Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organisation that has been making its presence felt from time to time. Now once again Al-Qaeda has kidnapped Indians in the West African country Mali. In such a situation, let us tell you about Al-Qaeda
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The story begins in the 1980s, when the rumble of Soviet tanks was resonating in the hills of Afghanistan. Western countries, especially the US, were arming and training Muslim youth in the name of jihad against the Soviets. A young man from Saudi Arabia, Osama bin Laden, not only invested money in this war but also took up arms himself. In 1988, he formed a network, which was named Al-Qaeda, meaning "the foundation." Its purpose was to unite Muslims around the world and wage a global jihad against America and its allies.
Al-Qaeda shook the world with the 9/11 attack
When the Soviet army left Afghanistan in 1989, the target of Al-Qaeda changed. Now its enemy was America. The 9/11 attack of 2001 was its most horrific act, which shook the world. But, after this, America was determined to crush Al-Qaeda. Despite two decades of military operations, this organization was not completely finished. It just disintegrated and is now looking for new ground for itself in countries like Mali.
New base of terror in Mali
The kidnapping of Indian workers working in a cement factory in Mali is not an ordinary incident. It is proof of the new face of Al-Qaeda. Now this organization works like a shadow network instead of Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), active in Mali, has carried out this kidnapping. This group works in collaboration with local terrorist organizations, so that it does not need to search for new grounds. Countries like Mali, where the government's grip is loose and there is an atmosphere of anarchy, create a perfect ecosystem for terrorists to flourish.
The changing face of Al-Qaeda
Earlier, the structure of Al-Qaeda was strict and centralized. It was spread across the world through small groups, which were connected to each other. After 9/11, the military actions of America broke its central structure. Now it works on a decentralized model, in which it forms alliances with local terrorist groups. AQIM in Mali is a living example of this. Al-Qaeda now funds itself through illegal businesses such as ransom, drug smuggling and arms smuggling. Some of its supporters in the Gulf countries still donate secretly, but it is not as open as before. It also raises funding through fake charity organizations, which lure people in the name of jihad.
Did it continue to get support from Muslim countries?
In the nineties, Al-Qaeda used to get secret support from many Muslim countries, especially those that were against America and Israel. But after 9/11, its image took a big blow. Even then, its leaders continued to get shelter in some countries. A shocking example is Iran. There is no ideological match between this Shia-dominated country and the Sunni fundamentalist Al-Qaeda, yet after 9/11, there were reports of some Al-Qaeda leaders getting shelter there. American and Israeli intelligence agencies claim that all this was part of Iran's strategy against America.
Islamic State: Al-Qaeda's rival
The rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014 pushed Al-Qaeda back. ISIS used digital media to lure youth from around the world and captured large areas in Syria and Iraq. During this time, Al-Qaeda's influence decreased, but when American actions weakened ISIS, Al-Qaeda took advantage of the opportunity. It again started strengthening its roots. There were many clashes between the two organizations, but Al-Qaeda implemented its strategy more cleverly.
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