Although the Islamic State’s Caliphate has been destroyed and its terrorist fighters having largely retreated underground, the group remains dangerous and ready to strike – albeit via different means.

Current Status of ISIS

ISIS was decisively defeated by an American-led international coalition, and their rein of destruction across Syria and Iraq has come to an end. The group has lost enormous financial, arms and training capability with the loss of its territory.

Many in the region who may have been inclined to join the group in earlier years had their fascination disappear with the humiliating defeat, but it is also clear that ISIS’ ability to recruit new members and organize new fighting units and battle plans has been severely degraded.

The result is a far-reaching withdrawal from both Iraq and Syria and ISIS’ loss of the ability to conduct sophisticated operations. According to reliable estimates, approximately 3,500 ISIS terrorists remain in Iraq, and a maximum of 4,000 remain in Syria.

Report: ISIS is Out of Heavy Weapons

ISIS continues to try to obtain weapons, but recently published research indicates that the organization possesses only light weapons, and has no way to obtain weapons of mass destruction. Particularly since ISIS’ financial transactions are constantly monitored and due to the subsequent loss of its financial network over the years, these acquisitions have become virtually impossible.

Its options to conduct terror attacks are also accordingly limited. Mostly they are carried out by small, mobile groups, usually no more than ten people. In addition, these attacks mainly take place in remote regions outside the cities. Usually, the focus is on fast, rather simplistic attacks.

Make No Mistake: ISIS is Still a Threat

Nevertheless, there is no reason to give the all-clear on the threat posed by ISIS. For example, elsewhere, in Europe, ISIS remains active. It has just changed its tactics.

Even in Europe, the organization is no longer capable of large-scale operations, nor can it rely on trusted members trained in the military with substantial combat experience. However, smaller attacks by individual perpetrators, such as recently in Vienna or Nice, are unfortunately still possible and even likely.

ISIS also uses these actions to show that it is still present and that it can still strike. In doing so, it is explicitly looking for new motives for mobilization and provocation that will bring in recruits, for example, the discussion about the Mohammed caricatures that led to protests and controversy in France after a school teacher was beheaded for displaying the cartoons as part of a class debate on free speech.

The ISIS Recruitment Pipeline

Often, no particular effort is required for recruiting new fighters other than a few “inspiring” videos for future terrorists. This cyber recruitment is even more practicable and often more effective than the work of extremist Qur’anic academies schools or extremist groups that are formed around a few mosques and run by like-minded preachers. This form of onlie radicalization often goes unnoticed.

In addition, ISIS is now growing its presence in Africa. In West and North Africa in particular, ISIS is currently strengthening its capabilities. Above all, tge group is making use of the chaos in Libya to grow its numbers and strategic strength. In addition to ideological mobilization, ISIS is primarily concerned with expanding smuggling routes to sub-Saharan Africa.

Although al-Qaeda currently has a more significant influence in the region, it can be assumed that ISIS’ activities in West Africa will increase despite the efforts made to counter them, and that ISIS will remain a credible threat in and outside Europe for the foreseeable future.

L'articolo ISIS Has Lost Most of its Territory But the Terrorist Group is Still a Threat proviene da InsideOver.

Despite the efforts of international coalitions, ISIS is reemerging in Syria. The protests against French President Emmanuel Macron around the Muslim world are only exacerbating their progress further as the terrorists leverage religious anger at the West for propaganda value.

Macron’s Fight Against Islamism

The situation continues to be highly volatile in the Arab world and throughout the Middle East. After the egregious murder of a French teacher for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad in class, Macron pledged to fight Islamism harder than ever before. It did not surprise that he demonstratively said the Mohammed cartoons are under the protection of freedom of expression, one of the core Western values.

The reactions across the Muslim world were furious, and there were mass demonstrations around the world.

In Syria, local Muslims organized an anti-Macron demonstration in Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain), a city currently controlled by Turkey-backed jihadists, and flags similar to that of ISIS were reportedly present.

It is not a coincidence. ISIS is using the outrage of the Muslim world to reposition itself and is – in Syria – met with partial approval, it appears.

Radical Islamists Still Have Significant Footholds in Syria

Even in the last rebel stronghold, Idlib, anger is boiling up. The province in northeast Syria is also under the control of Radical Islamists.

Syrian Kurds rose against Syrian leader Bashar al Assad here in 2011. A year later, they fought back the Islamists of the Nusra Front. Years in Kurdish self-government followed. However, at the end of 2019 – and after the US withdrawal under President Donald Trump, Turkish troops invaded the small town with Islamist militias’ support.

By now, Turkish units have taken up positions in several observation posts in the area. Ankara military vehicles patrol the province, keeping Assad’s troops at bay. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a protective hand over Idlib. Otherwise, the Islamists would have no chance against the Syrian and Russian overwhelming power.

Erdogan’s Encouragement of Militant Islam

The Islamists have long since gained a foothold in the Turkish-occupied border strip between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain in northeast Syria. Most of the Kurdish residents have fled. Instead, Arab Sunnis from Eastern Ghouta, Deir Ezzour, and Aleppo now live here. Erdogan settled them here: a population exchange at the expense of the Kurds.

The result is an Islamist militia Jaish al-Islam which maintains approximately 1,000 fighters in Ras al-Ain alone.

Moreover, four other extremist groups and thus the perfect breeding ground for ISIS are rising in other areas such as Raqqa. Some analysts report that these developments are all with Turkey’s approval.

ISIS Cells are Attacking Once Again

Thus, it is not a surprise that ISIS cells are again carrying out attacks in other regions of Syria, often from ambush. Hardly a day goes by without a new attack.

It is not easy to estimate how many followers ISIS still has in this region. With targeted needle pricks, they seek to spread fear and terror, no longer just in the desert between Iraq and Syria, but also along the Euphrates River in the area of ​​Kurdish self-government.

Many ISIS supporters who were held in Kurdish prisons or camps were able to flee or were released because the self-government was hopelessly overwhelmed with their care. They are now gaining a foothold in the region again.

A study by the Center for Global Policy in Washington displays the impact the terrorists have had. Until April, ISIS carried out an attack every three days.

