In a joint statement released online, al-Qaeda’s branches in North Africa and West Africa, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), respectively, praised the massive Palestinian assault on Israel. Unlike the statement from Shabaab, the joint AQIM-JNIM statement is explicit about its praise for the Iranian-backed group of Hamas. In a similar manner to the statement released by al-Qaeda’s East African wing, however, AQIM and JNIM also state that “Know, our dear brothers, that you can continue on this path. Our ranks are stacked together, loud and boastful.”Interestingly, the joint statement also addresses Palestinians living in the West Bank, inciting further violence against Israel from that front. “And to the lions of the West Bank, know that God is asking you about this crucial moment for the Palestinian cause,” the statement reads.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 13, 2023 18:57 UTC