Eye on Extremism
April 14, 2020
The
National: Yemen's Houthi Rebels Violate Ceasefire 241 Times In Two
Days, Saudi Coalition Says
“The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognised
government accused Houthi rebels of breaking a ceasefire on Monday.
The insurgents breached the truce, which came into effect last
Thursday, 241 times over the past 48 hours, the coalition said. It
said the rebels "used ballistic missiles along with light and heavy
weaponry," a coalition statement read. Yemen's army, along with the
coalition, is adhering to the ceasefire, applying “self-restraint and
are reserving their legitimate right of self-defence to respond to
attacks on the front lines," the coalition said. The Saudi-led truce,
scheduled to last two weeks, began on April 9 at 12pm and was intended
to help Yemen fight off the coronavirus pandemic, officials said. The
country reported its first case of the disease on April 10. The
coalition said the truce could be extended if conditions are met.
Yemen’s government called on the rebels to stop their “brutal crimes”
against civilians. “The militias need to show their serious intentions
towards peace and they need to realise that their arrogance will only
bring more destruction and bloodshed,” Prime Minister Moeen Abdul
Malik said. “This is all in favour of an Iranian-backed project that
aims to sabotage Yemen,” he said.”
Voice
Of America: Extremists In Northern Mozambique Declare Goal Of
Caliphate
“A shadowy Islamist group that has terrorised northern Mozambique
for more than two years has suddenly become more brazen, unmasking its
fighters and openly declaring its goal of turning the gas-rich region
into a caliphate. In recent weeks, the jihadists have seized
government buildings, robbed banks, blocked roads and hoisted their
black-and-white flag over towns and villages across Cabo Delgado
province. “We want everyone here to apply Islamic law,” a
Kalashnikov-wielding group member told terrified residents in a video
that appeared to have been shot in Mocimboa da Praia after a recent
attack. Mocimboa da Praia is where the militants staged their first
attack, back in October 2017. Until recently, the identity of the
assailants had remained unclear and their declared intentions unknown.
But the latest videos, the jihadists no longer bother covering their
faces. “We don''t want a government from unbelievers, we want a
government from Allah,” the group member added, speaking in the local
Kimwani language to residents rounded up for a rally. For more than
two years the jihadists mainly targeted isolated villages, killing
more than 700 people, according to the French aid group MSF, and
displacing at least 200,000, according to a local Catholic archbishop,
Dom Luiz Fernando.”
United States
The
Hill: Poll Finds Americans See Infectious Diseases, Terrorism,
Cyberattacks As Top Threats
“Americans rank the spread of infectious disease, terrorist attacks
and cyberattacks as the top national security threats, a study
released by the Pew Research Center on Monday found. Pew researchers
found that 79 percent of those surveyed ranking the spread of
infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, as the top threat to the
country. More than 70 percent of those polled identified cyberattacks
from other countries and the spread of nuclear weapons as major
threats. Concerns around threats from global warming, the economy and
global poverty were also cited as national threats by those polled.
The results were compiled based on calls throughout March with 1,000
American adults, with the calls taking place as COVID-19 spread
throughout the world and became a pandemic. The researchers saw a
noted spike in those polled identifying infectious diseases as a top
threat as the month went on. “Worries about both the threat of
infectious diseases and the condition of the global economy rose after
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on March 13,” the
researchers noted. The researchers found generational and
political-party gaps in those who identified certain issues as major
threats.”
Syria
Kurdistan
24: Anti-ISIS Forces Arrest 4 ISIS Cells In Syria With Coalition
Support
“Anti-terror units of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested
four Islamic State cells in an operation that included air support
from the Coalition, the Kurdish-led forces said on Monday. The SDF’s
Coordination and Military Operations Centre said on Twitter that its
troops, “with air support from the international coalition,” carried
out two operations against Islamic State cells in the last 72 hours,
arresting four elements of the active cells in Deir al-Zor province.