Funding is Still Flowing to ISIS

Moreover, money is not an issue for the terrorists. Large parts of its finances were saved when the so-called calipate collapsed.

Money is also used to attract recruits who want to fight for ISIS. However, ISIS terrorists also enforce “Islamic State” laws in the region again. For example, business owners in Kurdish cities are told not to employ women. Any business violating the rule can expect a swift attack.

The comeback of the terrorists in Syria has already happened and is increasing. It does not bode well for the region or the world.

L'articolo ISIS is Making a Comeback in Syria proviene da InsideOver.

On Monday, October 20, US President Donald Trump announced in a tweet that Sudan was finally to be removed from the US state sponsor of terrorism list. The long-awaited decision came only after the Sudanese government agreed to pay a sum of $335 million to victims and families of two 1998 bombings of US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya and an attack on an American Navy destroyer in Yemen in 2000.

Trump: Sudan’s New Government is ‘Making Great Progress’

“New Government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families,” Trump said in the tweet. “Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from State Sponsor of Terrorism list.”

Al Qaeda claimed all the attacks to which Sudan’s former regime, led by the fallen dictator Omar al-Bashir, was accused of providing support.

However, the country was added to the list in 1993, prior to the bombings, joining Syria, Iran and North Korea. It was accused of providing support to militant groups, including Al Qaeda, as well as hosting Osama Bin Laden, who stayed in the country from 1991 to 1996 before being expelled.

In August, a former defense minister of Sudan during the time of Bin Laden’s stay, said the United States had refused an offer from Sudan to hand over Bin Laden.

Economic Consequences of Being on the List

Sudan’s inclusion in the list had been disputed since last year, at least, when the former president al-Bashir was toppled in a coup. Many Sudanese have argued that Al-Bashir and his regime, which had ruled the country for 30 years, are the ones to be held accountable, not the new government.

Having its name included in the four-country list, Sudan saw its economy deteriorate over the years, as its designation as terrorism sponsor led to a number of restrictions in foreign assistance, exports and sales, as well as in financial transactions, pushing away foreign investments and commercial banks.

The United States resumed talks of removal from the list as soon as the new government was appointed in Sudan.

“The Sudanese reminded me that they would love to get off that list and we always measure twice and cut once before we remove someone from a list like that,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in February 2020.

The United States even offered $80 million in humanitarian aid earlier this year, to help the country fight against the pandemic. Yet Sudan had turned down the offer, mainly because the Trump Administration highlighted the prerequisite of normalizing ties with Israel.

Further pressure was then exerted on Sudan last summer and the country’s interim government grew more lenient.

Why Now?

This year’s pandemic has made it even worse for the African country’s economy, as nearly half of the Sudanese population live in poverty. Last month alone, Sudan’s annual inflation rose to 212%.

Some even dispute Sudan’s ability to pay such a big sum of money, but the reopening of the country and its normalization of relations with other countries proved urgent. Moreover, the timing of such a move falls perfectly in line with President Trump’s “peace” efforts in the Middle East, engaging Arab countries with Israel, as he campaigns for his re-election in the upcoming US presidential vote next month.

Until last month, Egypt and Jordan were the only Arab countries with formal diplomatic relations with Israel. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain then followed, after signing diplomatic deals with Israel in September.

Now, Sudan is unquestionably seen as the next country to normalize its ties with Israel, while it aspires to be removed from the state sponsors of terrorism list.

The Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other officials had long objected to the idea, even as recently as last month. But Israel have already worked with Sudan — although quietly, like it did with the United Arab Emirates — over the past year.

In February, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu met with Sudan’s de facto leader, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Uganda in talks arranged by the Emiratis. Days later, Sudan allowed Israeli commercial flights in its airspace.

L'articolo Why is Sudan Being Removed from the US Terrorist List? proviene da InsideOver.

On Thursday, Germany announced it has designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization effective immediately. It banned all of the group’s activities while conducting raids in several cities. Among the targets were mosques and cultural associations where Hezbollah supporters frequently met.

Germany: Hezbollah Haven

In recent times Germany has become a safe haven and retreat for Hezbollah. It is a place where the organization collected money and conducted propaganda against Israel, Jews, and the United States. Now, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has banned all Hezbollah activities under Germany’s Association Act.

According to the ban, the Shiite-Islamist organization was promoting armed struggle via terrorist methods. It was directed against the idea of ​​international understanding and not only rejected Israel’s right to exist but called for the violent elimination of the state and its citizens.

Past Discussions of Banning Hezbollah

A ban on Hezbollah has been discussed repeatedly in recent years. In 2013 the European Union put Hezbollah’s military arm on a terrorist list. In many countries, the so-called civil arm of the organization was still not prohibited. Germany was one of these. The latter had been repeatedly criticized by Israel and the United States.

However, after the USA and others had already classified the entire organization as a terrorist group, Great Britain also issued a ban in 2019. Germany, under pressure from the Union parties, the SPD, and the FDP, the government, followed in December, stating its special historical responsibility for Israel.

An assessment by Germany’s security authorities such as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution followed, which compiled all the necessary information and evidence to identify Hezbollah’s organizational structures and supporters in Germany.

How Much Support Does Hezbollah Have in Germany?

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution concluded that Hezbollah has at least 1,050 supporters in Germany from the extremist spectrum. Some of these supporters are organized in cultural and mosque associations and use social networks and events to promote Hezbollah and its goals. However, through “deliberately conspiratorial behavior and isolation,” a recognizable connection to the terrorist organization was mostly avoided. Hezbollah did not want to attract attention and fear the pressure of persecution.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the associations are said to have supported Hezbollah financially, and propaganda and have now been searched include the Imam Mahdi Center, El-Irschad e. V., the Al Mustafa Community and the Community of Lebanese Emigrants e. V. Their integration into Hezbollah was so narrow that they are viewed as “sub-organizations.”

As proof of this, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution lists several postings from social networks in which members of the association use symbols of Hezbollah or the organization whose fighters or leadership cadres are said to have glorified.

The ban on Hezbollah that has now taken place should also serve to enable appropriate activities to be carried out during anti-Israeli marches. For example, at the “Al Quds Day” planned for May 16 in Berlin, the Iranian revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini launched an annual protest at the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. Here, Hezbollah flags and symbols were repeatedly shown, and anti-Semitic slogans were chanted.

