“Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid will summon Turkey's ambassador to Iraq to
protest a drone strike on a small airport in the Kurdistan region on Monday
that left several members of the Iraqi security forces dead, a presidency
statement said Three members of the Iraqi counterterrorism service were killed
and three others wounded on Monday in the strike on the small military airport
of Arbid, the Iraqi military said. Bafel Talabani, president of the PUK, one of
the dominant Kurdish parties in northern Iraq, said a total of six dead and
several wounded were members of the Iraqi Kurdish counter-terrorism force. The
drone entered Iraqi airspace through Turkey's border, Iraqi military spokesman
Yahya Rasool said in a statement early on Tuesday, adding: "Iraq reserves the
right to put an end to these violations." Turkey regularly carries out air
strikes that it says target Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in northern
Iraq, and has dozens of outposts in Iraqi territory. The PKK took up arms
against the Turkish state in 1984. A Turkish foreign ministry statement, while
not outright claiming the strike, said "the latest incident has once again
confirmed the accuracy of Turkey’s measures."”











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Eye on Extremism



September 20, 2023



Reuters: Iraq To Summon Turkish Ambassador Over Deadly Kurdistan Airport Strike

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“Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid will summon Turkey's ambassador to Iraq to
protest a drone strike on a small airport in the Kurdistan region on Monday
that left several members of the Iraqi security forces dead, a presidency
statement said Three members of the Iraqi counterterrorism service were killed
and three others wounded on Monday in the strike on the small military airport
of Arbid, the Iraqi military said. Bafel Talabani, president of the PUK, one of
the dominant Kurdish parties in northern Iraq, said a total of six dead and
several wounded were members of the Iraqi Kurdish counter-terrorism force. The
drone entered Iraqi airspace through Turkey's border, Iraqi military spokesman
Yahya Rasool said in a statement early on Tuesday, adding: "Iraq reserves the
right to put an end to these violations." Turkey regularly carries out air
strikes that it says target Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in northern
Iraq, and has dozens of outposts in Iraqi territory. The PKK took up arms
against the Turkish state in 1984. A Turkish foreign ministry statement, while
not outright claiming the strike, said "the latest incident has once again
confirmed the accuracy of Turkey’s measures."”



Reuters: UN Records Torture, Deaths Of Detainees In Taliban Custody
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“The United Nations has recorded over 1,600 incidents of rights violations
against people detained by the Taliban authorities, nearly half of them acts of
torture and ill-treatment mostly by police and intelligence agents, a report
released on Wednesday showed. The U.N. Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) said 18
people had also died in prisons and in the custody of police and intelligence
in the 19 months ending July 2023. The Taliban have staffed and controlled the
police and the intelligence agency since they took over the country as foreign
forces withdrew in 2021. "In attempts to extract confessions or other
information, detainees were subjected to severe pain and suffering, through
physical beatings, electric shocks, asphyxiation, stress positions and forced
ingestion of water, as well as blind-folding and threats," UNAMA said in a
statement. Other violations included not being informed of the reason for
arrest, not being able to access a lawyer and inadequate medical care in
custody.”




The CEP CounterPoint: Expert Analysis

* Financial Strategies of Right-Wing Extremist Organizations and Actors in
the United Kingdom and Germany
<[link removed]>
* Transnational Linkages Between Violent Right-Wing Extremism, Terrorism, and
Organized Crime
<[link removed]>
* ISIS Women in Court: Marcia M. – A Tactical Admission?
<[link removed]>
* An Important Step X / Twitter Can Take to Fight Antisemitism on Their
Platform Right Now
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* CEP-KAS: Sahel Monitoring August 2023
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Canada



India Today: 'Trudeau Needs To Come Clean': Canada's Opposition On Terrorist
Nijjar's Killing
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“Conservative Party leader, Pierre Poilievre, on Wednesday said that PM Justin
Trudeau needs to provide all the facts on his allegations connecting Indian
government agents with the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh
Nijjar. "I think the Prime Minister needs to come clean with all the facts, we
need to know all the evidence possible so that Canadians can make judgment on
that," he said while speaking to the media on Wednesday. "The Prime Minister
has not provided any facts, he provided a statement and I want to just
emphasize that he didn't tell me more in private than he told Canadians in
public, so we want to see more information," Poilievre added. On Tuesday,
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that there was a "potential
link" between Indian government agents and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar,
the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), who was killed in Surrey
in June. The Canadian government also expelled a top Indian diplomat soon after
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations.”



