Eye on Extremism
April 13, 2023
Reuters: Taliban Aim To Boost Afghan Security Forces, Anti-Aircraft Capacity -Army Chief
“Defence has received the largest share of funds in Afghanistan's budget as the Taliban government aims to boost forces by a third and build anti-aircraft missile capacity, the army chief told Reuters in a rare interview to foreign media. The defence ambitions of the Taliban, which took over in 2021, come in the face of strong international criticism of its policies, such as restrictions on work and education for women, that have hampered steps towards diplomatic recognition. In his remarks on Tuesday, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, a Taliban commander from the northern region of Badakhshan and the chief of army staff, condemned incursions by foreign drones into Afghan airspace. Defence forces now numbering 150,000 are targeted to be increased by 50,000, he said, speaking in his office in the highly fortified defence ministry in Kabul, the capital, although he did not reveal the precise figure of the funds.”
CNN: US Forces Capture ‘ISIS Attack Facilitator’ In Helicopter Raid In Syria
“US forces captured an ISIS operative and two of his associates in eastern Syria on Saturday evening, the US military announced on Wednesday. The operative, Hudayfah al Yemeni, is an ‘ISIS attack facilitator,’ a news release from US Central Command said. He and his associates were captured by US forces during a helicopter raid on Saturday. Their capture will ‘disrupt’ ISIS’ ‘ability to plot and carry out operations,’ according to the release. ‘Operations against ISIS are important for the security and stability of the region,’ Col. Joe Buccino, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said in the release on Wednesday. ‘ISIS remains a threat to the region and beyond – the group retains the capability to conduct operations in Iraq and Syria with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East, and its vile ideology remains a threat. Operations such as this one reaffirms our commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS.’”
Syria
Kurdistan 24: ISIS Attacks In Syria Doubled From Previous Month: Rojava Information Centre
“In March, ISIS carried out 20 sleeper cell attacks, five of which were claimed by the terrorist group, according to a new monthly report by the Syria-based Rojava Information Centre (RIC). ISIS attacks resulted in the death of seven military personnel and one civilian injured in March, while four military personnel and four civilians were killed in February, marking a troubling trend of increased attacks and fatalities in just one month. In addition, eight shepherds were kidnapped in the same month. The majority of attacks took place in Arab-majority Deir-ez-Zor province, indicating the continued strength of ISIS in that region.”
Iraq
The Jerusalem Post: Palestinian Islamic Jihad Delegation Visits Baghdad Ahead Of Quds Day
“A delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist movement visited Baghdad on Wednesday at the invitation of Iraqi officials. The delegation was led by the movement's secretary-general, Ziyad al-Nakhala, and was set to meet with Iraqi officials and personalities, including Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid. The delegation additionally met with the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al Sadeq. According to a statement by the movement, ‘the delegation will hold discussions on the latest Palestinian and Arab developments and ways to support the resistance in Palestine, especially in Jerusalem, in the face of the Zionist attacks and the storming of al-Aqsa Mosque.’”
Afghanistan
WTOP News: The Hunt: Terror Groups’ Humanitarian Theft And Boasting Draw Scrutiny
“New evidence is emerging that terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan are stealing humanitarian donations intended for people suffering from disasters. Also, social media companies are turning a blind eye to their terrorist activities. In this week’s episode of ‘The Hunt with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green,’ Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director at the Counter Extremism Project, said both are glaring problems.”
Pakistan
Voice Of America News: Pakistan Will Hit Terror Hideouts Inside Afghanistan, Defense Minister Warns Kabul
“Pakistan’s defense minister, Khawaja Asif, has said that Islamabad has warned the Afghan Taliban it will strike terrorist hideouts inside Afghanistan if the de facto rulers in Kabul are unable to rein in anti-Pakistan militants. In an exclusive interview with Voice of America, Asif said in his late-February visit to Afghanistan that he reminded Taliban leaders to live up to their cross-border security commitments forbidding terrorists from using Afghan soil to plan and conduct attacks on Pakistan or Islamabad will take action. ‘If that is not done, at some point we’ll have to ... resort to some measures, which will definitely — wherever [terrorists] are, their sanctuaries on Afghan soil — we’ll have to hit them,’ he said. ‘We'll have to hit them because we cannot tolerate this situation for long.’ Since the Afghan Taliban’s August 2021 takeover of Kabul, Pakistan has seen a resurgence in terror attacks led by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or the TTP, an ideological offshoot and ally of the Afghan Taliban.”