Hezbollah and its Hate is Not Welcome in Germany

There had been previous bans against Hezbollah supporters in recent years. In November 2008, the Ministry of the Interior banned Hezbollah’s TV station Al-Manar, whose programs regularly glorified suicide bombings and disseminated anti-Semitic content. Now, the final step has been taken.

Israeli Vice Prime Minister Benny Gantz expressed his appreciation for the German ban on Hezbollah via Twitter. The decision was an “important step in the global fight against terrorism,” Gantz wrote. Israeli Foreign Minister Katz also spoke of Germany’s step as a “valuable and important step in the global fight against terrorism.” Germany’s Jewish Council meanwhile called the step “long overdue” while also asking for Germany to facilitate a Europe-wide ban on Hezbollah.

L'articolo Germany Bans and Raids Hezbollah proviene da InsideOver.

On February 6, US President Donald Trump announced that al Qaeda leader Qassim al-Rimi had been killed during an airstrike strike in Yemen. The terrorist group has been in America’s cross-hairs for many years since declaring jihad against the United States.

What Is ‘Jihad?’

Radical terrorists like al Qaeda have used the term “jihad” to describe and defend their heinous acts around the globe over the years. For many in the West, it’s become the norm for many reporters to conflate the words “jihad” and “terrorism.” However, in the Islamic religion, “jihad” can also mean the struggle within oneself against sin.

Much to the chagrin of Islamic clerics and scholars who prioritize religious piety, Islamic radicals like the Taliban, al Qaeda and ISIS subscribe to the more radical and jingoistic physical definition of “jihad”: namely “a struggle or fight against the enemies of Islam.” It’s these Islamic radicals and terrorists, that have committed many of the atrocities around the world since al Qaeda attacked America on September 11, 2001, followed by the so-called global “War on Terror.”

The Post-Cold War Void

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, a large void was created that was quickly filled by the military juggernaut of the United States. With the collapse, former Soviet countries were also freed from the grip of their rule and began fighting for independence. While involvement in military conflict rooted in religion was not a new issue for the United States, it was during the Bosnian War in 1992 when many Americans first became aware of jihadism.

At the same time the US was gaining exposure to this jihad in Bosnia, Osama bin Laden was further radicalizing his group of al Qaeda mujahideen in Afghanistan. He was backed by the US and Western powers in hopes his fighters would defeat the Soviet Union.

Capitalism, Communism And Jihad

The conflicting ideas of capitalism and communism and their influence was what defined the Cold War. In today’s cold war, however, Islamic jihad is seen as a singular force opposed to the forces of freedom. Jihad is overly simplified as solely being associated with Islamic violence, however as aforementioned, jihad is not only a military “fight against the enemies of Islam” but there is also a political componet to jihad that can not be denied.

In a recent article on The Intercept, anthropologist and author Darryl Li (The Universal Enemy: Jihad, Empire, and the Challenge of Solidarity) put it well when he wrote:

“Consider for a moment three different things: the Irish Republican Army, the Republican Party in the United States, and Plato’s Republic. All of these employ the term “republic,” and all of them somehow have a connection with violence. If you lumped them together and claimed they represent an ideology called “republicanism,” that obviously wouldn’t make any sense. Yet that’s what the category of “jihadism” essentially does.”

The Varieties Of Violent Jihad

While not always regional, today’s jihad militants can vary from a small army in one country to a splintered section of regionalized cells in others to mass shooters and automotive attackers. It’s this transient nature that makes the battle against jihad—or terrorism—more complicated.

The nearly two decades old “War on Terror” has seen periodic military successes, but given the nature, mobility, and breadth of the combatants, it’s proven a challenge to end. Many of those successes may have been short-lived. While they may have curbed further advancement of one Islamic terrorist or group, the success, in turn, radicalized others. After ten years on the run, the death of bin Laden would splinter al Quada and lead to an even more extreme version of jihad, the Islamic State or ISIS.

The ISIS Terror ‘Caliphate’

ISIS initially began by calling for a worldwide caliphate and would go on to help the Iraqi insurgency during the American invasion. ISIS has proven to be horrific in their jihad: they videotaped beheadings of civilians, aid workers, and journalists, in addition to the destruction of cultural heritage sites as well as human rights abuses, war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and genocide.

The group spent many bloody years fighting in Iraq and Syria, but in February of 2019, President Donald Trump declared that “ISIS was 100% defeated.” According to the US military, this was categorically “not true.” Like many of Trump’s comments about the US military, this bold statement was given without consulting military leadership. The Pentagon was left scrambling to defend the statement and explaining why the US should maintain involvement in Syria.

ISIS ‘Re-Surgence’

Six months later, the Pentagon issued a report saying that ISIS was “re-surging” in Syria, stating: “The reduction of US forces has decreased the support available for Syrian partner forces at a time when their forces need more training and equipping to respond to the ISIS resurgence.”

Two weeks after that report was issued American Secretary of Defense Mark Esper stated ISIS is “not in a re-surgent state” despite the Pentagon report.

Because this type of jihad or terrorism is so amorphous, it transcends state, region, country, and continent. It also isn’t limited to one fundamentalist Islamic concept. While ISIS may be considered the more extreme and well known, there are other international groups like the Afghan Taliban, Boko Haram, and al-Shaabab.

The Rise Of Terrorism In Africa

The Middle East is still ripe with plenty of military and ideological conflict. It remains the hotbed of jihad where peace, when found, is sporadic and short-lived. However, over the years Africa has seen the rise of these Islamic extremists and jihad, making it a growing global concern.

It’s gotten so bad in Africa that in January of 2020, France President Emmanuel Macron threatened to withdraw French forces from Africa. He summoned the presidents of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania to a meeting to curb hostilities and work out how to stop the “rapid advance of armed Islamist extremists in their regions.”

Russia and China have also begun asserting more influence on the continent. Russian President Vladimir Putin has increased arms sales while creating security agreements and training programs for some of the unstable African countries like Libya. There Putin has dispatched both troops and aid to help militia leader Khalifa Haftar curb the civil war.

