Eye on Extremism

July 19, 2023 

Associated Press: Suicide Bomber Targets Truck Carrying Troops In Northwestern Pakistan, Wounding 8 People

“A suicide bomber targeted a truck carrying security forces in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, wounding at least eight people, police said, amid increasing violence in the region. The attack took place in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan and is a former stronghold of the militant Pakistani Taliban group, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, who have stepped up attacks on security forces in recent months. The military truck was badly damaged. Police did not give any details about any troop casualties.”

The Jerusalem Post: US Lawmakers Urge EU To Fully Proscribe Hezbollah As Terror Group

“The European Union should designate Hezbollah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organization, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers stated in a resolution introduced on Tuesday. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Reps. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) proposed the resolution, addressing the fact that the EU only proscribed Hezbollah’s military, not its political wing, though the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group itself does not make that distinction. The legislators noted that Hezbollah has used Europe a a base to launch criminal and terrorist activities. Rosen said that ‘eleven years ago today, Hezbollah…launched a deadly bombing in Bulgaria. Since then, they have only expanded their web of terror across the globe. It’s clear that there is no distinction between Hezbollah’s political and military wings….and it’s past time that the European Union fully designate it as a terrorist organization.’”

The CEP CounterPoint: Expert Analysis

• CEP-KAS Sahel Monitoring June 2023
• Monero and the Extreme Right: A Developing Problem 
• ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency in June 2023 
• ISIS Women in Court: Nadine K. – Time to Reflect? 
• Afghanistan Terrorism Report: May 2023

Syria

AFP News: Israel Strikes In Syria Kill 3 Pro-regime Fighters: Monitor

“Israeli air strikes early Wednesday near Syria's capital Damascus killed three fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's regime and wounded four others, a war monitor said. Syrian state news agency SANA earlier reported two soldiers had been wounded in the overnight strikes. It quoted a military source as saying the bombing targeted ‘certain positions in the vicinity of Damascus’. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the targets included warehouses used by Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. The non-government monitoring group, which has a vast network of sources in the war-torn country, said the strikes also targeted positions of the Syrian army's elite Fourth Division near the airport in the town of Dimas. One Syrian pro-regime fighter and two foreign, Iran-affiliated combattants were killed in the strikes, the Observatory said.”

Iraq

Asharq Al-Awsat: Five ISIS Members Killed In Iraqi Airstrike In Kirkuk

“Five ISIS terrorists were killed during a swift air raid in Kirkuk (250 kilometers north of Baghdad), revealed an Iraqi military statement on Tuesday. Additionally, two other individuals were apprehended in the same city through a well-executed ambush, the statement added. ‘The intelligence personnel of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau have, after relentless efforts, successfully identified the group responsible for the terrorist attack that targeted a military convoy on the road connecting the Mullah Abdullah and Riyad districts in Kirkuk,’ continued the statement. The terrorist attack had resulted in the death and injury of several Iraqi security forces.”

Pakistan

The Nation: Govt To Amend National Counter Violent Extremism Policy

“Only a few weeks before the expiry of its term, the federal government on Tuesday decided to amend the Nation­al Counter Violent Extremism Policy. Ministry of Interior took the decision at a meeting held under the chair of In­terior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan to review the National Counter Violent Extremism Policy, 2022. The other participants of the meeting included Information Minister Marriyum Au­rangzeb, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Human Rights Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Minister of State for Interior Abdul Rehman Kanju. The meeting decided to bring some amendments in the policy be­fore sending to the federal cabinet for final approval. It was also de­cided that all stakeholder would be taken on board in the consultative process on the issue. The partici­pants also discussed suggestions to effectively curb violent extremism in the country. The director general Na­tional Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) gave a detailed briefing to the meeting about the aims and ob­jectives of the policy. The DG NACTA said the policy had been devised on the basis of opinions of over 280 ex­perts to identify and respond effec­tively to trends in violent extremism.”

