Eye on Extremism
February 3, 2020
The
Washington Post: U.S. Targets Leader Of Al-Qaeda In
Yemen
“The United States conducted an airstrike against the leader of
al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, which is likely to have resulted in his
death, according to people familiar with the matter. The leader,
Qassim al-Rimi, has been described as a possible heir to al-Qaeda
chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, according to terrorism experts. His death
would deal a significant blow to the terrorist organization,
eliminating one of its most prominent members. Over the years, U.S.
officials have said the Yemen branch was especially dangerous because
of its ability to produce sophisticated bombs and its ambition to
launch attacks against targets in the United States and Europe. In the
past, U.S. officials have announced successful strikes on top al-Qaeda
members only to learn later that they survived. While officials
expressed confidence privately that Rimi was dead, they were reluctant
to say so publicly. But President Trump on Saturday appeared to
confirm the United States had killed Rimi, retweeting an intelligence
expert and a reporter who pointed to a targeted U.S. strike. Officials
familiar with the strike indicated it was carried out by the CIA and
not the military. A spokesperson for the CIA declined to comment. The
White House declined to confirm the operation or comment further.”
Deutsche
Welle: France To Boost Military Troops In Africa's Sahel To Counter
Terrorism
“France announced Sunday it was bolstering its military presence in
Africa's Sahel region to counter jihadi violence. French Defense
Minister Florence Parly said in a statement that the majority of the
reinforcements would be sent by the end of February to the border zone
connecting Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The French government is
planning to deploy a further 600 troops in addition to its already
4,500-strong operation in five countries across the Sahel region. The
Defense Ministry said that boosting its military presence showed
France's commitment to the anti-terrorist mission. The ministry also
emphasized that Paris' allies were mobilizing their own troops. France
said the move to bolster its military was in response to an upsurge in
violence in the Sahel region that has led locals to feel increasingly
insecure. Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron
announced 220 new troops for the region at a G5 Sahel summit, where he
met up with leaders from Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and
Niger. France lost 13 of its own soldiers in a fatal air collision
last November. The incident was the country's biggest military loss in
decades and motivated Macron to announce that France would commence an
in-depth review of its Operation Barkhane, with “all options on the
table.”
The
New York Times: Egyptian Officials Say Militants Blow Up Sinai Gas
Pipeline
“Security officials in Egypt said suspected Islamic militants on
Sunday blew up a natural gas pipeline in the restive norther part of
Sinai Peninsula. At least six masked militants planted explosives
under the pipeline in the town of Bir al-Abd. It transfers gas to
el-Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai, and a cement factory
in central Sinai, the officials said. The explosion sent thick flames
of fire shooting into the sky, and authorities stopped the flow of gas
to extinguish the fire, officials said. The officials spoke on
condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to
journalists. No group immediately claimed the attack. Egypt is
battling an Islamic State-led insurgency in the Sinai that intensified
after the military overthrew an elected but divisive Islamist
president in 2013. The militants have carried out scores of attacks,
mainly targeting security forces and Christians. They also have
targeted gas pipelines between Egypt and both Jordan and Israel
regularly since the 2011 uprising that toppled then president Hosni
Mubarak. Israel and Jordan relied on the pipeline to meet its energy
needs. The attacks led to the collapse of a 2005 deal to export
Egypt’s natural gas to Israel in 2012.”
United States
The
Washington Post: Al-Qaida In Yemen Claims Deadly Florida Naval Base
Shooting
“Al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen claimed responsibility Sunday for last
year’s deadly shooting at the Naval Air Station Pensacola by an
aviation student from Saudi Arabia. The shooter, 2nd Lt. Mohammed
Saeed Alshamrani, was a member of the Saudi Air Force in training at
the base. He opened fire inside a classroom at the base on Dec. 6,
killing three people and wounding two sheriff’s deputies before one of
the deputies killed him. Eight others were also hurt. Al-Qaida in the
Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, released a video claiming the attack. SITE
Intelligence Group, which tracks messaging by militant groups,
reported the claim. AQAP has long been considered the global network’s
most dangerous branch and has attempted to carry out attacks on the
U.S. mainland. The 18-minute video did not provide evidence of
training the shooter, but did indicate that Alshamrani and AQAP were
in communication, said Rita Katz, director of SITE. It was not clear
when the video was recorded. The video claimed that Alshamrani had
been planning for years to attack a U.S. base, and had been training
and “selecting” targets. The video, which was viewed by The Associated
Press, provided a will written by Alshamrani to his family in
September 2019, three months prior to attack.”