China has increased its commercial investment in Africa. They’ve helped build factories and infrastructure in addition to operating a major port in the East African country of Dijibouti. The Chinese military is currently considering a new port in Senegal under the pretense of assisting the Senegalese Navy.

This makes US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper’s weighing the withdrawal of forces in Africa perplexing. Esper’s stated goal is a re-alignment of American troops amid heightened tensions in the Middle East between Iran and the US. With the inroads being laid down by both China and Russia, it makes this move by the US Military rather confounding. Luckily, late in January Esper decided not to re-locate the troops.

US Kills An Anti-ISIS Partner

The American assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani further complicates the War on Terror, not only because it inflamed tensions in the Middle East but the US also lost one of their staunchest indirect supporters of the elimination of ISIS.

There is no doubt that Soleimani orchestrated the death of numerous American’s and allied forces in the Middle East. However, by mastering the art of the “proxy war” under Suleimani, he was equally as deadly towards ISIS.

Not helping matters is that both Germany and Britain have begun pulling their forces from Iraq and The Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS has ceased operating. In a recent NYTimes Op-ed, former FBI agent Ali H. Soufan said: “In 2016, Donald Trump, then a candidate for president, described Barack Obama as the ‘founder of ISIS.’ In the end, it may be Mr. Trump who comes to be known not as the terrorist group’s founder, but as its savior.”

‘Jihad’ And ‘Terrorism’ Aren’t Synonymous—But The Line Is Pencil Thin

Regardless of what it’s called or referred to, the American led War on Terror has been a financial sinkhole. According to Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, as America’s global war inches into its second decade, the financial cost for the US on both military operations and veteran care is around $5.6 trillion.

In addition to the astronomical financial cost, the human toll has also been significant. According to a report in 2018 from Brown University’s Costs of War Project, the cumulative toll on impacted countries including Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan deaths by direct violence totals between 480,000 and 500,000, with fully 244,000 of them likely civilians. That number jumps into the millions when considering those impacted by disease, displacement, and loss of infrastructure. In addition the global wars have cost 10,003 American deaths and 56,422 injured or wounded.

Despite all the proclamations from various governments, the bombings, battles and the death in the Middle East—and increasingly in Africa—prove that jihad or terrorism is still very much alive and thriving. While the periodic leader may be killed or captured, there will be someone to replace them … and they’ll be even angrier. Given the shapeless and the inchoate existence of jihad militants, the global war may not be against terror but against time itself.

L'articolo Understanding Jihad And The Growth Of Terrorism proviene da InsideOver.

Extremism is on the rise in Germany – left-wing extremism to be precise. While the better part of the country expresses its concern about the right-wing AfD and its extremist “flügel,” people remain rather silent when it comes to the left side of the aisle. Germany’s politicians, as well as the public, refuse to recognize the threat that continues to emanate from the left, even though the statistics, as well as recent occurrences, could not be any clearer.

The Lurking Threat Of Germany’s Extreme Left

Whenever the rise of populism or the right is being debated, one’s proclivity is to refer to the AfD and the right-wing elements within its ranks⁠ – due to Germany’s history.  As for the (ex)communists of Die Linke, who openly reject the German state and democracy while being monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution? Very few people seem to care.

In the second quarter of 2019, violent attacks against politicians occurred on average ten times a month. In the third quarter of 2019 alone, German police registered a total of 31 cases of assault or grievous bodily harm directed against politicians, according to a response from the government to an inquiry by the AfD. Twenty-four victims were AfD members, who, regardless of whether they belong to the Flügel or were amongst the moderates in their party, are considered Nazis by the Left. Accordingly, the perpetrators were mostly part of the left milieu, police statistics show.

Left Wing Violence Has Become The Norm In Germany

Left-wing violence against in many forms has become almost routine in Germany over the years. In addition to politicians, left-wing violence is aimed at police, who they believe act as “puppets” for the “oppressor state.”

According to 2018 statistics from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, left-wing extremist were responsible for 108 arson attacks (11 by the extreme right), 48 cases of dangerous interference in rail and air traffic (12 by the extreme- right), 376 cases of resistance crimes against the police (74 by the extreme-right), and 2,219 cases of property damage (905 by the extreme-right). Right-wing extremists were, however, far ahead in terms of bodily harm with 938 to 363.

These figures are hardly a surprise. After all, the extreme-left has a track record, which states that they neither accept the state democratically legitimized by the consent of a majority of the population (i.e., elections) nor its monopoly on law and order. They consider violence against the hated⁠—and in their eyes repugnant ⁠—system as progressive and legitimate counter-violence, as non-violent systemic change to a “better society” is impossible in their view. Moreover, the far Left strives for political alignment and social leveling of society and consider parliamentary democracy as a form of government that could transform into a fascist regime at any time.

Recent Examples Of Left Wing Violence In Germany

Accordingly, the list of recent examples is plentiful. On October 3, 2019, several cranes burned on a construction site, resulting in damage in the millions. Shortly afterward, a letter of confession was published on Indymedia: “We set the night on fire.” As a bonus, the perpetrators published the affected contractor’s address on the website also, putting the individual in direct physical danger.

At the beginning of November, two men rang the doorbell in Leipzig at a female real estate agent who also sells high-quality apartments in the left-wing Connewitz district in Leipzig. She opened the door and was then attacked with punches. In this case, too, a letter of confession followed on Indymedia: The real estate agent had been hit where “it really hurts: in her face.”

A columnist of Axel Springer Verlag, publisher of Germany’s largest daily newspaper, was not much luckier either. His car was set on fire for the second time, followed by a letter of confession publish – again – on Indymedia. In it, the perpetrators suggested the columnist is urged to “change jobs.” Naturally, his address was also published.

On New Year’s Eve, violent acts and riots occurred across German cities. Rioters in the Connewitz district of Leipzig acted particularly aggressively against police officers. More than 1000 people came together at the Connewitzer Kreuz at midnight and lit fireworks. Shortly after midnight, according to the Leipzig Police Directorate, officials were “massively attacked with stones, bottles, and fireworks.” “A group of violent criminals tried to push a burning shopping cart into the middle of a riot police unit and fired massive pyrotechnics at it.”