Myles B. Caggins III, Spokesman for the US-led Coalition, formally
known as Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Resolve (CJTF-OIR),
confirmed to Kurdistan 24 that the coalition offered air support
during the SDF operation. “These raids against known ISIS militants
indicate the competence and commitment of the SDF's anti-terror
commandos,” he said. “The Coalition continues to support the SDF for
anti-ISIS operations by sharing intelligence and providing
eyes-in-the-sky, while we all face the challenge of preventing the
spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).” According to a monthly report the
Syria-based Rojava Information Centre (RIC) published on April 7,
March saw decreases across the board – “in terms of (ISIS) attacks,
(SDF) raids, deaths, and arrests – suggesting COVID-19 has distracted
SDF and ISIS alike.”
Iraq
Kurdistan
24: Iraqi Forces Clash With ISIS Remnants In Rural
Kirkuk
“Iraqi forces on Monday reported casualties on both sides during
clashes with remnants of the so-called Islamic State in rural areas to
the south of the disputed Kirkuk province. This is yet another
incident involving operatives of the terrorist organization, which
appears to have grown more active over the past two weeks. An Iraqi
soldier was killed, and two others were wounded during the exchanges,
according to a statement from the Iraqi military communications
center, the Security Media Cell (SMC). It noted that the security
forces, backed by Iraqi air forces support, had killed “a number of”
Islamic State members. The confrontation occurred in the al-Shai
Valley, a patch of territory that is characterized by rough terrain
and—despite repeated combing operations Iraqi forces have
conducted—remains a hideout for remnants of the terrorist
organization, from where they plan future attacks on nearby areas. The
SMC said that the security forces engaged the Islamic State militants
after detecting a hiding place for “terrorists.” It did not provide
further details but indicated that the operation was “still ongoing”
at the time of the statement’s release and would. Islamic State
sleeper cells have continued to carry out insurgency-style attacks
even over two years after Baghdad declared a victory over the group
after it lost all its territorial holdings in the country.”
Turkey
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Turkey Thwarts Infiltration Of 5 'Terrorists' From
Syria
“Turkish security services thwarted the infiltration of five
“terrorists” from Syria to the Mardin border state in southeastern
Turkey. “The armed forces and Gendarmerie Command squads in Mardin
province launched technical and physical surveillance upon receiving
intelligence from the National Intelligence Organization (MIT),” read
a statement by the Mardin governor’s office. According to the
statement, the MIT warned that five terrorists would cross from Syria
to carry out a bombing in Turkey. Security forces intercepted them as
they were trying to illegally enter the Senyurt neighborhood in
Kiziltepe district near the Syrian border. They managed to escape,
leaving behind all the material they were going to use in their
attacks. Fifteen kilograms of explosives, 9,200 Syrian pounds ($18),
four SIM cards, nine batteries, three improvised and six electronic
detonators were found among other materials, the statement added.
Turkish security forces had raised the alert level along the border
areas following a terrorist operation targeting Turkish forces at
Dogubayazit town, near the Gurbulak border gate with Iran, on March
31. The attack damaged a natural gas pipeline and halted gas flows
from Iran to Turkey, and left 30 Turkish soldiers dead and destroyed
30 armored vehicles.”
Afghanistan
Reuters:
U.S., Taliban Officials Meet To Discuss Prisoner Release Dispute:
Taliban Spokesman
“The chief U.S. negotiator and the top U.S. commander in
Afghanistan held talks on Monday with Taliban officials in Doha on a
prisoner release dispute that helped stall U.S.-led peace-making
efforts, a Taliban spokesman said. The discussions, held despite the
global coronavirus pandemic, followed some movement on prisoner
releases, with Kabul freeing some 300 insurgent detainees and the
Taliban releasing a first batch of government prisoners. The dispute
over the size and pace of the releases, an increase in Taliban
violence and other issues have stalled the U.S.-led effort to end
America’s longest war and decades of strife in Afghanistan. Suhail
Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban office in Doha, said on Twitter
that U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. Army
General Scott Miller met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder
of the insurgent movement and its chief negotiator. The sides
discussed the “complete implementation” of a Feb. 29 U.S.-Taliban deal
for a phased U.S. troop withdrawal “as well as delay in the release of
prisoners,” Shaheen said. He added that “violations of the agreement
and other issues and ways of their solutions were also
discussed.”
