Within The Combined Series Dark Years of al-Qaida and Predators of the Khorasan, the chapters of Dark Years chronicle what has been a mostly disregarded era in the conflict against al-Qaida, following the initial 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 hostility, the intrigue of its central cadre within Pakistan and Afghanistan remained fluid, dangerous, and active, if not always effective or efficient. Interwoven within the story are chapters dedicated to foreshadowing the eventual drone campaign, preceding the parallel series, Predators of the Khorasan. These chapters examine the anomalies of drone strike operations prior to the dramatic increase in their usage beginning in 2008. The Series timeline commences in 2002 and primarily explores the period after the US invasion of Afghanistan, the Battle of Tora Bora, and the collapse of the Taliban government, all in 2001. Chapters detailing events from the beginning of 2008 onward will be exclusively labeled as Predators of the Khorasan and 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: (2002-2003) 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: (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) – FROM DAMADOLA TO CHENAGAI (2006)

• 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 Matwalli 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 and Autumn 2006) – Transatlantic Conspiracy – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/10/15/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-transatlantic-conspiracy/
• CHAPTER 25 (Autumn 2006) – Faltering Along the Way to Jihad – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/10/22/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-faltering-along-the-way-to-jihad/
• CHAPTER 26 (Autumn 2006) – Chenagai Madrassa (Predators of the Khorasan) –https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/10/29/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-the-chenagai-madrassa/

SEGMENT VI – (2007) – Pages under construction

• CHAPTER 27 – currently in editing
• CHAPTER 28 – currently in editing
• CHAPTER 29 – currently in editing
• CHAPTER 30 (2007) – Martyrs and Miscues – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/12/17/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-martyrs-and-miscues/
• CHAPTER 31 (2007) – Unity Among The Lines – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/12/24/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-unity-among-the-lines/
• CHAPTER 32 (Late 2007) – Signals To Commence – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2025/12/31/series-dark-years-of-al-qaida-signals-to-commence/

PREDATORS OF THE KHORASAN – 2008 – 2016: A Series detailing and exploring the US drone strike campaign in Pakistan, with particular focus on the personalities targeted:

PREDATORS OF THE KHORASAN: SEGMENT I – 2008 – Pages under construction

• CHAPTER 1 (early 2008) – Damned, by Hellfire or Malady – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2026/01/07/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-damned-by-hellfire-or-malady/
• CHAPTER 2 (mid 2008) – From Darunta to the Grave – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2026/01/28/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-from-darunta-to-the-grave/
• CHAPTER 3 – currently in editing
• CHAPTER 4 (mid-late 2008) – Unilateral Assault – https://chroniclesinzealotry.com/2026/02/25/series-predators-of-the-khorasan-unilateral-assault/