In historical and contemporary wars alike, the establishment of qualitative defensive fortifications has been one of the, if not the most important aspect of preparing for the possibility of an armed attack by an opposing force. These defensive fortifications typically take the shape of trenches and …
al-Qaeda
Islamic State of Iraq – A Snapshot of SVBIED Design & Use (2007-2012)
The group we know today as the ‘Islamic State’ only became known as such after a series of successive transformations and name changes over the course of more than a decade. One of its predecessor groups was the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). Proclaimed in mid-October 2006[1] after the death of Abu …
The early SVBIEDs of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia (2003-2006)
Prior to the formation of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula - or AQAP - in 2009, al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia had been engaged in attempts to lay the basis for a wider insurrection against the Saudi royal family. The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 coincided with a sudden rise in AQ-related attacks in …