“Turkish drone strikes on Thursday killed seven members of the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) including two medical personnel, in Iraq's northern
province of Erbil, the counter-terrorism service said, as Turkey's foreign
minister visited the region. Three PKK fighters were killed in Sidakan district
when a Turkish drone struck their vehicle, the counter-terrorism service said
in a statement earlier on Thursday. Another drone strike killed four PKK
members, including two medical personnel also in Sidakan area a few hours
later, the counter-terrorism service said in another statement later in the
day. The attacks took place as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in
Erbil meeting top Kurdish officials, including President Nechervan Barzani and
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. On Tuesday, in a joint press conference with
his Iraqi counterpart, Fidan urged Iraq to designate the PKK as a terrorist
organisation. Turkey regularly carries out air strikes in northern Iraq and has
dozens of outposts on Iraqi territory but has stepped up its drone attacks in
recent days, striking closer to urban areas and on main roads.”











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Eye on Extremism



August 25, 2023



Reuters: Seven Killed In Turkish Drone Strikes On PKK Members In Northern Iraq
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“Turkish drone strikes on Thursday killed seven members of the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) including two medical personnel, in Iraq's northern
province of Erbil, the counter-terrorism service said, as Turkey's foreign
minister visited the region. Three PKK fighters were killed in Sidakan district
when a Turkish drone struck their vehicle, the counter-terrorism service said
in a statement earlier on Thursday. Another drone strike killed four PKK
members, including two medical personnel also in Sidakan area a few hours
later, the counter-terrorism service said in another statement later in the
day. The attacks took place as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in
Erbil meeting top Kurdish officials, including President Nechervan Barzani and
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. On Tuesday, in a joint press conference with
his Iraqi counterpart, Fidan urged Iraq to designate the PKK as a terrorist
organisation. Turkey regularly carries out air strikes in northern Iraq and has
dozens of outposts on Iraqi territory but has stepped up its drone attacks in
recent days, striking closer to urban areas and on main roads.”



i24: Israel Arrests 4 Citizens For Smuggling Iran-Made Explosives Via Hezbollah

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“Israel’s Shin Bet security agency revealed on Thursday that four
Arab-Israelis were arrested for smuggling arms from elements connected to the
Hezbollah terrorist organization. The Israeli citizens arrested were from Kfar
Qasem and Lod, two central cities in Israel. The four men were found with
explosive devices made in Iran, which were seized by the authorities, with
intentions to also use them for criminal activities. “This affair once again
illustrates the efforts of terrorist elements from Hezbollah and Iran to
exploit the Arab citizens of Israel for security activities against the state.
The investigation also revealed that there’s a thin line between security and
criminal activities,” a senior official was quoted as saying in the Shin Bet
statement. The joint operation was conducted by the Shin Bet, Israel Defense
Forces (IDF) and the Israel Police. The investigation led to the discovery of
high-quality ammunition and explosives in the suspects' possession,
particularly two Iranian-made devices.”




Recent CEP Press Releases

* Extremist Content Online: Gumroad Fundraiser For Antisemitic Propaganda
Website Removed
<[link removed]>
* Extremist Content Online: Twitter Allows Antisemitic Video To Generate
Nearly One Million Views
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* Hezbollah Position In Golan Heights Escalates Tensions With Israel On War's
Anniversary
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* Extremist Content Online: Pro-ISIS Propaganda Encourages Terror Attacks
Following Quran Burning
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* Hamas Claims West Bank Terror Attacks Amid Palestinian Authority's
Declining Credibility
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Iran



The Economic Times: Modi, Iran President Explore Partnership On Afghanistan,
Counter-Terrorism
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“PM Narendra Modi on Thursday met Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of Iran,
shortly after Iran’s inclusion as one of the new members of BRICS and explored
cooperation with regard to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and counter-terror
partnership. The two leaders also explored partnership in the fields of energy,
trade & investment, energy and connectivity including smooth operationalization
of the International North South Transport Corridor or INSTC via Iran. Modi and
Raisi also decided to fast-track infrastructure cooperation including the
Chabahar Port, India’s gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia, according to
officials. Terror emanating from Afghanistan and stability of the landlocked
country is a priority for India and Afghanistan. Last week the two leaders had
spoken over phone before their meeting in Johannesburg. Iran was admitted as a
full member of the SCO this year under India’s chairmanship of the grouping.”



Iraq



The Economist: Failing To Reintegrate Iraq’s Sunni Rebels Could Prove Costly
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“For two decades the war on terrorism preoccupied Western policymakers in the
Middle East. America had to rally the world against Islamic State (is), a force
of Sunni Muslim jihadists who by 2016 governed an area the size of Britain and
extolled their desire to conquer the world for the caliphate. But four years
after a Western coalition recaptured the last redoubts of is in Iraq and Syria,
it is walking away from the clear-up. In north-eastern Syria tens of thousands
of women and children of captured jihadists are languishing in a detention camp
called al-Hol. In Iraq jihadist sympathisers, their families and displaced
people who had come under the sway of is and were held in camps recently closed
have fared little better. Far from being reintegrated back into society, they
could still pose a threat. “Iraq is still fragile,” says a Western diplomat in
Baghdad. “Without a sustainable return, there’s an increased tendency for
displaced people to be pushed back into is’s extremist narrative.””