Pakistan
The
New York Times: Pakistan Summons Indian Official To Protest At
Cross-Border Shelling
“Pakistan on Monday summoned an Indian official to protest over
cross-border shelling from its neighbour that it said had killed a
child and wounded four civilians. India and Pakistan have accused each
other of mortar and artillery shelling along the de facto border known
as the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the disputed Kashmir region.
The sporadic exchanges began on Saturday. The two South Asian nuclear
powers both claim the Kashmir region in full, but rule only parts, and
often accuse each other of breaching a 2003 ceasefire pact by shelling
and firing across the LoC. The Pakistani foreign ministry said in a
statement that Islamabad had summoned an Indian ministry official to
lodge a protest over ceasefire violations by Delhi. Kashmir remains
divided between the two countries since they won independence from
British rule in 1947. The neighbours have fought two of their three
wars over Kashmir. India said at the weekend that Pakistani shelling
had killed three civilians, while the Pakistani foreign ministry said
Indian firing had killed the child and wounded four others. “This
year, India has so far committed 749 ceasefire violations to date,”
the ministry said, and it condemned the targeting of innocent
civilians.”
Yemen
The
Jerusalem Post: Houthi Death Sentences: Executing Journalists Or
Targeting Peace?
“While Yemenis have looked to international movements for a
comprehensive cease-fire and preparation for dialogue to end a civil
war and suffering, we were surprised by the Houthis’ death sentence
for four of 10 journalists held since June 2015 and being tried on
trumped-up charges. Illegal death sentences issued by the so-called
Specialized Criminal Court refer to terrorism cases against
journalists Abdelkhaleq Omran, Akram al-Walidi, Harith Hameed and
Tawfiq al-Mansuri. It was a mock trial lacking justice and integrity,
according to the defense attorney. The ruling is a provocation to
Yemenis, and a blatant challenge to the international community in
light of calls to end the war and bring peace. The rulings reflect not
only the Iran-backed militia’s systematic, heinous crimes against
society, but the lack of freedom of opinion and expression, and the
liquidation of opponents, including journalists, to hide its crimes.
They also reflect persistent efforts to torpedo any de-escalation and
ceasefire, as well as negotiations for a comprehensive political
solution, by using suffering Yemenis as a bargaining chip. Since the
September 21, 2014, coup d’état by the Houthi militia, journalists and
media outlets have been subjected to the widest of crackdowns and
abuse campaigns. Its control of territory has turned these areas into
large prisons with a single media voice.”
Libya
The
New York Times: Forces Aligned With Tripoli Government Advance Along
West Libyan Coast
“Forces aligned with Libya's internationally recognized government
seized two towns west of the capital Tripoli on Monday after heavy
clashes and drone strikes, military sources and residents said. If
held, the towns of Surman and Sabratha would represent a significant
gain for forces trying to fight off a year-old campaign against
Tripoli by rivals loyal to eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar. It
could also relieve some pressure for the Tripoli-based Government of
National Accord (GNA), which has been struggling with water and power
cuts in recent days on top of the loss of revenue from blockaded oil
ports in the east. Libya has been split into rival factions based in
Tripoli and the east since 2014, each with parallel sets of
institutions. Over the past year fighting has escalated and drawn in
greater foreign involvement as Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA)
attacked the capital. On Monday, residents and military sources from
both sides said GNA-aligned forces had taken full control of Surman,
about 60km (37 miles) west of Tripoli, and Sabratha, just west of
Surman. The area has been a hub for migrant smuggling and Islamist
militants in recent years. Videos circulating online showed dozens of
GNA fighters shooting in the air near a roundabout in central
Sabratha.”
