“Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, three West African Sahel nations ruled by
military juntas, signed a security pact on Saturday promising to come to the
aid of each other in case of any rebellion or external aggression. The three
countries are struggling to contain Islamic insurgents linked to al Qaeda and
Islamic State and have also seen their relations with neighbours and
international partners strained because of the coups. The latest coup in Niger
drove a further wedge between the three and countries of the regional bloc, the
Economic Community of West African States, which has threatened to use force to
restore constitutional rule in the country. Mali and Burkina Faso have vowed to
come to Niger's aid if it is attacked. "Any attack on the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an
aggression against the other parties," according to the charter of the pact,
known as the Alliance of Sahel States.”











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Eye on Extremism



September 18, 2023



Reuters: Mali, Niger And Burkina Faso Sign Sahel Security Pact
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“Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, three West African Sahel nations ruled by
military juntas, signed a security pact on Saturday promising to come to the
aid of each other in case of any rebellion or external aggression. The three
countries are struggling to contain Islamic insurgents linked to al Qaeda and
Islamic State and have also seen their relations with neighbours and
international partners strained because of the coups. The latest coup in Niger
drove a further wedge between the three and countries of the regional bloc, the
Economic Community of West African States, which has threatened to use force to
restore constitutional rule in the country. Mali and Burkina Faso have vowed to
come to Niger's aid if it is attacked. "Any attack on the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an
aggression against the other parties," according to the charter of the pact,
known as the Alliance of Sahel States.”



Reuters: US Welcomes Saudi's Invitation To Yemen's Houthis For Talks
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“The U.S. State Department on Friday welcomed Saudi Arabia's invitation to a
Houthi-led delegation from Yemen for talks in Riyadh and described it as an
"important step towards peace." Saudi Arabia invited Yemen's Houthi delegation
to Riyadh to continue ceasefire talks. The kingdom wanted to resume its and
Oman's efforts to "reach a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen and a
sustainable political solution acceptable to all Yemeni parties," Saudi
Arabia's state news agency said on Thursday. The peace initiatives have gained
momentum since arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish ties in
a deal brokered by China. A permanent ceasefire in Yemen would mark a milestone
in stabilizing the Middle East. "This important step towards peace expands on a
series of engagements between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis," the U.S. State
Department said on Friday. "The talks in Riyadh follow a visit by senior U.S.
officials to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates last week to
consult with our regional partners and the Yemeni parties about a viable path
toward peace."”




CEP Expert Analysis

* Afghanistan Terorism Report: July 2023
<[link removed]>
* Afghanistan Terrorism Report: June 2023
<[link removed]>
* West Africa's Terrorism Challenge: Development Of Al-Qaeda In The Western
Sahel Region
<[link removed]>
* West Africa's Terrorism Challenge: Status Of ISWAP And ISGS In West Africa
And Sahel
<[link removed]>
* Civilian Counterterrorism Forces and the Fight Against Extremism: A Review
of Nigeria, Somalia, and Burkina Faso
<[link removed]>





United States



Boston Globe: US Military To Interview Witnesses Wounded At Chaotic Airport
Bombing In Afghanistan
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“Facing renewed scrutiny, US military officials said Friday they will
interview nearly 20 service members wounded two years ago in a catastrophic
bombing as the Biden administration raced to leave Afghanistan, firsthand
witnesses who investigators never consulted but whose public accounts so far
have cast doubt on the Pentagon’s determination that the attack was “not
preventable.” General Michael E. Kurilla, who oversees US Central Command,
ordered the additional interviews “to ensure we do our due diligence” with
information that came to light after the military closed its investigation of
the incident, Michael Lawhorn, a Central Command spokesman, said in a
statement. By itself, the move does not formally reopen the investigation,
completed in November 2021, but the general could determine that doing so
becomes necessary once the new interviews are complete. Kurilla, the statement
says, wants to ensure that “relevant voices are fully heard and that we take
those accounts and examine them seriously and thoroughly so the facts are laid
bare.””



The Independent: American White Nationalists Are Fleeing US Sites For Russian
Platforms. Here’s Why
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“American extremists are popping up on Russian social media platforms for two
reasons: One – they’re there. Two – they’re much less moderated. That’s the
simple outline physics professor Neil Johnson at Georgetown University gave to
The Independent over a video call. On Facebook, far-right communities are “like
a PG 13 version of what they can do on other sites just because of moderation,”
the Harvard-educated Brit says. “Certain kinds of symbols, hate speech, and
activities can get them shut down. And since they rely on followers and
support, they don’t want to be shut down.” The extremists instead post links on
Facebook directing users to Russian platforms. The shooter who murdered eight
people and injured another seven in a shooting in Dallas in May of this year
had an account on OK.RU – a Russian social media site – using it to interact
with content shared by white nationalists, according to NBC News.”