The most recent case only happened this week. Approximately 1,600 individuals had demonstrated on Saturday evening against a ban on the aforementioned extreme-left online platform www.indymedia.org, the mouthpiece for leftist violence. In the further course of the demonstration, among other things, rockets and firecrackers were detonated, bottles and stones were thrown at police officers and vehicles were damaged. Thirteen police officers were injured.

Germany’s Newly Resurgent Extreme Left Is Egregious

While there has always been an extreme-left resistance, the new level of escalation and the militancy it has transformed into, resembles terrorist quality in some instances, per legal definition. The state, as well as the wider society, must react, as all forms of extremism are egregious and without a place in Germany’s democracy.

However, considering the reactionary nature of German politics, the issue on the left will likely only get addressed seriously once a significant crime occurs⁠—only by then it will be too late.

L'articolo Germany Remains Blind In Its Left Eye proviene da InsideOver.

Jihadists linked to ISIS killed 600 people last year in Cabo Delgado, the northernmost province of Mozambique. In total, the ISIS-affiliated group claimed responsibility for twenty-six violent attacks in Mozambique last year.

The Atrocities Of The New Terror Group

The terrorist organization has beheaded, disfigured and dismembered citizens in the province, including children. Bordering Tanzania, the coastal province is made up of small villages, most of whom are populated by subsistence farmers and fishermen. Many of the villages have been burned and most have now been deserted.

Apart from its political affiliation, not much is known about the group which started in October 2017,  including its name, origins, mandate and funding. Videos posted on social media have supposedly shown the terrorist group waving the ISIS flag.

‘No Evidence … Of An Overarching Leadership’

According to Jasmine Opperman, an African expert on Islamic Theology on Counterterrorism, there are between seven and ten cells operating in Cabo Delgado. Ms Opperman claims that there is “no evidence at this point in time of an overarching ideology or an overarching leadership.”

“There are indicators of Islamic extremism involved in some of these cell structures,” she added. “We are sitting with a serious, serious, problem. The Islamic State does not need a well-run organization [operation]. They need a proxy and some of these cells are the ideal proxy.”

Further exacerbating the situation are the weak borders between SADC countries. Although the situation is not yet a “direct threat”, political and security risk analyst, Johann Smith said: “This is not a Mozambican problem, it’s a regional one.”

“After the first attack, the SADC Security Organ should have met to decide how they were going to deal with the problem. Up to now, the issue has not featured on the agenda during subsequent meetings.”

Mozambique: Our Troops Are Being Deceived

Last week, President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique alleged that the terrorist group was disseminating “currents of disinformation” against Mozambican security forces. Speaking to the troops at a military base in Mueda, a Cabo Delgado town, Nyusi said the disinformation “shows a lack of respect for those who are sacrificing their lives in defence of the communities.”

“We are accompanying the attacks of the criminals and your [citizens’] response, because we have noted that the enemy strategy is to put us in conflict with our people.”

President Nyusi claimed that the insurgents had deceived Mozambican army and police that their terrorist attacks had been carried out by elements within the army and the police.

He said that people were “spreading messages against sovereignty, without being aware of the great sacrifices that are being made.”

Nyusi said he wants Mozambican forces to find out more about the terrorists, including their origins and their location.

‘Go Forward To Face A Common Enemy’

“This is because, in a house where we don’t know who the thief is, people begin to distrust each other,” he explained. “We want to build trust and go forward to face a common enemy.”

Despite this, the common enemy has not doused the tense relationship between the Mozambique Defence Armed Force (FADM) and Russian-backed Wagner Group fighters.

Arriving to fight the Islamic militants, the Wagner troops were ill-prepared for the conditions in Mozambique, according to Smith. He clarified that their military equipment was ineffective, and that the troops were ill-equipped to deal with the heat.

Smith: Russia Making Mozambique’s Situation Worse

The Russian troops have now withdrawn to Nacala, a city also in Northern Mozambique, to plan and retrain. Wagner’s presence, Smith added, has served to increase insurgent attacks.

“The sophistication and the brazenness of the attacks are evolving.” Smith said. “They have access to intelligence, access to knowledge on where the deployments are when they are at their most vulnerable, they have access to FADM uniforms, they have seized weapons that Wagner has given to the FADM⁠—sophisticated weapons⁠—which means their sophistication I escalating day by day.

“The brutality against the civilians is an answer I am still looking for. I am not sure what their motive behind that is, [but] it is gruesome.”

The FADM and Wagner’s failure to curb the insurgency has emboldened the terrorist groups, and they have begun to move more inland.

The Wider African Fight Against ISIS

Mozambique is not the only African nation battling the presence of ISIS-affiliated jihadists. In West Africa⁠—particularly Nigeria⁠—Boko Haram insurgents pledged allegiance to ISIS in a video released in 2015. In Somalia, Al Shabaab members fight on behalf of al Qaeda, with some members pledging allegiance to ISIS.

As it loses ground in the Middle East, ISIS is increasingly moving towards Africa, spreading to Tunisia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameron and now, the SADC region.

The African Union’s reaction to the threat of ISIS, including conflict, war and violence has seen no success in the continent.

“During the 50th Anniversary of the Organization of African Unity/African Union (OAU/AU) in May 2013, the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government adopted a landmark declaration,” a press release from the AU read in 2017.

“They vowed that Africa would not bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation and made a commitment to end violent conflict on the continent by 2020. This was translated into the AU initiative: Silencing the Guns by 2020.”

It is now 2020, and rather than stemming the progress of ISIS in the continent, the terrorist group is spreading rapidly throughout all of Africa. This is a massive threat to the security, stability, longevity and happiness of Africa’s 1.3 billion population.

L'articolo From Mozambique to Nigeria: The Alarming Expansion Of ISIS In Africa proviene da InsideOver.

Twenty-one Kenyans have been killed by the Al-Shabaab terrorist group since December last year, a telling indication that the Somali-based criminally inclined group has rebooted its murderous streak, leading the Administration of President Uhuru Kenyatta to change track in countering the insurgents.

This January 17, the Kenyan President announced security officers will begin mounting sting operations to flush out Al Shabaab operatives in the North Eastern and Southern regions of Kenya which have witnessed a spike in terrorist attacks since December.