Lansing
State Journal: Two Lansing Men Have Now Pleaded Guilty To Conspiring
To Supporting Islamic State
“A second Lansing man accused of planning to join the Islamic State
group has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge. Mohamud Abdikadir
Muse pleaded guilty on Thursday to conspiring to provide material
support to a designated terrorist organization, specifically to the
Islamic State. He originally pleaded not guilty last year. As part of
a plea agreement, Muse acknowledged he had recorded a video pledging
loyalty to the Islamic State and that he had planned to travel to
Somalia at some point last year to join the terrorist organization.
Muse, 25, faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a
lifetime of supervision once released. He also may lose his
citizenship. As part of the plea agreement, the government will
dismiss one charge of attempting to provide material support to a
designated terrorist organization. Prosecutors also have agreed not to
charge Muse's wife. Muse's younger brother, Muse Abdikadir Muse, also
has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and faces the same potential
sentence and fine. The two men have agreed to cooperate with
prosecutors and other investigators as they continue to proceed with
charges against a third Lansing man.”
New
York Post: Alleged Leader Of Iraqi Al Qaeda Group Arrested In
Arizona
“They’re heeeeere. An alleged al Qaeda leader somehow slipped
through immigration and was arrested in Phoenix Friday evening.
According to a statement by the Justice Department obtained by the
Arizona Republic, Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri, 42, is “wanted to stand
trial in Iraq on charges of the premeditated murder of two Iraqi
police officers.” The Iraqi government believes Al-Nouri, a Phoenix
resident, served as the leader of the terrorist group in Fallujah in
2006 — specifically targeting Iraqi police officers. Al-Nouri and
other members of the al Qaida group are accused of shooting and
killing two members of the Fallujah Police Directorate. Al-Nouri’s
arrest comes as a result of an extradition request from the Iraqi
government. The Justice department’s statement “did not provide
information on when or how Ahmed entered the US,” according to the
Arizona Republic.”
Syria
Reuters:
Jihadist Car Bomb Attacks Target Syrian Pro-Government Forces In
Aleppo
“Syrian insurgents carried out two suicide car bomb attacks in an
assault on pro-government forces in Aleppo on Saturday and opened a
new front northeast of the city, an attempted fightback after
territorial gains for President Bashar al-Assad. Backed by Russian air
power, Syrian government forces had made a significant advance into
the rebel-held northwest this week, seizing the town of Maarat
al-Numan, part of an offensive to secure the main highway between
Damascus and Aleppo. The suicide attacks were carried out by jihadist
group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and targeted the Jamiyat al Zahraa area on
the western edge of Aleppo. A third car bomb was set off by remote
control, a source with the group said. A news outlet linked to the
group, Ebaa, published a video which it said showed elite Tahrir
al-Sham fighters pledging “allegiance to death and jihad” before the
attack on Jamiyat al-Zahraa, watched by the group’s leader, Abu
Mohammad al-Jolani. The northwestern corner of Syria including Idlib
province and adjoining areas of Aleppo is the last major rebel
foothold in Syria, where Assad has taken back most of the ground once
held by his enemies with Russian and Iranian support.”
Turkey
Al
Jazeera: Turkey Deploys Tanks To Syrian Border Amid Fresh Idlib
Violence
“Turkey has deployed additional armed vehicles and soldiers to its
border with Syria as an intensifying military push by Syrian
government forces in the country's last major rebel-held stronghold
has prompted fears of a new refugee crisis. Backed by Russian jets,
the Syrian troops have recently made large advances in Idlib province
during the deadly offensive that has forced hundreds of thousands of
people to flee towards safer areas near the Turkish border, according
to the United Nations. The Syrian government's campaign has shattered
a fragile ceasefire that was brokered last month by Turkey and Russia,
raising tensions between the two countries which back opposing sides
in the conflict but have also coopoerated in attempts to find a
solution to the almost nine-year-old war. Turkish state media reported
on Sunday that the deployment of tanks and other armoured vehicles to
Reyhanli district of Hatay province was completed earlier in the day.
