United States
Arab News: Iraqi Immigrant Pleads Guilty In Federal Court In Oregon To Supporting Daesh
“An immigrant from Iraq pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Portland, Oregon, to conspiring to provide material support to the Daesh group by producing and distributing propaganda and recruiting materials online. Hawazen Sameer Mothafar, 33, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11 by US District Court Judge Marco A. Hernández. Mothafar was arrested in November 2020 following an FBI investigation. The case underscores the Daesh group’s focus on maintaining an online presence, or ‘digital caliphate,’ after the group — also known as Daesh — lost most of its self-declared caliphate in territory it seized in Iraq and Syria by late 2017. ‘One of the primary mechanisms Daesh uses to threaten the West is its media outlets,’ Christine Abizaid, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said in January. ‘The most prolific Daesh threat to the United States or other Western countries is through inspired attackers who are vulnerable to influence by Daesh messaging.’”
Syria
Reuters: Turkey Says Military 'Neutralised' 53 Kurdish Militants In Northern Syria
“Turkey's military ‘neutralised’ 53 Kurdish militants in northern Syria, using ground artillery and drones in retaliatory strikes following an attack on a police post on the Turkish side of the border at the weekend, the defence ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry typically uses the term ‘neutralized’ to describe killed and wounded. The latest strikes targeted the militants' hideouts in the Manbij and Tal Rifaat regions. Turkey has previously launched military incursions in Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia, regarding it as a wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey, the United States and the European Union designate as a terrorist group. The United States has allied with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded by the YPG, in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, causing a deep rift with Turkey.”
Middle East
Jewish News Syndicate: Five Israelis Wounded In Samaria Drive-By Shooting
“Five Israelis were wounded in a terrorist attack on Tuesday near the Rihan Crossing in northwestern Samaria. In an initial shooting, terrorists driving in a vehicle opened fire on a passing car near the Palestinian-controlled town of Yabad. Magen David Adom emergency medical personnel treated the victim, a man in his 30s, for a wound to his upper body before evacuating him to the hospital in stable condition. Four soldiers were wounded by subsequent gunfire targeting their military vehicle, according to the IDF.”
Egypt
The Jerusalem Post: BDS Celebrates Egypt Border Terrorist In Arabic Facebook Post
“The BDS Egypt page published a post, shared by the BDS Arabic page, mourning the death of the terrorist responsible for murdering three IDF soldiers in a terror attack on the Egyptian border on June 3. The post celebrating the terrorist, Mohammed Salah Ibrahim, was published a few days after the attack. Despite the Facebook post celebrating the actions of Ibrahim, the BDS website claims to urge ‘nonviolent pressure on Israel.’ The post, on the page with 56,000 followers, had accumulated a total of 76 reactions and 11 shares at the time of the report.”
Mali
AFP News: Al-Qaeda-Linked Group Claims Deadly Mali Attack On UN Peacekeepers
“An Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group on Tuesday claimed responsibility for an attack last week in Mali's deeply troubled north that killed two United Nations peacekeepers. Mali has been grappling with a political and security crisis since 2012 when separatist and jihadist rebellions broke out in the north, later spreading to neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso. The UN peacekeeping force in Mali, called MINUSMA, said a ‘complex attack’ involving an improvised explosive device and direct fire targeted a patrol Friday near the town of Ber, in the Timbuktu region. The victims were from a contingent from Burkina Faso, the mission said. The Support Group for Islam and Muslims, or GSIM according to its Arabic acronym, said it had staged the attack. The claim was made on its propaganda site Al-Zallaqa, the SITE intelligence group said.”
Africa
Associated Press: More Than 45 People Killed By Militia Groups In Eastern Congo, Says The United Nations
“More than 45 people have been killed and a dozen wounded by a militia group in eastern Congo’s Ituri province, said the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo on Monday. The attack, which occurred Sunday evening into Monday morning, is believed to have been perpetrated by the CODECO militia group, which massacred vulnerable displaced people at the Lala displacement site in Djugu territory, said the U.N. The peacekeeping mission ‘extends its condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured. This attack constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and (the peacekeeping mission) wishes to recall that deliberate attacks against civilian populations can constitute war crimes,’ said the statement. Fighting between CODECO, a loose association of various ethnic Lendu militia groups, and Zaire, a mainly ethnic Hema self-defense group, has been ongoing since 2017 but has worsened recently. Dozens of civilians have been killed by CODECO this year.”
Goa Chronicle: 12 Killed, Dozens Injured In Militant Attack In Kenya
“At least 12 people, including six servicemen, were killed and dozens were injured in an attack by militants of Al-Shabaab radical group in two cities in southeastern Kenya, local media reported. The attackers used improvised explosive devices to strike Kenyan security agencies, local newspaper The Star reported. The police have confirmed the attacks, though refused to give any details, the report said. Al-Shabaab is a Somalia-based jihadist militant group linked to al-Qaeda terrorist group (banned in Russia). Al-Shabaab militants have been waging an armed struggle against the government of Somalia for over a decade and are controlling large areas in the southern and central parts of the country, also venturing in neighboring countries.”
Southeast Asia
CNN Philippines: ISIS Southeast Asia Leader Killed In Marawi Encounter – Military
“Government forces killed the Islamic State’s emir in Southeast Asia in an encounter in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur early Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said. The AFP Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) said Abu Zacharia, who was also leader of the Daulah Islamiyah group, was the target of an arrest warrant by the 103rd Infantry Brigade and the Philippine National Police. ‘Sensing the government forces’ presence, the target opened fire, forcing the operating troops to retaliate. Abu Zacharia also threw a 60mm mortar and two hand grenades toward the troops’ position,’ the WesMinCom said in a statement. The military said a soldier was wounded in the fire fight that lasted 10 minutes, adding it recovered two M16A1 rifles with ammunition.”
India
The New Indian Express: Nine Killed, Ten Injured After Militant Attack In Manipur; Imphal Curfew Timings Extended
“At least nine people were killed while 10 to 11 others were injured after several hours of a gunbattle between two groups of unidentified gunmen in strife-torn Manipur on Wednesday. The incident was reported from the foothill areas of Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district in the hills and Meitei-majority Imphal East district in the Imphal Valley. The police confirmed the deaths and said the condition of one of the injured was critical. Some villages such as Khamenlok, Chullouphai and Aigejang on the border of the two districts have come under intense gunfire since Monday when some people were injured.”
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