“We will respond robustly by mounting the operation against the operatives and sleeper cells especially in the North Eastern and Coastal regions. I also expect the officers to use proactive measures in dealing with the attackers,” said Kenyatta during a meeting with security bosses in Mombasa, the capital of the country’s southern region.

The president said key financiers would be called out and would be listed nationally and internationally in a bid to cripple their operations. “Illegal deals fund Al Shabaab. I also expect more on dealing with the sponsors and the recruiters,” he added while singling out trade in contraband as a direct contributor to the Somalia-based terror group.

He also directed the administration officers including regional and county commissioners to engage politicians and religious leaders within communities to ensure that terrorists do not get space to make inroads with locals.

“Government administrators and police are to engage local politicians, religious and opinion leaders within vulnerable communities as a proactive strategy to deny terrorism entry points into radicalization, especially of our youth.”

Arguably, Kenya is frequently attacked by Al-Shabaab militants because it hosts several UN agencies and is a regional economic powerhouse that once attacked draws international media attention, experts say.
“Kenya has many foreign diplomatic missions and is the wealthiest in the region, so an attack creates global attention,” Yusuf Serunkuma, a research fellow at Uganda-based Makerere University says.

He said Kenya has many media houses with foreign journalists located in its capital Nairobi, so an attack on the country receives wide media coverage, which Al-Shabaab exploits to spread its propaganda. “Frequent attacks on Kenya also confirm that al-Shabaab still can strike beyond its borders in Somalia,” he says.

The Somali-based Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group has previously stated that it attacks Kenya in retaliation for its contribution to peacekeeping in Somalia. Kenya initially sent its troops to Somalia in October 2011 after Al-Shabaab terrorists reportedly abducted aid workers in the country. But it later decided to contribute troops to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to help bring peace to its northern neighbour.

Other regional experts say the frequent attacks on Kenya are aimed at shaping public opinion in the country so that citizens pressure their government to withdraw troops from Somalia.

Andrews Atta-Asamoah, a security expert on the Horn of Africa, believes that withdrawing Kenyan troops from Somalia will not stop Al-Shabaab from continuously attacking its neighbour.

“Kenya is a major tourist destination and an attack on the country affects different nationalities that frequent is what Al-Shabaab wants,” he says. He also believes that high unemployment among Kenyan youths makes them vulnerable to extremist groups.

“The presence of sleeper cells and sympathizers of Al-Shabaab among radicalized Kenyans also makes it easier for the group to launch attacks in Kenya,’’ he says.

The recent increase in attacks by Al-Shabaab in northern Kenya has raised concern that the Somali terror group may be weakened but is not yet defeated and is still working hard to raise its profile in global jihadi circles.

Many analysts say different factions within the group have different objectives, though Al-Shabab as a whole continues to pursue its broad aim of establishing an Islamic state in Somalia. A major cleavage among the group’s leaders divides those known as nationalists, who largely seek to oust the central government, from militants with transnational aims.

Ms. Bronwyn Bruton, an expert on Al-Shabaab at the Atlantic Council, an NGO based in the US that galvanizes US global leadership and engagement in partnership with allies and partners, says hard-liners within the group have gained prominence in recent years.

“People who are still calling themselves Al-Shabaab are more and more committed to the idea of sharia law,” she says “The unifying idea of Al-Shabaab is opposition to the Western-backed government.”

In areas it controls, Al-Shabaab enforces its own harsh interpretation of sharia, prohibiting various types of entertainment, such as movies and music; the sale of khat, a narcotic plant that is often chewed; smoking; and the shaving of beards. Stoning’s and amputations have been meted out to suspected adulterers and thieves. The group bans cooperation with humanitarian agencies, blocking aid deliveries as famine loomed in 2017. This forced some eight hundred thousand to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

Counterterrorism experts say Al-Shabaab has benefited from several sources of income over the years, including other terrorist groups; piracy; kidnapping; and extortion of local businesses, farmers, and aid groups, among others. The Eritrean government has in the past been accused of financing the group but it denied these claims.

Presently Al-Shabaab has built up an extensive racketeering operation, with checkpoint taxation on illicitly traded charcoal bringing in upward of US $7.5 million annually despite a UN ban on Somali charcoal exports in place since 2012.

In recent years, Al-Shabaab has increased its reliance on smuggling contraband sugar across the border into Kenya, bringing in millions of dollars annually. Kenyan forces have been accused of involvement in the scheme since 2015.

The UN Security Council authorized the African Union to lead a peacekeeping force in Somalia, which is known by its acronym, AMISOM, in early 2007. Its primary mandate was to protect the country’s transitional government, which was set up in 2004 but had just returned to power in Mogadishu.

Neighbouring Uganda was the first nation to send forces into Somalia under AMISOM, and it maintains the largest contingent in the regional force, at more than six thousand troops. Other military forces come from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti. In total, AMISOM comprises around twenty thousand troops.

It remains to be seen whether the current strategy by the Kenyan government will cripple the operations of Al-Shabaab within East Africa’s largest economy.

L'articolo Kenyan Government to Use Sting Operations to counter Al-Shabaab Terrorist Group proviene da InsideOver.

Early August this year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) received information that Islamic State (IS)-linked terrorists had plotted to attack a “Crusader City” alongside business centres and some “Crusader Churches” in the Northern Luzon, Philippines. This was based on a genuine “alert memo” received by the Northern Luzon Command. Local government units from neighbouring cities didn’t take the memo lightly either, as their law enforcement units had beefed up security around their churches and tourist areas. It appeared, however, that Sundays remained packed with devotees regardless of the reported terrorist threat. To the relief of many, the military, later on, said the threats were “negative” following their verification.

Crusader city is a term by IS that refers to a “target area” that ignites a “Bandar Crusade” or “a war between Muslims and Christians,” while crusader church refers to all historic Catholic Churches, according to the memo. The target churches are in Vigan City, Laoag City, Tuguegarao City, and Manaoag town in Pangasinan. These places are famous tourist destinations because of their historic and religious landmarks, pristine beaches, as well as Spanish architecture converted into commercial shops.

