“The U.S. and Britain struck 18 Houthi targets in Yemen, answering a recent
surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden, including a missile strike this past week that set fire to a
cargo vessel. According to U.S. officials, American and British fighter jets on
Saturday hit sites in eight locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets,
drones and air defense systems. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity
in order to provide early details of an ongoing military operation. This is the
fourth time that the U.S. and British militaries have conducted a combined
operation against the Houthis since Jan. 12. But the U.S. has also been
carrying out almost daily strikes to take out Houthi targets, including
incoming missiles and drones aimed at ships, as well as weapons that were
prepared to launch. The U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight
D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Red Sea, officials
said.”











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Eye on Extremism



February 26, 2024



Associated Press: US And British Strikes On Houthi Sites In Yemen Answer
Militants’ Surge In Red Sea Attacks On Ships
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“The U.S. and Britain struck 18 Houthi targets in Yemen, answering a recent
surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden, including a missile strike this past week that set fire to a
cargo vessel. According to U.S. officials, American and British fighter jets on
Saturday hit sites in eight locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets,
drones and air defense systems. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity
in order to provide early details of an ongoing military operation. This is the
fourth time that the U.S. and British militaries have conducted a combined
operation against the Houthis since Jan. 12. But the U.S. has also been
carrying out almost daily strikes to take out Houthi targets, including
incoming missiles and drones aimed at ships, as well as weapons that were
prepared to launch. The U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight
D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Red Sea, officials
said.”



BBC: Burkina Faso: At Least 15 Dead In Catholic Church Attack
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“It took place during Sunday worship in Essakane village in Oudalan province -
close to the border with Mali. Few details have been given. A church official
indicated the gunmen were suspected Islamist militants. There was no immediate
response from the authorities in the West African country's capital,
Ouagadougou. A statement by the head of the local diocese, Abbot Jean-Pierre
Sawadogo, said 12 people were killed instantly, while three others died at the
hospital. "In this painful circumstance, we invite you to pray for those who
died in faith, for the healing of the wounded, and for the consolidation of
grieving hearts," the statement reads. It is the latest atrocity in the country
to be attributed to Islamist militants. More than a third of Burkina Faso is
currently under the control of insurgents. The authorities have been battling
Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which have taken over
large swathes of land and displaced millions of people in the Sahel region.”




CEP Expert Analysis

* Counter Extremism Project Condemns X’s Sale Of Subscription Service To
Terrorist Groups
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* Extremist Content Online: Antisemitic Propaganda Video Widely Promoted On
Telegram And Twitter/X
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* CEP Webinar: Violent Extremism And Terrorism In The Sahel
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* CEP – KAS: Sahel Monitoring December 2023
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* CEP APPLAUDS TEXAS A&M FOR DECISION TO CUT TIES WITH QATAR
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CEP Mentions



The Spectator: Why Prevent Is Still Failing To Tackle Islamist Extremism
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“What is the core mission of the Government’s ‘Prevent’ strategy? When William
Shawcross presented his review of our flagship counter extremism programme last
year, he was clear: it was to stop people turning into tomorrow’s terrorists.
The Home Office agreed, at least politically. How’s that going? A year after
Shawcross reported on Prevent’s departure from counter terror watchdog into a
lop sided safeguarding creche for every sort of ‘vulnerability’ under the sun,
the Government has reported mission accomplished.”



The Telegraph: Spineless Politicians Have Legalised ‘Minor’ Crime
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“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. Where it has become a normal feature
of criminal impunity now rampant in many poor communities, it forces vital
shops to close down. When the lights go out on neighbourhood convenience stores
because small businesses are overwhelmed by theft, it’s yet another nail in the
coffin for postcodes marooned in crime. The consequences of supposedly minor
infractions are immense. The problem of shoplifting is endemic: even the Co-Op,
who have been forced to spend over £200 million in the last few years to
protect staff and stock, say some of its stores are becoming financially
unviable. Security measures are no match for brazen thieves who clear whole
shelves in minutes.”



Crisis Reporting Resource: The Russian Nationalists Fighting On Ukraine’s Side
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“There are two scenarios,” says Alexander Ritzmann, head of the Counter
Extremism Project’s office on far-right violence and terrorism, speaking to
iMEdD about the RVC’s ties with the Ukrainian government. “Either the Ukrainian
government is utilising the actions of these groups as a form of psychological
and communication warfare against Putin and Russia – suggesting that a Russian
group is invading Russia to free Russians from Putin. Alternatively, Kapustin,
who has been living in Ukraine for many years, may have managed to establish
personal connections that allow him, unofficially, access to weapons and
equipment.”