Syria



Associated Press: An Explosion Hits An Apartment In Northern Syria. At Least 1
Person Was Killed With Others Wounded
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“An explosion ripped through an apartment on the second floor of a building in
a northern Syria town controlled by Turkey-backed opposition fighters Saturday,
killing at least one person and wounding others, pro-government media reported.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the blast in the town of Afrin, which
has witnessed explosions and rocket attacks over the past few years that have
left dozens of people killed or wounded. The previous attacks were blamed on
Kurdish fighters who once controlled the town. The daily Al-Watan said that one
person was killed and several people were wounded in the explosion in the
residential building. Sham FM radio station said that two people were killed
and several others were wounded in the blast. It added that gunmen used the
apartment to prepare explosives. Afrin has been under the control of Turkey and
its allied Syrian opposition fighters since 2018, following a Turkey-backed
military operation that pushed Syrian Kurdish fighters and thousands of Kurdish
residents from the area.”



Rudaw: UN Calls For An End To The Fighting In Deir Ez-Zor
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“The UN human rights chief on Thursday called for de-escalation and dialogue
in eastern Syria following recent fighting in Deir ez-Zor between the
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Arab tribes, stressing that the
people of Syria cannot afford another “catastrophic dimension” to the conflict
that has already affected millions. A number of Arab tribes revolted against
the SDF in late August, hours after the US-backed force arrested Ahmed Khbeil,
commander of the SDF-linked Deir ez-Zor Military Council better known as Abu
Khawla, accusing him of collaborating with the Syrian government, drug
trafficking, and failing to curb an increase of Islamic State (ISIS) activities
in the area. SDF on September 6 said that it had recaptured all areas from
regime-backed tribesmen. “We cannot afford to sit back and watch the country
slide even deeper into an endless conflict, which has already scarred the lives
of so many civilians,” read a statement from UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights Volker Turk, warning that the signs of a further fragmentation to the
conflict are “alarming.””



Iraq



ABC: Iraq's LGBT Community Could Face Death Penalty Under Proposed New Law
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“Ammar and his partner are ecstatic about the prospect of adopting their first
child. The same-sex couple have just begun the adoption process in Melbourne,
where 36-year-old Ammar works as a dentist. Back in Iraq, he hadn't even dared
to dream about the possibility of a real relationship, let alone a family. From
the age of 12, Ammar grew up with confusion and fear of his own feelings, as he
saw the LGBT community around him face harassment, assault and even murder.
Soon, Iraqi LGBT people could officially face the death penalty under a law
that was proposed last month and is currently before parliament. While the law
is still under review, human rights groups say the proposal has already led to
an escalation in anti-LGBT sentiment. In recent protests, LGBT flags were
burned, and images showed men signing pledges to stand against homosexuality
outside mosques. Last month, the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission
ordered all media, including social media, to replace the term "homosexuality"
with "sexual deviance". The word "gender" was also banned.”



Associated Press: At The Request Of Baghdad, UN Will End In 1 Year Its Probe
Of Islamic State Extremists In Iraq
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“The Security Council on Friday voted unanimously to end, a year from now, a
U.N. probe into activities of Islamic State extremists in Iraq. The vote came
at the request of the Iraqi government. The U.K.-sponsored resolution noted
that Baghdad also asked that U.N. investigators hand over evidence they have
gathered so far to the government, so that Iraqi authorities can pursue IS
members’ accountability, as well as that of those who assisted and financed
“this terrorist organization.” The Security Council in September 2017 set up
the investigative team — also at Iraq’s request — to collect evidence against
members of the Islamic State group to be used in trials. Christian Ritscher,
the head of the team, told the council in June that its investigators were
compiling evidence on the development and use of chemical weapons by Islamic
State extremists and advancing their documentation on the militant group’s
gender-based violence and crimes against children, Sunni and Shiite Muslims,
Christians and Yazidis.”



