February 10, 2009
Lashkar al Zil, the Shadow Army, an Al Qaeda led Paramilitary in Pakistan
UPDATE: How do you spot al-Qaeda? Floods! "The extremists who follow al Qaeda's religious beliefs think that pants must be at least six inches above the ground because there's a hadith [a saying of the Prophet Mohammed] that says clothes that touch the ground are a sign of pride and vanity," the expert said. Seriously, check the photos. The things we learn here at Jawa...
The Taliban is conquering in territory in Pakistan's northwest as southern and eastern Afghanistan continue to destabilize. In Pakistan, Taliban forces have openly defeated Pakistan's military, while NATO forces have had some tough fights over the past year.The Taliban's success can be largely attributed to the reincarnation of the al Qaeda-led paramilitary forces that were destroyed during the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
This joint force consists of elements from al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and allied extremist groups in the region. In an exclusive article, The Long War Journal reports on this force, which is called the Lashkar al Zil, or the Shadow Army, and has obtained a photograph of a small unit operating in Pakistan's Swat district.
Read more about the Shadow Army at the Long War Journal.