Syria



Voice Of America: IS Landmine Kills 14 Truffle Hunters In Syria Desert
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“A blast Sunday from a landmine left by the Islamic State group killed 14
people foraging for truffles in the Syrian desert, state media said. "Fourteen
citizens were killed, and eight others injured after a landmine left by IS
terrorists exploded while they were collecting truffles in the Raqa desert,"
said Syria's official news agency SANA.”



Iraq



Associated Press: Iraq Has Captured 2 Wanted Islamic State Group Members From
Abroad And Brought Them Home
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“Iraq’s authorities have captured two members of the Islamic State group in an
operation outside the country and brought them home, where they confessed to
committing crimes during the rule of the extremist organization, the
intelligence department said Saturday. A statement by the Iraqi National
Intelligence Service didn’t say where the two men were captured and released a
video showing them blindfolded and handcuffed while aboard a small plane. The
two men later appeared in a video in yellow uniforms speaking about their role
within the extremist group. The announcement came after Iraq and the United
States began formal talks last month aimed at winding down the mission of a
U.S.-led military coalition formed to fight IS. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed
Shia al-Sudani has contended that the Iraqi security forces are capable of
dealing with the remaining IS cells in the country and the coalition’s presence
is no longer needed. The roughly 2,500 U.S. troops are scattered around the
country, largely in military installations in Baghdad and in the north.”



Afghanistan



Associated Press: The Taliban Release An 84-Year-Old Austrian Man Who Was
Detained In Afghanistan Last Year
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“An 84-year-old Austrian man who traveled to Afghanistan last year and was
arrested there was released by the country’s Taliban rulers, the Austrian
government said Sunday. The Austrian Foreign Ministry in a statement identified
the man as Herbert Fritz and said he arrived in Doha, Qatar from Afghanistan on
Sunday afternoon. If necessary, he will be given medical treatment before
continuing on to Austria, it said. A spokeswoman for the Austrian Foreign
Ministry told the Associated Press that Fritz had been held in a prison in
Kabul. He was not immediately available for comment. Writing on X, formerly
Twitter, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked the Emir of Qatar Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his team for their “strong support in releasing
one of our citizens from prison in Afghanistan.” “It is only due to our trusted
collaboration that this Austrian citizen will be able to return home to his
daughter and grandchildren,” Nehammer said. Qatar’s Foreign Affairs ministry
released a statement on X expressing gratitude to the “caretaker government in
Afghanistan” for releasing the Austrian.”



Voice Of America: Taliban Execute Convicted Killer In Afghan Sports Stadium
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“Afghanistan’s Taliban Monday carried out another public execution of a man
charged with murder, defying international calls to stop the “inhuman”
punishments. It was the third public execution within a week. The Taliban
Supreme Court said in an announcement that the execution had taken place in a
sports stadium in Sheberghan, the capital of the northern Afghan province of
Jowzjan. It said that government and judicial officials, as well as residents,
were among the spectators. The executed person was found guilty of stabbing to
death a young man in 2022. The statement said he was tried in three Islamic
courts and subsequent appellate tribunals before the judicial “order of
retaliation was issued and approved” in line with Islamic law of Sharia. The
punishment was enforced after the Taliban supreme leader, Hibatullah
Akhundzada, examined the ruling and endorsed it, the court said. FILE - A
member of the Taliban and other people stand at the site during the execution
of three men in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, April 18, 2015. On Feb. 22, 2024,
Taliban authorities publicly executed two men convicted of murder in separate
cases.”



Yemen



Reuters: US Says Yemen's Houthis Ballistic Missile Misses US Tanker Torm Thor
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“The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said early on Monday that Yemen's Houthis
launched one anti-ship ballistic missile likely targeting the MV Torm Thor, but
missed the U.S.-flagged, owned and operated oil tanker, in the Gulf of Aden on
Feb. 24. The missile impacted the water causing no damage nor injuries, CENTCOM
added in a post on X. The Iran-aligned group said on Sunday that they targeted
the tanker, as the militants continue to attack shipping lanes in solidarity
with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.S. military also shot down in "self-defence"
two one-way unmanned aerial attack vehicles over the southern Red Sea on
Sunday, said CENTCOM. The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of
Yemen, have launched exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels since
Nov. 19 as a protest against Israel's military operations in Gaza. The turmoil
from Israel's war with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has spilled over to
some extent into other parts of the Middle East. Apart from the Houthi attacks
on vital shipping lanes, Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group has traded fire
with Israel along the Israel-Lebanon border and Iraqi militia have attacked
bases that host U.S. forces.”



Reuters: US, British Forces Carry Out More Strikes Against Houthis In Yemen
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“U.S. and British forces carried out strikes against more than a dozen Houthi
targets in Yemen on Saturday, officials said, the latest round of military
action against the Iran-linked group that continues to attack shipping in the
region. The United States has carried out near daily strikes against the
Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and have said their
attacks on shipping are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.”



