Within The Combined Series Dark Years of Qaida and Predators of the Khorasan, the chapters of Dark Years chronicle what has been a mostly disregarded era in the conflict against the catalyst of the War on Terror. Al-Qaida in its political, paramilitary, and operational capacities is examined and documented, displaying that while the media cycles obsessed with Iraq and other theatres of the conflict, the intrigue of its central cadre within Pakistan and Afghanistan remained fluid, dangerous, and active, if not always effective or efficient. Intermixed within the story are chapters dedicated to precursing the eventual drone campaign, forming a parallel series, Predators of the Khorasan. These chapters examine the anomalies of drone strikes prior to the dramatic increase in their usage beginning in 2008. The combined chapters primarily explore the time after the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, thus beginning in 2002 after the Battle of Tora Bora and the collapse of the Taliban government. Chapters detailing events from the commencement of 2008 forward will be exclusively released as Predators of the Khorasan and will focus on the expanding drone war in Pakistan.

DARK YEARS OF AL-QAIDA – 2002 – 2007:

PROLOGUE – INTERNAL STRUCTURE IN THE FATA

• CHAPTER 1: Internal Structure of al-Qaida Post-2001 – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/01/01/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-internal-structure-post-2001/

SEGMENT I – THE CHIMERICAL EXTERNAL CAMPAIGN OF KSM (2002 – 2003)

• CHAPTER 2: (2001-02) External Structure Under KSM – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/01/08/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-external-structure-under-ksm/
• CHAPTER 3: (2002) External Structure and Early Misfortunes – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/01/15/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-external-structure-and-early-misfortunes/
• CHAPTER 4: (2002) The Perfume Letter Plot and Failaka Island – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/01/22/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-the-perfume-letter-plot-and-failaka-island/
• CHAPTER 5: (2002) Terror in Bali and Mombasa – currently in editing
• CHAPTER 6: (2003) Collapse of the External Structure – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/02/12/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-2003-collapse-of-the-external-structure/

SEGMENT II – A NASCENT INTERNAL CAMPAIGN (2003 – 2004)

• CHAPTER 7: (2003) Parrying The Pakistanis – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/02/19/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-parrying-the-pakistanis/
• CHAPTER 8: (2002-04) Dawn of the Insurgency – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/03/05/dark-years-of-al-qaida-dawn-of-the-insurgency/
• CHAPTER 9: (2oo2-2003) A Lion Emerges – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/03/12/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-a-lion-emerges/
• CHAPTER 10: Interlude (2004) – Nek Mohamed Wazir and the Battle of Wana (Predators of the Khorasan) – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/04/03/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-nek-mohamed-wazir-and-the-battle-of-wana/

SEGMENT III – SAGA OF PIVOTAL EVOLUTION (2004)

• CHAPTER 11: (Spring-Summer 2004) Threat To An Election – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/03/19/series-dark-ages-of-al-qaida-threat-to-an-election/
• CHAPTER 12: (Summer 2004) Summer of Intrigue – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/03/26/series-dark-ages-of-al-qaida-summer-of-intrigue/
• CHAPTER 13: (Autumn 2004) – Disputes and The Order of Battle – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/04/23/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-disputes-and-the-order-of-battle/
• CHAPTER 14: (Late 2004) – Mesopotamian Expansion – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/05/07/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-mesopotamian-expansion/
• CHAPTER 15: (2004-2005) – The Allied Movements – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/06/18/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-the-allied-movements/

SEGMENT IV – VICISSITUDES OF A SUBTLE WAR (2005)

• CHAPTER 16: (Spring and Summer 2005) – Apprehension and Escape – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/05/14/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-apprehension-and-escape/
• CHAPTER 17: Interlude (Winter and Spring 2005) – Abu Haitham al-Yemeni and the Second Drone Strike (Predators of the Khorasan) – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/06/21/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-2005-abu-haitham-al-yemeni-first-al-qaida-militant-eliminated-via-drone-strike-in-pakistan/
• CHAPTER 18: (Mid 2005) – Dismay in the London Underground – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/07/07/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-dismay-in-the-london-underground/
• CHAPTER 19: (2005) – Obdurate Militancy – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/09/03/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-obdurate-militancy/
• CHAPTER 20: Interlude (Late 2005) – Hamza Rabia; External Operations (Predators of the Khorasan) – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/06/28/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-2005-hamza-rabia-external-operations/

SEGMENT V – (2006) – Pages under construction

• CHAPTER 21: (Early 2006) – The Damadola Incident (Predators of the Khorasan) – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/07/05/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-the-damadola-incident-a-portent-of-the-future-drone-campaign/
• Chapter 22: Replenishment and Admonishment – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/09/10/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-replenishment-and-admonishment/
• CHAPTER 23: (Spring 2006) – Muhsin Musa Matwali Atwah, the Senior Explosives Expert (Predators of the Khorasan) – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/02/05/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-2006-musa-muhsin-matwali-atwah/
• Chapter 24 (Summer 2006) – Transatlanticism Redefined – currently in editing
• Chapter 25 (Autumn 2006) – Faltering Along the Way to Martyrdom – currently in editing
• Chapter 26 (Autumn 2006) – Chenagai Massacre (Predators of the Khorasan) – currently in editing

PREDATORS OF THE KHORASAN – 2004 – 2016: A Series of Articles detailing and exploring the US drone strike campaign in Pakistan, with particular focus on the personalities targeted:

• First US Drone Strike (2004) – Nek Mohamed Wazir and the Battle of Wana https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/04/03/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-nek-mohamed-wazir-and-the-battle-of-wana/
• US Drone Strikes (2005) – Abu Haitham al-Yemeni https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/06/21/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-2005-abu-haitham-al-yemeni-first-al-qaida-militant-eliminated-via-drone-strike-in-pakistan/
• US Drone Strikes (2005) – Hamza Rabia; the External Operations Commander https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/06/28/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-2005-hamza-rabia-external-operations/
• US Drone Strikes (2006) – The Damadola Incident https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2024/07/05/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-the-damadola-incident-a-portent-of-the-future-drone-campaign/
• Combined Operations (2006) – Muhsin Musa Matwali Atwah; the Senior Explosives Expert https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/02/05/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-2006-musa-muhsin-matwali-atwah/