Afghanistan



Voice Of America: UN Survey: Women's Rights Crucial For Taliban Recognition
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“Hundreds of women in Afghanistan say the United Nations should not recognize
the Taliban government until women's access to work and education is restored,
according to a new survey. About 46% of the 592 Afghan women who spoke to U.N.
surveyors in July said the world body should not recognize the Taliban as the
government of Afghanistan "under any circumstances." Half of the survey
respondents said that any recognition of the Taliban government should hinge on
tangible improvements in women's rights, including their rights to education
and work. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have shuttered secondary
schools and universities for girls, leaving countless young women without
access to education, and have enforced sweeping restrictions on women's
employment. The Islamist regime has also imposed myriad other restrictions on
women's social rights such as access to sports and entertainment sites
prompting the U.N. and human rights organizations to call Afghanistan a country
under "gender-apartheid."”



Saudi Arabia



Reuters: Houthis Leave Riyadh After Talks With Saudis, Some Progress Reported
-Sources
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“Houthi negotiators left Riyadh on Tuesday after a five-day round of talks
with Saudi officials on a potential agreement paving the way to an end to the
eight-year-old conflict in Yemen, sources familiar with the meeting and Houthi
media said. The Houthi delegation and Omani mediators landed in the Yemeni
capital Sanaa after a round of negotiations in Saudi Arabia, the Houthis'
al-Massira TV said. Some progress has been made on the main sticking points,
including a timeline for foreign troops exiting Yemen and a mechanism for
paying public wages, two sources said, adding that the sides would meet for
more talks after consultations "soon". The Saudi government did not immediately
respond to a Reuters request for comment. nThe Houthi delegation arrived in
Saudi Arabia last week. It was the first such official visit to the kingdom
since the war broke out in Yemen in 2014 after the Iran-aligned group ousted a
Saudi-backed government there. The talks are focused on a full reopening of
Houthi-controlled ports and Sanaa airport, payment of wages for public
servants, rebuilding efforts, and a timeline for foreign forces to quit Yemen.
An agreement would allow the United Nations to restart a broader political
peace process.”



Middle East



The Times Of Israel: Palestinians Say 1 Killed By Israeli Forces During
Rioting On Gaza Border
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“A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli forces during rioting on Israel’s
border with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, health authorities in the territory
announced. In addition to the slain 25-year-old, another 11 Palestinians were
wounded, including one who was listed in serious condition, the Hamas-run
health ministry said, following the third straight day of rioting on the
border. The Israel Defense Forces said troops deployed crowd dispersal means
and used live fire in some cases against the rioters, adding that several were
hit. The IDF said the rioters had set off a number of makeshift bombs in the
area. Rioting has escalated on the border with Israel in recent weeks, with
Palestinians detonating explosive devices, setting tires on fire, trying to
breach the security barrier, and opening fire at troops in a handful of cases.
No IDF soldiers have been wounded in the recent riots so far. The death on
Tuesday was the first apparently caused by Israeli fire during the recent
riots. Last week, six Palestinian rioters were killed while attempting to
detonate a makeshift bomb on the border during a riot.”



Associated Press: Six Palestinians Are Killed In Latest Fighting With Israel,
At Least 3 Of Them Militants
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“Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank and unrest in the Gaza
Strip have killed six Palestinians, Palestinian health officials said
Wednesday, the latest spike in a wave of violence that has roiled the region
for more than a year. At least three of those killed were claimed as militant
fighters. The death toll from the most recent flare-up stood at four late
Tuesday. But on Wednesday the Palestinian Health Ministry raised it, saying an
Israeli raid into the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank killed four
people and wounded some 30 others, while a raid in a separate refugee camp
killed another Palestinian. A sixth Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire in
unrest in the Gaza Strip, officials said. The deadly violence between Israel
and the Palestinians over the last year and a half has surged to levels unseen
in the West Bank in some two decades. Israel has stepped up its raids on
Palestinian areas and Palestinian attacks against Israelis have been mounting.
Tensions also appear to be spreading to Gaza.”



Reuters: Azerbaijan Launches 'Anti-Terrorist Operation' In Karabakh
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“Ethnic Armenian separatist authorities on Tuesday reported a major
escalation of hostilities in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region, as
Azerbaijan launched an offensive. Here are some facts about the fighting:
Azerbaijan said it was launching "anti-terrorist measures of a local nature" in
Nagorno-Karabakh, and began shelling parts of the mountain enclave, which is
controlled by ethnic Armenian authorities backed by Armenia. It said it was
attacking Armenian military units in response to what it called "terrorist
provocations", and that it would provide "humanitarian corridors" for
civilians. Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said peace in the breakaway region
could only be achieved once Armenian troops left and the separatist local
authority was dissolved. The defence ministry said it wanted to "disarm and
secure the withdrawal of formations of Armenia’s armed forces from our
territories, (and) neutralise their military infrastructure".”