Saudi Arabia



Reuters: Israeli Industry Minister Meets Saudi Counterpart At WTO Talks In UAE
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“Israeli Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat met his Saudi counterpart on
the sidelines of a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Abu Dhabi on
Monday, voicing confidence the countries can "make history together", Barkat's
spokesperson said. The photographed meeting with Saudi Commerce Minister Majid
bin Abdullah al-Qasabi was a rarity given the lack of formal relations between
the countries, though the United States has sought to bring them closer. "The
State of Israel is interested in peace with peace-seeking countries, and we can
make history together," Barkat told Qasabi, according to the Israeli minister's
office. Barkat and Qasabi are attending the WTO ministerial conference, which
aims to set new global commerce rules. Saudi Arabia's embassy in Abu Dhabi did
not immediately respond to a emailed request for comment on the meeting between
the two ministers.”



Lebanon



Associated Press: 2 Lebanese Men Ordered Detained For Bringing 146 Syrian
Refugees To Cyprus By Boat
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“A court in Cyprus on Saturday ordered two men to remain in police custody for
six days on suspicion of people smuggling. The men were identified as the
drivers of two boats that brought 146 Syrian refugees and one Lebanese migrant
to the east Mediterranean island nation. Police said the suspects are Lebanese
nationals aged 19 and 21. According to police, the refugees said during
questioning that they departed from the Lebanese city of Tripoli on Thursday,
Feb. 22 and each paid $2,500 for a place aboard the boats. One boat carried 30
people, including 6 women and 11 minors. Aboard the second boat were 117
people, including 8 women and 17 minors. Police spotted both vessels Saturday
afternoon off Cape Greco on the island’s southeastern tip. All the migrants
were escorted ashore and later taken to a migrant reception center just outside
the capital Nicosia. The President of Cyprus said earlier this month that the
European Union won’t serve its own best interests if it doesn’t consider
designating some parts of Syria as safe zones so refugees and migrants can
return there.”



Associated Press: Israel Vows To Target Lebanon’s Hezbollah Even If Cease-Fire
Reached With Hamas In Gaza
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“Israel’s defense minister vowed Sunday to step up attacks on Lebanon’s
Hezbollah militant group even if a cease-fire is reached with Hamas in the Gaza
Strip. Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel throughout the war
in Gaza, has said it will halt its nearly daily attacks on Israel if a
cease-fire is reached in Gaza. But Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said
that anyone who thinks a temporary cease-fire for Gaza will also apply to the
northern front is “mistaken.” “We will continue the fire, and we will do so
independently from the south, until we achieve our goals,” Gallant said. He
said there is a simple aim: to push Hezbollah away from the Israeli border,
either through a diplomatic agreement or by force. Hezbollah began striking
Israel almost immediately after Hamas triggered the fighting in Gaza with a
deadly attack along Israel’s southern border from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7.
Tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have
been displaced by the continued cycle of Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks
and Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire.”



Associated Press: Israel’s Air Force Says It Struck Deep Inside Lebanon After
Hezbollah Shot Down A Drone
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“The Israeli military said Monday its air force was striking targets of the
militant Hebollah group “deep inside Lebanon,” where residents reported
explosions near the northeastern city of Baalbek. The strikes are among the
deepest into Lebanon since the Israel-Hamas war began more than four months
ago. They come a day after Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to step
up attacks on Lebanon’s Hezbollah even if a cease-fire is reached with Hamas in
the Gaza Strip. Lebanese security officials said Israel’s air force carried out
three airstrikes on the outskirts of the village of Buday, near Baalbek,
targeting a convoy of trucks. Buday is a Hezbollah stronghold. There was no
immediate word on casualties. A Hezbollah official confirmed that three strikes
hit near Baalbek. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because he was
not authorized to talk to reporters. The Israeli army said further details will
follow.”



Middle East



Reuters: UAE Dropped From Financial Crime Watch List In Win For Nation
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“The United Arab Emirates, home to the financial hub of Dubai, has been
dropped from a global watchdog's list of countries at risk of illicit money
flows, a win for the nation that could bolster its international standing. The
Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a body that groups countries from the
United States to China to tackle financial crime, on Friday dropped the UAE
from its 'grey list' of around two-dozen nations considered risky. The Gulf
country, a magnet for millionaires, bankers and hedge funds, was placed under
closer scrutiny in 2022, when the FATF highlighted the risk of money laundering
and terrorist financing involving banks, precious metals and stones as well as
property. The delisting is a coup for the one-time regional pearl and fish
trading hub which is now one of the world's wealthiest nations after the
discovery of oil in Abu Dhabi in the late 1950s. It had made getting off the
list a priority, bolstering its anti-money-laundering efforts in a drive
spearheaded by the minister of foreign affairs and brother of President Mohamed
bin Zayed Al Nahyan.John Kartonchik, a director at UAE think tank Re/think,
said the move could boost confidence in the country and attract more money from
overseas.”