Military.Com: Iraq Steps Up Repatriations From Islamic State Camp In Syria,
Hoping To Reduce Militant Threats
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“Iraq is stepping up repatriation of its citizens from a camp in northeastern
Syria housing tens of thousands of people, mostly wives and children of Islamic
State fighters but also supporters of the militant group. It’s a move that
Baghdad hopes will reduce cross-border militant threats and eventually lead to
shutting down the facility. After U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led fighters defeated
the Islamic State group in Syria in March 2019 — ending its self-proclaimed
Islamic “caliphate” that had ruled over a large swath of territory straddling
Iraq and Syria — thousands of IS fighters and their families were taken to the
camp known as al-Hol. Many of them were Iraqi nationals. Today, Iraqi officials
see the facility, close to the Iraq-Syria border, as a major threat to their
country's security, a hotbed of the militants' radical ideology and a place
where thousands of children have been growing up into future militants.”



Turkey



Reuters: Three Killed In Turkish Drone Strike On YBS Fighters In Northern Iraq
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“A Turkish drone strike in northern Iraq on Sunday killed three fighters from
the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS), a militia affiliated with the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK), Iraqi security sources said. Three YBS fighters were in
their vehicle in the Sinjar area when the drone strike hit them, two security
sources told Reuters. There has been a long-running Turkish campaign in Iraq
and Syria against militants of the PKK, YBS and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia,
which are all regarded as terrorist groups by Ankara. 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.”



Afghanistan



Associated Press: The Taliban Have Detained 18 Staff, Including A Foreigner,
From An Afghanistan-Based NGO, It Says
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“The Taliban have detained 18 staffers, including a foreigner, from a
nongovernmental organization based in Afghanistan, the nonprofit group said
Friday. NGOs have come under greater scrutiny since the Taliban seized control
of the country two years ago. The Taliban introduced harsh measures and barred
Afghan women from education beyond the sixth grade as well as from public life
and work, including working for NGOs. A U.S. watchdog reported earlier this
year that the Taliban are harassing NGOs operating in the country. The
International Assistance Mission said 18 of its staff were taken away by the
Taliban on two separate occasions this month from the NGO’s office in central
Ghor province. The 18 detained were taken to Kabul, the group said. “We are
unaware of the circumstances that led to these incidents and have not been
advised of the reason for the detention of our staff members,” it said in a
statement. “The well-being and security of our colleagues are paramount to us,
and we are doing everything possible to ensure their safety and secure their
swift release.””



Pakistan



Voice Of America: Pakistani PM Urges Increased Collaboration With Afghan
Taliban To Achieve Shared Goals
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“Pakistan's caretaker prime minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, has written a
letter to his Taliban counterpart in Afghanistan, stressing the need to address
the security and economic challenges facing both countries. Kakar's letter to
Taliban Prime Minister Mullah Hasan Akhund comes amid persistent tensions over
Islamabad's complaints that Kabul is not doing enough to prevent cross-border
"terrorist" attacks being planned on Afghan soil. While discussing the letter's
contents Sunday, a Pakistani official told VOA it was written to thank Akhund
for his recent "felicitation message" to Kakar after he assumed office last
month. The official, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to
the media publicly, said that Kakar conveyed "our security concerns" and
underlined the need to jointly address them to allow both countries to expand
economic and trade cooperation. "Enhanced regional trade and connectivity
remains vital for the prosperity of our peoples. We must work assiduously to
achieve these shared goals," the Pakistani prime minister wrote.”



Lebanon



Associated Press: Fatah Gives Deadline For Handover Of General’s Killers Amid
Fragile Truce In Lebanon Refugee Camp
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“A top official with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah group said
Sunday that Palestinian and Lebanese officials have given militant Islamic
groups in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp until the end of the month
to hand over the accused killers of a Fatah general. A fragile calm has largely
prevailed in the Ein el-Hilweh camp since Thursday night after the warring
sides reached the latest in a series of cease-fire agreements. It followed a
week of intense fighting that killed at least 18 people and wounded and
displaced hundreds. Top officials from rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas
had traveled to Lebanon in an attempt to negotiate an end to the clashes. Azzam
al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah’s central committee and of the Executive Committee
of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in an interview with The
Associated Press on Sunday that he is “optimistic about reaching a solution.”
But, he added, if the accused are not handed over by the end of the month, “all
possibilities are open.””



Middle East



The Times Of Israel: IDF Strikes Hamas Post After Renewed Rioting On Gaza
Border
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“The Israeli military carried out a drone strike against a Hamas observation
post in the Gaza Strip in response to renewed rioting by Palestinians along the
border on Friday. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said hundreds of
Palestinians rioted on the Israeli border on Friday afternoon, including
setting off explosive devices on the security barrier and hurling grenades at
troops. The IDF said soldiers stationed in the area responded with riot
dispersal means and live fire in some cases. No soldiers were hurt, the IDF
said. As the protest dispersed, the military said it carried out a drone strike
against a Hamas observation post near the border. No injuries were immediately
reported. The terror group, which rules the territory, appears to have resumed
regular provocations along the frontier. The strike was seen as a warning to
Hamas. Footage from the rioting showed tires set on fire along the Israeli
security barrier, and troops responding with tear gas.”