“Turkey would do what is necessary diplomatically or militarily in
order to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib and keep the
region stable,” Ahmet Berat Conkar, a member of the Turkish
parliament's foreign affairs committee, told Al Jazeera. “Ankara would
not hesitate to intervene if the Syrian government offensive turns
into a catastrophe,” Conkar said.”
Afghanistan
Al
Jazeera: US Envoy Briefs Afghan President On Peace Talks With
Taliban
“The United States' special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has told Afghan
President Ashraf Ghani that there has not been any significant
progress in his peace talks with the Taliban. However, Khalilzad said
he was hopeful of reaching an understanding with the group on
reduction of hostilities, but did not offer any timeframe, according
to a statement issued by the presidential palace on Saturday.
According to Ghani's office, Khalilzad hoped the peace talks to end
the 18-year war will reach a conclusion. “We are waiting for a clear
response from the Taliban about a ceasefire or a significant and
lasting reduction in violence based on a practical mechanism which is
acceptable to the people of Afghanistan and the US government,” the
palace quoted Khalilzad as saying. Afghan government leaders remain
split on the issue of a brief “reduction in violence” or a
comprehensive ceasefire before a final agreement is reached between
the US and Taliban. Last week, Abdullah said no preconditions should
be set for peace talks, while Ghani continued calling for a
ceasefire.”
Pakistan
The
Washington Post: Afghan Militant Shell Kills 7 From Same Family In
Pakistan
“At least seven members of the same Pakistani family were killed
Sunday when their home was hit by a mortar round fired from across the
border in Afghanistan by suspected militants, Pakistani police said.
Four children, two women and a man were killed in Bajur district, once
a Taliban stronghold inside Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province, according to local police official, Shahab-ud- Din. He said
other civilians were also wounded. Police and local officials provided
no further details on the shelling. Police gave the name of the owner
of the home that was struck, but did not say if he was among the
casualties or if he was present at the time of the attack. Authorities
said an investigation was underway. Pakistan’s militant groups are
often interlinked with those across the border in Afghanistan, and
Bajur district was once a haven for Taliban insurgents. Pakistan says
the army has cleared the area in recent years, although violence
persists. Militants who were not killed have mostly fled across the
rugged mountains into neighboring Afghanistan. Terror attacks in
Pakistan plummeted by more than 85% over the last decade, from nearly
2,000 in 2009 to fewer than 250 in 2019, according to a tally put
together by Pakistani think tanks.”
Middle East
The
Jerusalem Post: Terrorist Groups In Gaza On High Alert, Fear
Assassinations
“Terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip have raised their alert level
as they believe there is a high chance a round of fighting will break
out with Israel in the coming days, according to Ynet. The head of the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group's military wing has decided
to increase security measures in fear of possible assassination
attempts by Israel. Officials in the terrorist group are changing
their routine and staying mobile against the possibility that Israel
could carry out a similar assassination to that of PIJ official Baha
Abu al-Ata in November, which sparked a week-long escalation between
Israel and PIJ. Most of the rockets launched at Israel in the past two
weeks were fired by PIJ. Khalil Bathani, a leader in PIJ, is
considered the main possible target for assassination, according to
Ynet. He has been targeted in the past. Hamas has been promoting and
possibly supporting the recent escalation in explosive balloon
launches towards Israel, even though they have stopped them in the
past. In recent strikes by the IDF in Gaza, only targets belonging to
Hamas have been struck. Palestinian sources told Ynet that the strikes
were very severe and affected “strategic” underground complexes used
for rocket storage.”
Egypt
The
Times Of Israel: Egypt Weighs Death Sentences For 37 Islamic State
Jihadists
“An Egyptian court on Saturday referred the death sentences of 37
defendants, including one of the country’s most high-profile
militants, to Egypt’s top religious authority for a non-binding
opinion on whether they can be executed on terrorism-related charges.
Customarily all death sentences in Egypt are sent to the Grand Mufti
for his office’s advice on whether the ruling is consistent with
religious law. The Cairo Criminal Court said the defendants were
charged with belonging to a local affiliate of the Islamic State
jihadist group spearheading an insurgency in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Egypt has been fighting militants in the restive north Sinai Peninsula
and the vast Western Desert for years. The men are among more than 200
defendants accused of carrying out more than 50 militant attacks that
included killing high-ranking police officers and bombings that
targeted the Egyptian capital’s police headquarters. The charges also
include a 2013 assassination attempt on the Egyptian interior
minister. The ruling on the sentencing is set for March 2. The
presiding judge may decide independently of the Mufti.”