Dawn: Three Militants Dead, Six Held In KP Security Operations
“An intense exchange of fire took place between security forces and militants during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Loesum area of Bajaur, where, according to local officials, three militants were gunned down. A statement later issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, confirmed the developments. ‘During conduct of the operation, an exchange of fire took place between security forces and the militants. Three militants were killed,’ the statement read, adding that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from them. It stated that the militants were actively involved in activities against security forces as well as extortion and targeted killing of innocent citizens.”
Middle East
The Jerusalem Post: Police Thwarted Stabbing Attack In Jerusalem During Passover
“Israel Police thwarted a stabbing attack planned by a resident of east Jerusalem during Passover, police announced on Thursday. The suspect, a 37-year-old man from the A-Tur neighborhood, was arrested in the Old City of Jerusalem while he was wearing a mask, and it was revealed that he was violating restrictions placed on him after he put up the flag of a terrorist organization on the Temple Mount. After his arrest, he was transferred for further questioning and it was discovered that he intended to carry out a stabbing attack in Jerusalem, using a knife he planned to take from his workplace. The suspect was brought to a court on Wednesday night and his detention was extended until April 17.”
Nigeria
Vanguard: Terrorists Attack Kaduna Community, Kill 9
“Again, terrorists killed 9 including 4 local vigilante members at the Sabon Layi community, Birnin Gwari Local government area of Kaduna State on Wednesday morning. Locals said they saw the terrorists patrolling the affected community on Tuesday, but there were no security operatives to chase them away. According to a BBC Hausa report monitored by our correspondent on Wednesday, many locals were kidnapped in the area, while livestock belonging to the locals was rustled by the terrorists. The Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security said it was still compiling details of the incident, but military jets had since reached the community, to forestall further attacks.”
Somalia
Garowe Online: Somalia's Special Forces Recapture Strategic Village From Al-Shabaab
“Somalia's elite Danab Special Forces captured one of the most strategic villages within Galmadug, the military said, in what would tremendously help the military in pursuing the militants in the remaining parts of the central state which has been home to thousands of terrorists. According to the military, the elite forces managed to recapture Ali Afrah village which is situated near the recently liberated Gal'ad town within the Galgadud area. It is within Galgadud that the government of Somalia has invested in the fight against Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked group. Participating in the crackdown were also the Turkish-trained Gorgor soldiers whose name is derived from Eagle. The Danab Special Forces [lightning] are trained and equipped by the US Africa Command and are known for engaging in sophisticated operations across the country.”
Africa
AFP News: IS Jihadists Take Key Northeastern Village In Mali
“Jihadists affiliated to Islamic State group have taken Tidermene in Mali, further isolating the regional capital Menaka, officials and witnesses told AFP Wednesday, in a region that has fallen almost entirely under their control. Tidermene's fall follows months of fighting by Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) to seize the northeastern village of a few thousand inhabitants some 75 kilometres (47 miles) north of Menaka. All the region's main administrative subdivisions are now under the group's control. The village was captured Monday night.”
Al Arabiya: Suspected Extremist Kills Self In Moroccan Prison
“A suspected Moroccan extremist arrested in the killing of a police officer took his own life in prison on Wednesday, the kingdom’s prison authority said. The man, suspected to be affiliated with ISIS, was among three arrested on March 15 over the killing of an officer whose charred body was found earlier that month near Casablanca. The suspect died by suicide at the prison in Sale, near the capital Rabat, where he was taken on March 27, the prison authority said, adding that the relevant prosecutor and his family had been informed. According to the initial findings of the investigation, the three suspects had pledged allegiance to ISIS and ‘were determined to take part in a terrorist plan” by killing a police officer, a statement from the DGSN security said at the time of their arrest.’”
United Kingdom
Sky News: Supporters Of Sikh Separatists 'Misusing' UK Asylum System To Help Terrorism, Says India
“At a meeting in New Delhi between British and Indian officials, the Indian government said it ‘conveyed its concerns on the misuse of UK's asylum status by the pro-Khalistani elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India and requested better cooperation with the UK’. It follows violent scenes at the Indian High Commission in London last month which saw its windows smashed and a Khalistani flag replace India's national flag, also known as the tricolour. Those behind the protests are believed to be Khalistani supporters, or Sikh separatists, who wish to establish a new breakaway state in Punjab, north India. India denounced the demonstrations as a ‘breach of security’, while UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said security at the building would be reviewed following ‘unacceptable acts of violence’ towards staff.”
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