Afghanistan



The Washington Times: With U.S. Gone, Terrorist Groups Thrive Again In
Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan
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“Last month, the U.S. Central Command said it conducted 20 joint operations
in Iraq and 11 in Syria, killing five Islamic State operatives and capturing 30
fighters. Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, CENTCOM head, emphasized that
partnerships with Iraqi and Syrian Kurdish allies were “crucial to addressing
challenges posed by ISIS within the region.” According to Combined Task Force
Commanding Gen. Matthew McFarlane, the U.S. has “seen a dramatic reduction in
ISIS activity and effectiveness across our area of operations.” The Pentagon
has some 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 troops in Iraq. They have compiled an
outstanding record dealing with terrorist threats in the region before they
could be visited on our shores. Partners like the Kurdish-Syrian Defense Forces
serve as a force multiplier for protecting our nation’s security.”



The Jerusalem Post: Iran vs Taliban? Afghanistan's Islamic Rulers Detain
Iranian Journalist <[link removed]>



“Iran was determined “to pursue securing the release of a photojournalist in
Afghanistan,” Iranian President’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs Hassan
Kazemi Qomi said earlier this week. Reports state that Mohammad Hossein
Velayati, an Iranian photojournalist working for the Tasnim News Agency, was
arrested by the Taliban in Kabul when he was on the way out of Afghanistan.
Iran and Afghanistan have had tensions in the past. However, Iran has sought to
mollify concerns about rising tensions because it doesn’t want problems on its
eastern border. Iran has in the past backed the Shi’ite minority in Afghanistan
and recruited them to fight in Syria as Iran’s proxies. Iran also supported the
US leaving Afghanistan. Iran plays a key and increasing role in Central Asia
and has ties with India and Pakistan, countries that also have interests in
Afghanistan.”



Voice Of America: Taliban Leader Considers New Afghan Media Law
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“After two years of legal ambiguity and stringent restrictions on free press,
de facto Taliban authorities have submitted a draft of a new Afghanistan media
law for approval by their supreme leader. The draft, shrouded in secrecy until
now, will regulate the Islamist leadership's fraught and sometimes combative
relationship with journalists as well as state and private media bodies. With
no parliament or a constitution in the Taliban's self-declared Islamic Emirate,
only the reclusive supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, holds unchecked power
over the fate of the country's laws, including the new media law. In an
exclusive interview with VOA, the Taliban's chief spokesperson, Zabihullah
Mujahid, unveiled some details of the new law. "About 70% of it [the draft] is
taken from the old law," said Mujahid, adding that the changes that were made
are aimed at aligning the law with Islamic Sharia law. The media law enacted
under the previous Afghan government also required that all media activities be
in accordance with Islamic law.”



Middle East



i24: Israeli Forces Map House Of Terrorist Who Killed Negrekar Father, Son -
Report
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“Israeli security forces mapped Thursday morning the house of a terrorist who
killed Shai Negrekar and his son Aviad on Saturday, in a rare move before
capturing the suspect. The mapping is done in preparation for the house’s
likely demolition. The activity was carried out in the suspected terrorist’s
house in the village of Aqraba, east of Huwara and near the West Bank city of
Nablus. The terrorist was identified by Palestinian reports as Osama Issa Bani
Fadl. The manhunt by the Israeli forces was still being carried out to find the
wanted man, though the weapon he used to carry out his attack was found not far
from Huwara. The early mapping was particularly unusual, since it usually takes
place after a terrorist has been apprehended and interrogated, or deceased.
After the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation, the terrorist's father spoke
to the media, telling them that "armed men entered the house and accused my son
of the attack. They measured the house and turned it upside down.””



Associated Press: Palestinian Authorities Say An Explosion At A Hamas Site In
Gaza Has Killed 1 Militant
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“An explosion ripped through a Hamas militant site in the central Gaza Strip
on Thursday, Palestinian authorities said, killing one militant and seriously
wounding another. The Gaza-based interior ministry did not reveal the cause of
the blast but said it killed Ashraf Hussein, a member of Hamas’ military wing,
the Qassam Brigades. The Qassam Brigades acknowledged that Hussein was killed
in what the group described as an accidental explosion. There was no
information about what kind of militant facility was affected in Deir al-Balah,
central Gaza Strip, or about the extent of damage caused. Gaza’s Hamas rulers
have a number of training sites and underground facilities used for
manufacturing weapons and storing raw rocket material. Accidental explosions
have been reported in the past at bomb laboratories and munitions storehouses.”