The
Arab Weekly: The Fight Of Egypt’s Dar Al-Ifta Against Extremism,
Islamophobia
“To make it difficult for religious extremists to attract young
people, Dar al-Ifta, Egypt’s institution for religious edicts — fatwas
— established two observatories to combat “takfiri” fatwas and
extremist opinions and to monitor Islamophobia, which can adversely
affect communities abroad. In an interview with The Arab Weekly,
Egyptian Grand Mufti Shawky Allam, head of the General Secretariat of
Fatwa Authorities Worldwide, said the challenge of confronting
extremism must consider the diversity of extremist forms of
exploitation of Islam and politics. Allam said the Dar al-Ifta seeks
to have better control over and correct terminology used in the media
by extremist groups. It has asked the term “political Islam” be
replaced with “political Islamist groups” following the transformation
of Islam by those groups into a political tool based on extremist
perceptions aimed at destroying the foundations of the state. He said
Dar al-Ifta’s observatory of takfiri fatwas continually monitors and
following up on takfiri discourse in print, audio-visual and digital
media. The observatory quickly responds to inaccuracies and misleading
claims. It publishes correct content and interpretations of the faith
by communicating in 18 foreign languages.”
Somalia
All
Africa: Somalia: Soldiers Killed In Al-Shabaab Attack
In Somalia
“At least 18 people including eight Somali government soldiers and
10 al-Shabaab militants were killed, and more than 13 others wounded
when fighters from al-Shabaab attacked Somali National Army and
African Union peacekeeping mission troops bases in the Middle Shabelle
region on Sunday. Hassan Ibrahim, a military official in the region,
said that the main attack took place at AMISOM and SNA base in the
vicinity of Qalimow in the region. “The terrorist group al-Shabaab
attacked our base in Qalimow on Sunday morning. Eight soldiers were
killed, more than 13 others wounded but we have killed more than 10
al-Shabaab militants,” Ibrahim said. The group also attacked several
other observation points with mortar shells, he said, adding that they
did not know how many people were killed or wounded. Somali-based
al-Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the
Qalimow attack that it has killed over 13 soldiers. The attacks came a
day after double blasts in Somali capital Mogadishu, killing over 4
soldiers and wounding Kahda district deputy commissioner, claimed by
al-Shabaab.”
Africa
The
New York Times: Oil Majors Request More Mozambique Troops After
Islamist Attacks: Sources
“Exxon Mobil Corp and Total have asked Mozambique to send more
troops to guard their operations in the far north after a surge of
attacks by Islamist militants, an industry source and two security
consultants said. Mozambique's northern province of Cabo Delgado is
home to one of the world's biggest gas finds in the past decade, and
both oil majors are working on massive LNG projects that could
transform the economy. The area is also the center of an Islamist
insurgency that has killed hundreds since 2017. Fighters have
destroyed villages, clashed with soldiers and often beheaded captives.
The three sources said that the companies were negotiating with the
government to try to increase the number of soldiers protecting their
operations One of the security consultants said there were around 500
troops in the region and the companies wanted another 300. An industry
source with knowledge of the situation and another security consultant
said more security had been requested, but did not provide numbers.
Exxon said it did not comment on discussions with the government, and
referred Reuters to Mozambique's Ministry of National Defence.”
Reuters:
Militants Kill Dozens In East Congo As Attacks On Civilians
Intensify
“Suspected Islamist militants killed at least 62 civilians in a
series of attacks this week in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,
where the army is waging a counter-insurgency campaign against the
rebels, the government said on Saturday. The upsurge in violence after
a period of relative calm in early January undercuts government claims
of security progress against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a
Ugandan Islamist group active in Beni territory. Rights group CEPADHO
said ADF fighters had killed at least 74 civilians, many of them women
and children, with knives and guns. It said the attacks spanned about
10 villages over the course of less than 48 hours. The army has
repeatedly claimed to have made sweeping progress against the group by
killing several top commanders and capturing many of the its camps in
the dense forests near the Ugandan border. But the ADF, which arrived
in Congo from Uganda in the 1990s, has survived frequent onslaughts
from Congolese force and U.N. peacekeepers, and taken revenge on
civilian populations.”