Based on the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2019  by the Institute of Economics & Peace, the Philippines ranked nine out of 10 countries most impacted by terrorism. In 2018, terror-related deaths and terror-related incidents declined by nine per cent resulting to 297 deaths and by 13 per cent from 486 to 424 incidents, respectively. Regardless of the decline, it is the only country in Southeast Asia included in the 10 countries most impacted by terrorism.

The GTI said terrorist activity had been dominated by the communist organization, New People’s Army (NPA), which has been in a long-standing conflict with the Philippine government for five decades now. A separatist group in the Southern Philippines known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM) was considered the second deadliest group. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant meanwhile was third, through its affiliates that pledged allegiance to them, namely the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Maute group, and BIFM. Targets of attacks were varied such as the government, private citizens and property, police and military, and others.

“In the Philippines, we have seen the entire spectrum of targets, from cathedrals to checkpoints, to tourist venues,” said security analyst and author Dr Zachary Abuza, adding that “unlike in Indonesia [where] pro-ISIS groups have been focusing on targeting security forces, largely staying away from tourist venues since 2017.” But in the latest GTI, there was a 45 per cent increase in attacks against government targets between 2017 and 2018 that led to 139 deaths, largely brought by NPA attacks.

A professor at the National War College in Washington D.C. focusing on Southeast Asian politics and security, Dr Abuza said terrorist groups utilize attacks to demonstrate that they remain relevant, to mobilize their supporters, and to show that they can attack the state at will. Adding that “terrorism and asymmetric warfare are the only means for a substrate actor to challenge a state, even a relatively weak state like the Philippines.”

Unfortunately, the business community is one sector of the society that suffers significant losses during attacks on either historic, religious, or tourist venues. “It scares people, especially those in the business sector. It drives away clients. It drives away visitors. It drives away capital investment in the country,” said Dr Eduardo Fulgencio, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Society for Industrial Security (PSIS).

But he said the impact of terrorism is far more visible in places infested by terrorists and other criminal elements such as Sulu, Maguindanao, and Tawi-Tawi in Mindanao. “The business is normally down there. But you cannot tell people to get away because they need the business,” he also said. “No matter how much they are infested by terrorists, rebels, or criminal elements, they will still continue the business. The only thing they do is strengthen security.”

Meanwhile, places like Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Camiguin, or Surigao are “not really very much bothered by the threats. Besides they are well protected by the military and the police and are protecting themselves through private security,” said Dr Fulgencio, who is a Certified Security Professional and Certified Protection Professional handling the physical security of 50 buildings.

In some cases, foreign governments also issue travel advisories warning their nationals from setting foot on particular regions in the Philippines, thus affecting tourism-related businesses for instance.

Suicide Bombing

Of all the possible terror attacks, Dr Fulgencio considered suicide bombing as “much more fearful because it’s definitely hard to avoid.“ He explained that some people could just mingle with the crowd, set up a bomb in his body that would explode upon detonation, and instantly kill the people around him. “So that is really very difficult to detect,” he admitted.

The recent confirmation of the first Filipino suicide bomber on Philippine soil makes the act even more dreadful for many people. Previously, suicide attacks in the country were only attributed to foreign militants, but not until a 23-year-old Filipino named Norman Lasuca changed that.

Philippine law enforcement authorities confirmed on July 10 this year that Lasuca was indeed a Filipino and was one of the two terrorists who perpetrated the twin bombings on June 28 in Indanan, Sulu. His DNA sample had a 99.99% probability match with the samples taken from his mother and brother, according to various reports.

Lasuca had proven that Filipino culture is no longer a deterrent to convert to radical beliefs such as suicide attacks, long seen as an improbability by many people. “Before, no one would think that Filipinos could be that radicalized to be capable of detonating himself,” said AFP spokesperson Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo.

Dr Abuza thinks it was just a matter of time, however. “Everyone said the same about Indonesians and Malaysians, though for the latter only in Iraq and Syria. I think a more appropriate question is why it took so long for a Filipino or Filipina to become a suicide bomber,” he said. “There’s no shortage of terrorism in the country and the various terrorist organizations have been very open to influence from transnational jihadist organizations. The genie is out of the bottle now.”

According to Brig. Gen. Arevalo, such confirmation has indeed altered the security climate in the Philippines. “This recent development whereby a Filipino perpetrated a suicide bombing mission may inspire other Filipino extremists to go down that path since a fellow has done so,” he said. Nevertheless, he dismissed considering it simply a “test case” toward far bigger attacks. “[It is] a distinct and singular act meant to wreak death, injury, or havoc,” he added.

Kidnap for ransom

Dr Abuza meanwhile identified kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) activities as “a huge problem” in the country though there’s nowhere else in the region, except in Sabah, Malaysia emanating from the Philippines. According to the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group, there was a three per cent increase in kidnapping cases in the country in 2018. Forty-two Filipinos and 27 foreigners were KFR victims. Of the foreigners, 17 are Chinese, four Indonesians, two Indians, and one each of Taiwanese, Japanese, Nigerian, and Malaysian.  Thirty-eight of the victims in Mindanao were kidnapped by the ASG and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. Luzon had 30 KFR cases and Visayas had one.

Just recently, a British businessman and his Filipina wife had been rescued from the ASG after nearly two months of captivity, as reported by various local media outlets. Several gunmen held Allan and Wilma Hyrons at gunpoint on the night of October 4 at their Hyrons Beach Resort in Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur. Philippine troops immediately pursued search-and-rescue operations, while the Zamboanga del Sur provincial government set a Php1 million reward for any possible information leading to the rescue of the couple and arrest of the kidnappers. The military were in hot pursuit operations of the IS-linked militants when they had rescued the couple on November 25 in Parang, Sulu.

Pressing challenges

Brig. Gen. Arevalo cited the three most pressing challenges for them in their fight against terrorism. First is the lack of active involvement among the people in the community, especially before the Marawi siege. Second, are the vast and porous borders of the country. Third is the so-called weak anti-terrorism law or the Human Security Act of 2007 that “clips and delimits the powers of the state forces” to fight terrorism. An amendment to the Act has been proposed and now undergoing proceedings. Other concerns such as training, capabilities, and equipment are meanwhile being addressed by the government, he said.