Rudaw: Kurdish Security Council Says Arrested ISIS Official In Makhmour
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“The Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) on Saturday announced the arrest
of an Islamic State (ISIS) official near Makhmour district, southwest of the
capital Erbil. Zidan Khalifa Ahmad Matar (also known as Abu Laila) was emir of
the group’s Saad Bin Abi Waqqas sector of the so-called Tigris state and was
operating near Mount Qarachogh in Makhmour, the security council said in a
video released on Facebook. He was arrested on September 6. Khalifa joined ISIS
in 2014. He was responsible for a mortar detachment and participated in battles
against Peshmerga forces in Makhmour, according to the KRSC. In 2017 he was put
in charge of an ISIS checkpoint near Mount Qarachogh with instructions to carry
out assassinations and abduct civilians for ransom. Mount Qarachogh is located
within an area where there is a security vacuum between the Kurdish Peshmerga
and Iraqi federal forces. ISIS has taken advantage of the situation to harass
local residents and carry out attacks. The federal budget passed earlier this
year includes funds for joint Peshmerga-Iraq brigades to combat ISIS in these
areas.”



i24: Palestinian Terrorist Groups Hamas, PFLP Call For A New Intifada
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“Deputy head of the Hamas political wing Saleh al-Arouri and deputy secretary
general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Jamil
Mazhar called on Palestinians to resume the intifada against Israel. “The
Palestinian Authority must return to the intifada to achieve national unity and
resolve the Palestinian question on national and democratic grounds,” they said
at a meeting in Beirut on Saturday. The statement comes amid heightened
security tensions in the Palestinian territories and a steady stream of
intelligence reports regarding planned terrorist attacks against Israelis. The
two terror operatives also discussed the situation in a restive Palestinian
refugee camp in Lebanon. At least 17 people have been killed and around 100
wounded in the fighting in Ain al-Helweh refugee camp, on the outskirts of the
port city of Sidon. Both Hamas and PFLP said they supported all the measures
that would stabilize the situation.”



Nigeria



People’s Gazette: Group Commends Military For Rehabilitating 2,168 Repentant
Boko Haram Terrorists
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“The Nigerian Spokesman Media and a Civil Society Organisation, known as the
Concerned Professional Congress (CPC), have commended the Nigerian Army for
rehabilitating 2,168 repentant insurgents. The group stated this on Friday in
Gombe while briefing reporters on the eight years impact of Operation Safe
Corridor deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme of the Nigerian Army.
The Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Re-integration (DRR) policy was
implemented by the Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) of the Nigerian Army, aimed
at deradicalising, rehabilitating and reintegrating ex-Boko Haram members back
to the society. Emeka Nwankpa, the Editor-In-Chief of Nigerian Spokesman Media,
said they were at the deradicalisation centre to assess the eight-year impact
of the programme. He noted that 2,168 have undergone the programme and were
reintegrated in to the society to contribute their quota as responsible
citizens. “When we visited the camp, we discovered those who surrendered to the
Nigerian military and repented voluntarily undergo rehabilitation at the camp,”
he said.”



Somalia



Voice Of America: Al-Shabab Attacks Ethiopian Military Convoys In Somalia
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“Al-Shabab militants attacked convoys carrying Ethiopian soldiers in Somalia’s
southwestern Bakool region early Sunday, Somali officials said. The ambush
targeted two convoys, one traveling from the Somali town of Yeed to Wajid and
the second convoy as it traveled from El Barde to the town of Huddur. Ethiopian
troops have bases in Wajid and Huddur. A Somali official said local forces were
accompanying the convoy that was en route to Huddur from El Barde. The mayor of
Huddur, Omar Abdullahi Mohamud, told VOA Somali that the fighting started after
the al-Shabab ambushes. “The fighting started after the anti-peace elements
attacked the Ethiopian and Somali military convoy moving towards Wajid and
Huddur, starting off their attack with explosion,” Mohamud said. “The troops
have repulsed, and the situation is calm.” Mohamud claimed the militants lost
as many as 50 fighters.”