BBC
News: Burkina Faso: Gunmen Kill 20 Civilians In
Attack
“As many as 20 civilians have been killed in an overnight attack in
north-western Burkina Faso. Unidentified heavily armed men on
motorbikes carried out the attack on a village in Bani municipality,
north of the capital Ouagadougou, on Saturday night, AFP news agency
says. The attack comes a week after 39 people were killed when
militants attacked a market in Silgadji town. The Sahel region has
seen an increase in jihadist violence in recent months. News of
Saturday's attack came as France announced it would send a further 600
soldiers to the Sahel region, bringing the total number of French
troops to more than 5,000. Last year saw the highest death toll due
to armed conflict in the region since 2012, with more than 4,000
people killed. The security crisis in the Sahel began when an alliance
of separatist and Islamist militants took over northern Mali in 2012.
France then launched a military intervention against them. Although a
peace deal was signed in 2015, it was never fully implemented. New
armed groups have since emerged and expanded to central Mali, Burkina
Faso and Niger, including groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic
State group (IS).”
BBC
News: Sahel Crisis: Burkina Faso To Arm Civilians Against
Militants
“The authorities in Burkina Faso, struggling to grapple with a
growing wave of Islamist militant attacks that is affecting the
region, are planning to give weapons to civilians, as Louise Dewast
reports. The Burkinabe government is under pressure to take new
measures to try and curtail the militants. In January alone, at least
60 people were killed in four separate attacks in the north of the
country. Members of parliament recently unanimously voted in favour of
arming civilians in a move they said would help combat the armed
groups. It is due to be signed into law. The attacks by militants
linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have significantly
increased in the past year, causing more than half a million people to
flee their homes. Critics have questioned whether the new measure will
make people safer, but the government insists that armed volunteers
are necessary to stem the spread of violence. The law says that the
army's capacity to fight the militants is limited in terms of numbers
of soldiers and lack of appropriate training. “In light of the
persistent threat, populations have... expressed their desire to
actively engage in the defence of the homeland,” it states.”
The
Arab Weekly: ‘Children Of ISIS’ Head Back To Tunisia, Reviving
Controversy
“Six children fathered by Tunisian Islamic State fighters killed in
2016 in the Libyan city of Sirte recently arrived in Tunisia. Dozens
more fatherless Tunisian children and their mothers were expected to
arrive soon in their deceased parent’s home country. The complicated
repatriation requires that Tunisia provide an appropriate system for
the care and rehabilitation of children of killed Tunisian Islamic
State (ISIS) fighters, as well as establish close coordination between
the judicial, security and intelligence agencies involved. Tunisian
authorities also need to collaborate closely with Libyan officials and
other concerned countries. There are more than 50 children of Tunisian
ISIS fighters who died in campaigns against the extremist organisation
in Libya; 36 of those children are accompanied by their mothers. The
children are 3-12 years of age. “Fifty-four children with their
mothers are still stranded in Libya and arrangements are being made
for their deportation soon,” said Taoufik Kacem, the Tunisian consul
in the Libyan city of Misrata. The other Tunisian children and their
mothers are expected to be extradited soon after Tunisian forensic and
legal specialists submit reports.”
Long
War Journal: Jihadists In Central Mali Pledge Allegiance To New
Islamic State Leader
“A short video uploaded online appears to show a cadre of jihadists
in Mali’s central Segou Region pledging allegiance to Abu Ibrahim al
Hashimi al Qurayshi, the newly appointed leader of the Islamic State.
The video features dozens of jihadists in the area of Nampala close to
Mali’s borders with Mauritania. It is important to note that the video
was not released through official Islamic State channels. Though this
is not unusual for Islamic State-loyal jihadists in the Sahel. Prior
to and even after being officially recognized by the Islamic State’s
leadership in Iraq and Syria, the so-called “Islamic State in the
Greater Sahara” released most of its propaganda and attack claims
unofficially. In today’s short clip, an Arabic-speaking figure
introduces the group as “Soldiers of the Caliphate in Mali,” before
leading his men in the pledge of bayah [allegiance] to Qurayshi. It is
unknown if the unit previously existed in the area and is reaffirming
its loyalty or if this faction represents a splinter within the ranks
of al Qaeda’s Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). Given the
lack of Islamic State activity in that area, it is possible that these
men were once part of JNIM until recently. JNIM and its constituent
units have long operated near Nampala and the wider Segou Region of
Mali.”