On the other hand, the GTI report enumerated the lack of capacity, lack of coordination, and also geographical challenges as hindrances to the government’s response to terrorist threats.

As for Dr Abuza, the greatest challenge in the Philippines to defeat the ASG and the other terrorist organizations that pledged allegiance to ISIS is “corruption within the security forces” and the realization that defeating these terrorists would dry up massive amounts of foreign assistance the government receives, hence creating a “moral hazard.” He added: “On top of that are just very porous borders.”

He was rather divided when asked if he believes that ISIS is getting a stronger hold in the Southeast Asian region. “There are plenty of groups in the region who declared allegiance to IS. And with the collapse of the caliphate in Syria, ISIS has adopted a global insurgency model, which should raise the importance of SE Asia to them,” Dr Abuza said. “However, there is no centralized command and control. There is a large constellation of groups who don’t coordinate with one another very much.”

New strategies

Brig. Gen. Arevalo said they have pursued a Program on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), apart from pursuing military operations against the militants. Based on House Bill 04585, under which the PCVE was included, the program aims to prevent and counter violent extremism by addressing the legal status and security of persons previously engaged in violent extremism as well as by providing economic, social, and psychological rehabilitation support, and long-term interventions for them and their families.

Add to that is the first-ever counter-terrorism training centre in the country to be constructed before the end of the year at Camp General Mariano Castaneda in Silang, Cavite. The United States Embassy has secured Php520 million or approximately US$10 million to build and run the said centre together with the PNP, which will “provide counter-terrorism training for law enforcement units and personnel from the Philippines and regional partner nations in Southeast Asia.” The centre is said to be the first of its kind in the Southeast Asian region.

But Dr Abuza called it “nonsense.” He said Indonesia’s Jakarta Center for Law Enforcement Cooperation has been operating for years and has played a critical role in training the region’s counter-terrorism forces. “The new centre in the Philippines is simply the US throwing more money at the Philippines. It will have no positive impact,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Arevalo, however, couldn’t provide any comment yet when asked further about the said training centre and possible changes afoot. But as for the business community, he advised that all parties must collaborate, cooperate, and coordinate with government security forces. “Terrorism is both global and national concerns and defeating it or insulating the communities from its deadly reach is everybody’s concern,” he stressed.

Dr Fulgencio agreed that interfacing with government security forces is needed. “Networking with government and private security is very important for securing an establishment especially in business. Because no matter what happens you still go to the police, to the military for help. It’s not just automatic for us. It’s a must,” he said. Good thing many businesses in the Philippines now recognize the emerging terrorist threats, he further said. “Because if they don’t recognize it, how can they prepare, prevent, and reduce the threat?” he added. After all, the adage “better safe than sorry” holds weight now more than ever in these ever-changing times.

L'articolo Emerging Terrorist Threats Change Security Landscape in the Philippines proviene da InsideOver.

In the span of a few months, Iraq has gone from an optimistic state that had won its war against ISIS to a protest-filled nation confronting the possibility of the terror group’s return.

“Iraq has not learned the lesson from ISIS,” said Hisham al-Hashimi, Iraqi expert on ISIS in March. “Especially when it comes to co-existing and civil security, accepting others and apologizing to others, the same reasons that made ISIS a state are still there and growing.”

That statement, made after Baghdad was liberated and life had returned to the city streets, seems particularly ominous now as the terror group rebuilds in a northern valley of Iraq, outside of government control. 

“As we approach politics, its a most serious challenge, the terrorist challenge, I want to point out that Iraqi political life is at a stage of transformation in which victory over terrorism and violence must be strengthened by further reforms and actions that would make it a decisive victory,” said Iraqi President Barham Salih in March.

Since that time, protestors have rallied against poor economic conditions, alleged foreign interference from Iran, and charges of corruption. Demonstrations, now in their second month, have proved the reforms Salih spoke of were merely words and the resurgence of the terror group indicates his administration is incapable of fulfilling the ultimate goal of reshaping the Iraqi government to prevent its return to relevance in his state. 

Resurgence

The failure of the Iraqi government is coupled with the recent Turkish invasion into northern Syria during which an unknown number of ISIS prisoners escaped. Both the military incursion and liberation of imprisoned fighters have caused terrorists to cross into Iraq. The new ISIS home, in a valley between land controlled by the Kurdish and Iraqi Army on both sides, is not patrolled by either faction. 

“They have some tunnels, they have some caves,” said Gen. Sirwan Barzani, commander of the Kurdish peshmerga forces. “And they are moving — especially at night.” 

Kurdish estimates peg the terrorist group at only a couple hundred strong, presently, but that could be enough to spark a resurgence according to Barzani. 

“You can say they are [in] exactly the same situation of ISIS in 2012 in Iraq,” he said. “It’s the same situation there now. They are starting to reorganize themselves.”

The group’s return to power was predicted in a report from the US military in February, which gave a timeline estimate of six to 12 months, barring “sustained pressure” on the militants. 

International Response

The international community is placing blame on the Turkish military incursion into Syria and French President Emmanuel Macron was adamant that Ankara stop the operation. On his behalf, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian met with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi on Oct. 16. The takeaway from the meeting was that the focus should be on limiting the fallout from Turkey’s role in Syria and the spread of ISIS fighters from the country. 

“Concerning the situation in Syria, there was extensive and wide discussions on what the two countries could do considering that France is a main partner in the International Coalition [against ISIS],” Iraq’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Ali Hakeem said at a joint press conference with Le Drian following their meeting. 

“We were partners in the fight against ISIS, and we have to be partners in the rebuilding phase and the new danger due to Turkey’s incursion into north and northeastern Syria,” Le Drian added. 

He called for an International Coalition meeting on the issue in light of the dangers posed by a possible resurgence. For Iraq, more immediate concerns about protests are taking precedence, however. 

“Iraq shows all too many signs of returning to the kind of internal instability that led to low-level civil war in 2011 and the rise of (Islamic State),” says Anthony Cordesman, analyst for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, “and that undercuts any efforts to bring stability and defeat extremism”.

Salih is preparing to announce an electoral reform law and will likely call new elections, but few have high hopes for the outcome and protests are likely to continue. 

L'articolo ISIS rebuilding in Iraqi valley proviene da InsideOver.