Mali



Voice Of America: Conflict In Northern Mali Resumes Amid UN Withdrawal
<[link removed]>



“As the U.N. mission to Mali withdraws from the northern part of the country,
hostilities between the Malian army and Tuareg rebels have reignited and
Islamist attacks have increased amid the chaos. Residents say they are
effectively stuck in a war zone as the north is cut off from the south via
road, air and river after a deadly attack on a passenger boat and the
suspension of flights by Mali’s only commercial airline. The Coordination of
Azawad Movements, or CMA, a coalition of Tuareg separatist groups who signed a
peace agreement with the Malian government in 2015, declared itself at war with
Mali this week. Tuareg rebels launched an offensive in 2012 in northern Mali
backed by Islamist militants. The rebels and militants eventually splintered,
and Islamist forces seized control of northern Mali before the French army
intervened and pushed them out of power in 2013. An Islamist insurgency
continues to ravage the north and center of the country.”



United Kingdom



BBC: Boy From Birmingham Charged With Terrorism Offences
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“He has been charged with possessing and disseminating information useful to a
terrorist, inviting support for a banned organisation and claiming to belong to
a proscribed organisation. West Midlands Police said the 16-year-old, from
Birmingham, was arrested at London Stansted Airport on 9 September. The
teenager appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Friday. He has
been released on bail ahead of an appearance at court next week, the force
said.”



BBC: Wagner Group Formally Banned As Terror Organisation In The UK
<[link removed]>



The order was approved on Friday - making it illegal to be a member of, or to
support, Wagner. Those found guilty of aiding the paramilitary could face steep
fines and penalties of up to 14 years in prison. Proposing the order last week,
Home Secretary Suella Braverman called Wagner a "threat to global security".
"Wagner's continuing destabilising activities only continue to serve the
Kremlin's political goals," Ms Braverman said. "They are terrorists, plain and
simple - and this proscription order makes that clear in UK law." Under the
order, it is a criminal offence to support the group. This includes arranging
meetings to further its activities, expressing support for its aims and also
displaying Wagner's flag or logo. Those found guilty of supporting Wagner could
be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison, or face a fine.”



Germany



Deccan Herald: How Germany's Extreme Right Seized On The Martial Arts Scene
<[link removed]>



“…The festivals — which are often declared political events, making them
harder to ban and ensuring that any profit will be tax-exempt — typically
feature a right-wing extremist speaker or seminar, according to Hans-Jakob
Schindler, the Berlin-based senior director of the Counter Extremism Project.
And while MMA tournaments in Europe typically feature fighters from different
racial groups, these events allow only white fighters to take part. “They’re
trying to broaden the capture area,” Schindler said. “You get people to buy the
T-shirt, you can get them to come to one of the festivals. And you slowly begin
speaking them to them about how the political system is bad. And so you draw
them in a bit more subtly than you did in the past.”



Europe



Military.Com: Court Sentences Main Suspects In Belgium's Deadliest Peacetime
Attack To 20-Year To Life Terms
<[link removed]>



“A Belgian court on Friday sentenced five men to sentences ranging from 20
years to life in prison on charges of terrorist murder in connection with 2016
suicide bombings that killed 32 people and wounded hundreds at Brussels airport
and a busy subway station, the country’s deadliest peacetime attack. vA chief
suspect, Salah Abdeslam, had previously been given a 20-year sentence for
involvement in a shootout days before the March 22, 2016, attacks and received
no further jail time. It happened after police discovered him and another
suspect by accident when they inspected what they thought was an empty
apartment. Four officers were hurt. Abdeslam was serving a life sentence
without parole in France over his part in attacks that hit Paris cafes, the
Bataclan theater and France’s national stadium in 2015. Both the Paris and
Brussels attacks were linked to the same Islamic State network.”



Technology



Wall Street Journal: New Orleans DA Fights ‘Terrorism’ On Streets With AI
Spycraft
<[link removed]>



“The case against Dijon Dixon, accused of killing Cornelius Smith in 2019,
looked to be falling apart after a key witness backed out following an online
death threat. Then prosecutors presented the defense team with a detailed and
dramatic timeline featuring some of Dixon’s social-media posts—including one in
which the serial numbers of the Glock he was holding were partially visible.
Dixon took a plea deal. bThe timeline was assembled by a team of people who
once tracked international terrorists online and now are working for first-term
New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams. The newly created task force is
working to use machine-learning to autogenerate subpoenas for social-media and
wireless companies, analyze the reams of data obtained and create vivid,
detail-packed timelines. Williams hired the team of 11 to take a 21st-century
approach to tackling a surge in violent crime, exacerbated by an understaffed
police department and an enormous backlog of cases.”



The Counter Extremism Project depends on the generosity of its supporters. If
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