Al-Qaeda: Taliban’s ‘Tremendous Inspiration’ Paves Way for ‘Next Stage’ of Jihad

Al-Qaeda’s congratulatory message to their longtime Taliban allies included a call for uprisings and action as “the defeat of the American empire of evil” stands as “a tremendous source of inspiration.”

In a statement issued by the group’s General Command, al-Qaeda said Afghanistan was a model “in its resolve to confront Western invaders, refusing to bow down in the face of Western tyranny or abandon the way of jihad and martyrdom.”

“This victory has demonstrated what the Islamic nation is capable of when it unites, takes up arms and fights in the way of Allah to defend its religion, its sanctities, its land and its wealth,” the statement continued. “These events prove that the way of jihad is the only way that leads to victory and empowerment.”

Al-Qaeda called on followers “to prepare for the next stage of the struggle, the way for which has been paved by the victory of the defiant Afghan nation,” as “this historic victory will open the way for the Muslim masses to achieve liberation from the despotic rule of tyrants who have been imposed by the West on the Islamic world.”

The group predicted that Afghanistan could herald a “prelude to the liberation of Palestine from Zionist occupation,” adding that “it is worth mentioning here that these historic events offer and opportunity for the masses in Europe and East Asia to break free from the shackles of American hegemony.”

Al-Qaeda called on Afghans “to unite around the blessed leadership” of the Taliban and to abide by the group’s “decisions and Shariah-based policies.”

Congratulations to the Taliban have come from various terror outlets around the globe, from al-Qaeda Kurdish Battalions and Hurras Al Din in Syria to Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin in Mali and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

“This victory is not just a victory for Afghanistan, it is a victory for the flag bearers of Kalema [the word] all over the world,” Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh said in a statement. “This victory will be a stepping stone to bring back the lost glory of the Muslims in the world, inshallah.”

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Bridget Johnson

Bridget Johnson is the Managing Editor for Homeland Security Today. A veteran journalist whose news articles and analyses have run in dozens of news outlets across the globe, Bridget first came to Washington to be online editor and a foreign policy writer at The Hill. Previously she was an editorial board member at the Rocky Mountain News and syndicated nation/world news columnist at the Los Angeles Daily News. Bridget is a terrorism analyst and security consultant with a specialty in online open-source extremist propaganda, incitement, recruitment, and training. She hosts and presents in Homeland Security Today law enforcement training webinars studying a range of counterterrorism topics including conspiracy theory extremism, complex coordinated attacks, critical infrastructure attacks, arson terrorism, drone and venue threats, antisemitism and white supremacists, anti-government extremism, and WMD threats. She is a Senior Risk Analyst for Gate 15 and a private investigator. Bridget is an NPR on-air contributor and has contributed to USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, New York Observer, National Review Online, Politico, New York Daily News, The Jerusalem Post, The Hill, Washington Times, RealClearWorld and more, and has myriad television and radio credits including Al-Jazeera, BBC and SiriusXM.

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