Nigeria



Associated Press: Several Security Forces Killed In An Ambush By Gunmen In
Nigeria’s Southeast
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“Gunmen opened fire and killed several members of a patrol of security forces
in Nigeria’s southeastern region Tuesday, police said, in the latest in a spate
of violent attacks that typically are blamed on separatist militants. A team of
various Nigerian security agencies were patrolling a remote community in Imo
state’s Ehime Mbano district when they were ambushed by the gunmen, police
said. Authorities said they were still investigating the attack and that they
could not immediately confirm the number of dead, but Lagos-based newspapers
reported eight of the security personnel were killed, citing local sources.
Videos that appeared to have been shot at the scene showed bodies of the
security forces lying beside burning vehicles. The police in Imo said security
forces have been deployed to restore calm to an area that has become concerned
over the trend of such attacks in areas with inadequate security presence. “The
commissioner of police has ordered an investigation to fish out the
perpetrators of that dastardly act to face the full wrath of the law,” Imo
police spokesman Henry Okoye told The Associated Press.”



Somalia



Voice Of America: 11 Somali Soldiers Killed As AU Forces Start Second Round Of
Troop Drawdown
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“Eleven Somali government soldiers were killed and three others injured in a
roadside explosion Monday in the southwestern Gedo region, officials said, as
the African Union peacekeeping force began a second round of troop withdrawals.
The explosion targeted a convoy of military vehicles between the towns of Luuq
and Doolow, deputy governor of security and policy for the region, Osman Nuh
Haji, told VOA Somali. "The technical vehicle they were riding in has been hit
by an explosion," Haji said. He said the vehicle was burnt and destroyed. The
al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility for the roadside explosion.
Haji initially insisted only two soldiers were killed and two others were
injured. But VOA Somali spoke to multiple sources including a senior regional
official who said 11 soldiers were killed in the attack, and three others
injured. Among the wounded is a commander with the 10th brigade of the 43rd
Division of the Somali National Army, Rashid Bohol. "He was injured but his
injury is light, he is walking and working," Haji said.”



Reuters: EU Executive Says Aid Payments For Somalia 'Temporarily Suspended'
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“The European Union's executive said on Tuesday that disbursements of
humanitarian aid in Somalia were "temporarily suspended" after a U.N. probe
found widespread theft and misuse of support meant to avert famine. Quoting
senior EU officials, Reuters reported exclusively on Monday that the European
Commission had temporarily suspended funding for the World Food Programme (WFP)
in Somalia because of the U.N. findings. On Tuesday, a spokesman for the
European Commission, Balazs Ujvari, confirmed the temporary suspension. "The
Commission has not asked for the suspension of humanitarian operations in
Somalia: as per standard procedures, the ongoing operations have received a
pre-financing of 80% and can still be implemented through this initial
funding," he said. "Nevertheless, in view of the issues communicated by the
report concerned, the Commission had to take some precautionary measures to
safeguard the EU funds and therefore further disbursements are temporarily
suspended until clarifications and reassurance are provided as regards the
resolution of the identified issues."”



United Kingdom



Garowe Online: UK Pumps More Funds Into Somali Security Forces
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“The government of the United Kingdom [UK] has pumped an additional £5
million into Somalia, which will help Somali Security Forces [SSF] to stabilize
and take over security responsibilities from the African Union Transition
Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], which has been coordinating security activities in
the country. Through the United Nations Support Office in Somalia [UNSOS],
London made the donation at the time local security forces heightened the fight
against Al-Shabaab in central and southern regions. Somalia is actively
involved in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants. The funding was made public
during the meeting between UK Deputy National Security Advisor for
International Affairs Dame Sarah Maclntosh and Somalia's presidential advisor
on matters of national security Hussein Sheikh Ali, a close ally of President
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. "The funding builds on the UK's substantial
contributions to date through the UNSOS Trust Fund, which provides non-lethal
logistical support to the SSF, which will include food, shelter and lifesaving
medevac support," read the statement.”



Germany



BBC: Germany Bans Neo-Nazi Group Hammerskins
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“The move set "a clear signal against racism and antisemitism", Germany's
interior minister said. The authorities raided the residences of 28 leading
members of the group across the country. Hammerskins, founded in the US in the
late 1980s, is thought to have about 130 members in Germany. The German
authorities described the ban as "a hard blow against organised right-wing
extremism" and said it was putting an end to "the inhumane actions of an
internationally active neo-Nazi association". "Right-wing extremism remains the
biggest extremist threat to our democracy. That's why we continue to act very
decisively," said German interior minister Nancy Faeser. A key goal of the
skinhead group was to use concerts to spread its far-right ideology, she said.
Hammerskins was heavily involved in setting up neo-Nazi music labels, selling
antisemitic records and organising clandestine music events.”



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