United Kingdom
The
New York Times: U.K. Police Kill Man In A ‘Terrorist Related’
Incident
“A man armed with a knife and wearing a fake explosive device
strapped to his body was shot and killed by the police in South London
on Sunday after he was suspected of stabbing people on Sunday. The
authorities described the attack as “terrorist related.” The assault
in London came more than three months after another terrorism spree
left two people dead near the London Bridge, and added to the litany
of attacks Britain has endured in recent years, testing the nerves and
fortitude of its residents. According to Lucy D’Orsi, the deputy
assistant commissioner in specialist operations, the suspect was
Sudesh Mamoor Faraz Amman, 20. Local news reports said Mr. Amman had
been under surveillance by the police when two pedestrians were
stabbed on Sunday in Streatham, about five miles south of Central
London. One of them, a man, was hospitalized with “life-threatening”
injuries, according to the police. A third pedestrian, a woman, was
believed to have been injured by glass after officers discharged their
weapons, the police said. The Metropolitan Police said that officers
from “a proactive counterterrorism operation” quickly responded to the
“Islamist related” attack and killed Mr. Amman around 2 p.m. local
time.”
The
Independent: British Isis Prisoners May End Up In Iraq, Where Death
Sentences Are Handed Down Without Due Process
“In a busy day, Judge Ahmed might send several men to their deaths
before lunchtime. At the Baghdad court where he works, he has presided
over more than a thousand trials of suspected Isis members. Prisoners
accused of belonging to one of the world’s most brutal terror
organisations shuffle through the hallways wearing bright orange
jumpsuits. They wait silently outside his courtroom and listen to
those who go before them. The judge, who declined to give his name for
security reasons, has seen before him unrepentant radicals and
hardened killers, liars and psychopaths. He has also heard from
defendants who say they joined the group just to survive. He has seen
young men from Europe, who travelled thousands of miles to join the
jihadi group at the height of its power and survived long enough to
see its fall. And for some time now, he has been readying himself to
deal with the small number of British prisoners currently held in
Syria, whose fate has been the subject of controversy. There have been
talks, he said, between Iraq and the UK government, about what to do
with them. “I am following their cases in the media, in case they are
sent here. That way I know who they are,” he added during an interview
with The Independent in June.”
France
Asharq
Al-Awsat: France Arrests Syrian Extremist On War Crime
Charges
“A senior member of Syrian armed group Jaysh al-Islam implicated in
the disappearance of a prominent activist in 2013 has been arrested in
France and charged with war crimes and torture, a judicial source told
AFP. The suspect, a former spokesman of the group who is in his early
thirties, was in France on an Erasmus student visa and detained in the
southern city of Marseille. He appeared before an investigating
magistrate in Paris who charged him with torture, war crimes and
complicity in forced disappearances, the source said on Friday. Jaysh
al-Islam is notably suspected of involvement in the December 2013
kidnapping of Syrian activist Razan Zaitouneh, her husband Wael Hamada
and two colleagues, Samira Khalil and Nazem Hammadi. They have never
been found. Zaitouneh was one of the most prominent civil society
figures in the uprising against Bashar al-Assad's regime that erupted
in March 2011 and then descended into civil war. That year, she was
awarded the prestigious Sakharov prize for human rights along with
other activists. She was a vociferous critic of abuses by all parties
in the conflict.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: France Takes Back 17 ISIS
Children
“The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian,
announced on Sunday that a total of 17 children of French militants
have been repatriated to France, adding that he would continue this
movement of return of “innocent” children, whose parents are members
of ISIS, from Iraq or Syria. “We have repatriated 17 children”, he
said, after saying that France could repatriate others if it has “the
opportunity to do it”. “The will of France is to ensure that these
children, who are innocent, can be repatriated, subject to the
agreement of their mother”, he explained. Regarding their age, “for
now, we are limited to less than 6 years”. The French government
defends a logic of repatriation of children who are in prison camps in
Syria or Iraq to “case by case”, in a context of hostility or fear of
public opinion facing the idea of a return of militants or their
relatives. France also hasn't set up a clear strategy for the return
of adults, faced with the difficulties raised by their management in
the areas where they are detained, in Iraq or in the Syrian areas
under Kurdish control.”
|
