ISW Resources on Jabhat Al- Nusra: Al-Qaeda's Syrian Affiliate

Since 2014, ISW has been tracking Jabhat al- Nusra, the official al- Qaeda affiliate in Syria. ISW believes that Jabhat al- Nusra poses one of the most significant long-term threats of any Salafi- jihadi group. ISW recognizes ISIS and al Qaeda are Salafi- jihadi military organizations with distinct sources of strength and maintains that U.S. strategy must operate against both ISIS and Jabhat al- Nusra simultaneously. Focusing on an "ISIS first" strategy will result in Nusra continuing to grow stronger.

Recently, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius cited ISW's work on Jabhat al- Nusra in "A new jihadist threat may be on the horizon in Syria."