Libya



The National News: Libya Captures ISIS Figure Suspected Over Three Attacks In
2018
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“A leader of the ISIS extremist group who allegedly planned and sponsored
three deadly attacks in the Libyan capital Tripoli in 2018 has been captured,
the country's prime minister ha said. "Our forces apprehended on Tuesday a
leader of the terrorist organisation Daesh, involved in the planning and
command of terrorist acts that targeted the institutions of our country and
their fallen officials," Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Prime Minister of Libya's
Government of National Unity, said during a live TV broadcast on Thursday,
using the Arabic acronym for ISIS. The government's media office offered no
further details on the identity or nationality of the alleged ISIS figure, who
was arrested in a joint military operation. Mr Dbeibah also renewed his
government's commitment to "combat terrorism in all its forms", to "prosecute
anyone involved" in terrorist acts and to "strengthen stability throughout the
country".”



Nigeria



The Guardian: Boko Haram Frees 48 Abducted Women In Borno
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“The terrorist group, Boko Haram has granted freedom to at least 48 women
abducted in Maiwa and Shuwarin Villages in the Mafa Local Government Area (LGA)
of Borno State. A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst, Zagazola
Makama. who is based in the Lake Chad region broke this news on Thursday.
Makama while confirming their freedom on Twitter said that the women were
kidnapped in their farmlands on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. According to Makama,
they were taken to an unknown destination after being abducted and Boko Haram
later demanded ransome from their family members. “On Wednesday, August 23, the
women were released after paying N50,000 each as ransome to the terrorists,”
the security analyst said.”



Somalia



Garowe Online: Somalia: Military Parades Captured Al-Shabaab Militants
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“The Somali National Army [SNA] has paraded captured Al-Shabaab militants,
even as the country continues to ask members of the terror group to surrender
to the army, amid an ongoing crackdown against the Al-Qaida-linked group, which
the country plans to eliminate completely by next year. According to the state
media, the military paraded the militants to showcase milestones made in the
fight against the group which still controls large swathes of rural central and
southern Somalia. The group has been in operation for the last two decades,
necessitating military operations. Those paraded were Abdirahman Fodey Kulmiye,
Abdullahi Ibrahim Hassan, and Adan Ibrahim Abshi, with the military accusing
them of terrorizing innocent civilians and security officers within Owswayn
town which was recently seized from the militants during the operation.”



Mali



BBC: Inside Mali: What Now For The Country That Bet Its Security On Wagner?
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“It was late in the evening when we set up camp, lit a fire to cook our
dinner and laid down our blankets to sleep under the open sky. Suddenly the
silence of the hot desert night was broken by the roar of a motorbike. Around
us we heard a series of clicks as the armed men in our convoy cocked their
rifles and machine guns. We were with a group of Tuareg separatists who told
the man on the motorbike to move on.As soon as he left, our hosts told us we
had to leave too. Immediately. It was too risky to stay put as the man was a
scout for a local group linked to al-Qaeda. We had been careful, swapping our
jeans for traditional robes and Tuareg headscarves to blend in, but if he
realised foreigners were in the camp he could lead the militants to us and we
could be kidnapped. We packed up as quickly as we could and drove off into the
pitch black without any headlights or torches so that we couldn't be followed.”



Africa



Reuters: Niger Allows Mali, Burkina Faso Troops To Enter Its Territory In Case
Of Attack
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“Niger has authorised Mali and Burkina Faso's armed forces to intervene on
its territory in case of an attack, the countries said in a joint statement on
Thursday, a possible sign the junta in Niger plans to keep resisting regional
pressure to stand down. The main West African bloc ECOWAS has been trying to
negotiate with the coup leaders but warned it is ready to send troops into
Niger to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts fail. Any
escalation risks further destabilising the insurgency-torn region as Niger's
junta-led neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso, have said they would back Niger in
any conflict with ECOWAS. On Thursday, the three allies' foreign ministers said
they had met in the Nigerien capital Niamey to discuss boosting cooperation on
security and other joint issues. The statement said the ministers welcomed the
signing on Thursday by Niger junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani of two
orders "authorising the Defense and Security Forces of Burkina Faso and Mali to
intervene on Nigerien territory in the event of an attack."”



Australia



The Guardian: Labor’s Counter-Terror Laws May Stifle ‘Political Dissent’, Law
Council Warns
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“Australia’s peak body for lawyers has joined civil liberty groups,
journalists and advocacy groups to sound the alarm on proposed laws to
criminalise the accessing of violent extremist material, saying the new powers
are unnecessary and may inadvertently interfere with “legitimate matters of
political dissent or struggle”. The federal government is seeking to expand
counter-terror powers by introducing new offences for possessing or controlling
violent extremist material using a carriage service. The purpose is to address
what the government says is a gap in current law, which it says only
criminalises the accessing of such material if it is done in connection with a
planned terrorist act. The government’s examples of the type of material that
would be covered include images and videos depicting terrorist incidents,
manifestos and propaganda, instructional material on how to build a bomb,
launch attacks, or manufacture harmful chemicals.”



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