Associated Press: Palestinian Prime Minister Submits Government’s Resignation,
A Move That Could Open Door To Reforms
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“Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said Monday his government is
resigning, in a move that could open the door to U.S.-backed reforms in the
Palestinian Authority. President Mahmoud Abbas must still decide whether he
accepts Shtayyeh and his government’s resignation. But the move signals a
willingness by the Western-backed Palestinian leadership to accept shake-up
that might usher in reforms seen as necessary to revitalize the Palestinian
Authority. The U.S. wants a reformed Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza once
the war is over. But many obstacles remain to making that vision a reality.
“The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political
arrangements that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip,”
Shtayyeh said at a Cabinet meeting. Abbas is expected to choose Mohammad
Mustafa, chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund, as the next prime minister.”



Nigeria



Associated Press: Nigeria’s Defense Chief Accuses Nations Withholding Arms
Sales Over Abuses Of ‘Double Standards’
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“Nigeria’s defense chief expressed frustration Tuesday with what he called the
“double standards” of some countries that won’t sell his military weapons
because of human rights concerns. Gen. Christopher Musa’s comment underscores
one of the biggest challenges for Africa’s most populous nation in combating a
deadly and complex security crisis, from the Islamic militant insurgency in
northeast to the dozens of armed groups targeting travelers and communities in
the northwest and central regions. “Even with our money, it is difficult
getting equipment,” Musa told reporters in Nigeria’s capital of Abuja,
acknowledging a huge need for items such as helicopters, drones and Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. “Some say human rights, some say
‘You have killed’ … but again, sometimes, people pointing fingers at you have
done worse and yet nobody is holding them to account. It is these double
standards that (are) making the world more dangerous,” Musa said. He declined
to name the countries in question when asked by The Associated Press.”



Somalia



Reuters: Somali Islamist Rebels Claim Attack On Kenyan University - Spokesman
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“Somalia's al Shabaab Islamist group claimed responsibility for an attack on a
Kenyan university campus in which at least 14 people were killed on Thursday,
saying it had released Muslims while killing some Christians and taking others
hostage. "We sorted people out and released the Muslims," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu
Musab, al Shabaab's military operations spokesman, told Reuters. "There are
many dead bodies of Christians inside the building. We are also holding many
Christians alive. Fighting still goes on inside the college."



Africa



Washington Post: U.S. Struggles For Influence In West Africa As Military
Juntas Rise
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“U.S. officials are waging urgent diplomatic efforts in West Africa, searching
during public tours and private meetings for ways to partner with military
governments in a region where violence wrought by Islamist extremists is
soaring and Russia’s influence is expanding. But the officials have struggled
at times to articulate what that partnership would look like, especially
because the types of assistance the U.S. government can legally provide have
been curtailed since the ousting of democratically elected governments by
soldiers in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, according to interviews with a dozen
current and former U.S. officials, analysts and activists. The stakes are
especially high in Niger, where the United States has deployed more than 1,000
soldiers and operates a drone base that officials say is vital for surveillance
of extremist groups in the Sahel region, which runs across Africa just below
the Sahara Desert.”



France



Politico: Far-Right AfD Moves To Make Amends With Le Pen
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“It’s something of a far-right lovers’ quarrel. Relations between Germany’s
Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, both
members of the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European
Parliament, have been strained of late after an investigation revealed that AfD
politicians took part in a clandestine meeting of right-wing extremists near
the city of Potsdam in which “remigration” plans to deport foreigners and
“unassimilated” citizens were discussed. Le Pen has since sought to distance
herself from the AfD, part of a larger effort to make her party appear less
radical and more palatable to a general electorate. In January, Le Pen slammed
the secret get-together, saying that she was in “total disagreement” with the
reported discussions on “remigration.” But now, AfD leaders hope to make
amends, particularly ahead of the European Parliament election in June in which
both parties are poised to make significant gains, according to POLITICO’s Poll
of Polls.”



Germany



DW: Why Germany's Far-Right AfD Youth Wing Faces A Ban
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“Anna Leisten is cheerful, young and radical. That's how she appears in the
many images she's posted on Instagram, at least. She's one of the best-known
faces of Germany's Junge Alternative (JA), or Young Alternative, the youth wing
of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Her social media profile
says she can be anything "from a braid-wearing sweetie pie to a forged-iron
soldier." The 23-year-old from Brandenburg plants her political messages
between harmless-looking images. One, for instance, shows her lifting her hand
to show the white power hand sign adopted by the radical right and neo-Nazis.
It's the same sign right-wing extremist and Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant
flashed in court.”



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