives, and Future Challenges - New breed of terror in N. Ireland". dentisty.org.

[9] "Al-Qaeda's Resurrection".

[10] "Ansar al Sharia Egypt founder 'honored to be an extension of al Qaeda' - FDD's Long War Journal". 27 November 2012.

[11] "Qatar chose to ride the tiger of terror: Gargash". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

[12] "Mujahideen Shura Council calls attack in Israel a 'gift' to Zawahiri and al Qaeda 'brothers'". The Long War Journal. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2016.

[ReferenceA-13] "Egypt arrests al Qaeda-linked Benghazi suspect - FDD's Long War Journal". 8 December 2012.

[longwarjournal.org-14] "Ansar al Jihad in the Sinai Peninsula announces formation". The Long War Journal. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2016.

[15] Cassman, Daniel. "The Islamic State - Sinai Province | Mapping Militant Organizations". web.stanford.edu. Retrieved 5 October 2017.

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