Somalia

Garowe Online: Somalia Dispatches More Troops To Central Region To Fight Al-Shabaab

“The Ministry of Defence has dispatched more soldiers to central Somalia amid an ongoing crackdown against Al-Shabaab militants, with the country pushing to eliminate the terrorists who have been wreaking havoc in the Horn of Africa nation. The Somali National Army [SNA] in collaboration with the US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] and local militia completed the first phase of operations against the group in HirShabelle and Galmadug states, leading to the death of over 3,000 militants. The decision to send more soldiers to the region was informed by rising cases of Al-Shabaab attacks, even after the completion of the first phase. The troops are expected to commence the second phase of operations against the group, but they have to first comb central areas.”

United Kingdom

Daily Mail: UK's Terror Threat Is 'Once Again Rising' As It's Revealed 39 Failed Attacks Have Been Launched Since 2018 - Including On MPs, Pride And London Landmarks - With 75% Of MI5 Time Devoted To Islamist Threat And A Quarter To Right-Wing Extremism

“There have been 39 foiled terror plots in Britain over the past five years with the threat of an attack 'once again rising', a new report has warned. In an update to the Government's counter-terror strategy, known as CONTEST, it was revealed the UK is averaging almost eight attempted attacks per year. The Home Office document found home-grown terrorists were now 'less predictable' and 'harder to detect and investigate'. It also warned of a 'persistent and evolving threat' from foreign-based Islamist terror groups and a 'risk' to counter-terror efforts from advancing technology. Despite the decline of Islamic State and al-Qaeda in their traditional territories in recent years, the 70-page report stated both groups 'continue to seek to plan and enable attacks' in Britain. 'We therefore judge that the risk from terrorism is once again rising,' it added.”

CBC: Canadian Arrested By U.K. Police On Suspicion Of Membership In Terrorist Group

“British police have arrested a Canadian man on suspicion of being a member of a terrorist group. The Metropolitan Police in London, England say counterterrorism detectives arrested a 28-year-old Canadian national at Heathrow Airport shortly after noon on Monday. They say the man had just arrived on a flight from Canada and that the investigation related to the arrest hours earlier of a man in east London. Both men stand accused of membership in a proscribed terrorism organization, which could carry a sentence of up to 14 years in prison if charges are laid. The men were being held without a warrant, which can be done for a maximum of 48 hours under the U.K. Terrorism Act. Warrants for further detention were granted on Tuesday, allowing police to hold the two men until Monday of next week. In an email, Metropolitan Police say they are not naming the terrorist group as the investigation is ongoing.”

Russia

The Intercept: Fugitive Combatant

… Kacper Rekawek, a nonresident research fellow at the Counter Extremism Project who is familiar with documents between the Ukrainian military and foreign fighters, said that the legion contract appears to be real.

India

News18: Five Suspected Terrorists Arrested As ISIS Gang Busted In Karnataka, Were Planning ‘Major Attack’

“Five suspects of a possible Islamic State module were arrested from across Bengaluru on Tuesday, with top intelligence sources telling CNN-News18 that the group was planning a major attack. The case relates to an ISIS module run by a person named Junaid from Baku. Sources said Junaid was in touch with ISI and sent explosives to the accused possibly from Gujarat or Punjab border. The operation is also being run by another Mangalore blast accused from jail. Sources said the accused were already in possession of grenades and were planning a major attack. Following their interrogation, four walkie-talkies, seven pistols, ammunition, two daggers and other incriminating material was recovered from Bengaluru.”

Rising Kashmir: Militants Fire Upon Two Labourers In Anantnag

“Terrorists fired upon two labourers in Anantnag, the Jammu and Kashmir police said on Tuesday. The injured civilians have been shifted to a hospital. They are stated to be stable. The police have cordoned off the area for a search operation. ‘Terrorists fired upon two outside labourers in #Anantnag. Both the injured #civilians have been shifted to hospital, where they are stated to be stable. Area being cordoned off for search operation. Further details shall follow,’ the Kashmir zone police tweeted. Further details are awaited.”

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