Nigeria
The
Christian Post: Nigeria: 4 Killed At Pastor’s Home In Jihadist
Attack
“The pastor of an evangelical church in north-central Nigeria and
three members of his congregation, including a 10-year-old boy, were
shot dead by radical Fulani herdsmen, according to a Christian
persecution watchdog. The attack took place at the house of Pastor
Matthew Tagwai of Evangelical Church Winning All in the village of
Ngbra Zongo near the Miango area in Plateau State’s Bassa County on
the night of April 7, according to Morning Star News. “The attack was
carried out by armed herdsmen against the community,” an area
resident, identified as Patience Moses, was quoted as saying. “Two
other Christians … were also injured during the attack by the
herdsmen, and they are currently being treated at a hospital at
Dantako village.” The deceased pastor was 34. “This new attack, like
the ones before it, is condemnable,” said the Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, Jr.,
ECWA general secretary, about the killing of Christians in Plateau
state and northern Nigeria. “The continuing attacks on harmless and
unsuspecting Christian communities without a concrete, strategic
response from our duty-bearers to protect our people leaves much to be
desired.”
Premium
Times: Seven Travelers Killed In Suspected Boko Haram Attack Near
Maiduguri
“At least seven persons were on Sunday killed after suspected Boko
Haram insurgents attacked two vehicles traveling along
Maiduguri-Damaturu highway, sources said. The attack took place on the
outskirts of Auno, a village not more than 20km away from Maiduguri,
the Borno State capital. The victims were said to be travelling during
the late hours when they came under attack. The government of Borno
State had two weeks ago placed a movement restriction on all roads
leading to and from the state, but the main highway to the state,
popularly called Kano-Maiduguri road, still remained open to
motorists. The state’s committee on COVID-19, led by the deputy
governor, Umar Kadafur, on Sunday announced the shutdown of the
remaining road. The new order is to come into effect Monday. A witness
who was traveling out of Maiduguri said he saw at least seven bodies
on the road just outside Auno village. “We just came across a scene of
suspected Boko Haram attack here in Auno, and residents said the
attack took place last night,” the source said. “From what I hurriedly
counted there were seven corpses and I saw two vehicles that were set
ablaze – a Toyota Hilux and a truck filled with bags of beans that are
still smoking.”
Africa
All
Africa: Kenya: Four Al-Shabaab Killed, Police Reservists Hurt In Wajir
Gunfight
“Four suspected Al-Shabaab militants have been killed in a gun
battle with police reservists in Wajir. During the Monday morning
shootout in Kakabey - between Qarsa and Ausmudule in Wajir County - an
unknown number of police reservists were injured. Wajir County Police
Commander Thomas Ngeywa confirmed the incident which happened at
around 10am. Mr Ngeywa said that the police reservists were on routine
patrol in the area when they came into contact with the Somalia-based
ragtag militia. The area is about eight kilometres from the
Kenya-Somalia border. “Earlier today we received reports that some of
our police reservists who were on routine patrol encountered an
unknown number of suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Qarsa area before
a gun fight ensued resulting in casualties,” said Mr Ngeywa. But he
could not confirm the number of reservists who were injured, saying a
security team had been dispatched to the area to ascertain what
transpired. “I cannot confirm the number of casualties at the moment
but we are aware that four militants were gunned down, “said Mr
Ngeywa. Unconfirmed reports indicated that two police reservists were
critically injured during the gun fight.”
Germany
RFI:
Holocaust Memorial Sites Fight New Threat From Far
Right
“From swastikas sprayed on the walls to Hitler salute selfies,
far-right provocations are a growing problem at the sites of former
Nazi concentration camps in Germany. Museum directors have sounded the
alarm over a spike in incidents, which include visitors writing
messages of Holocaust denial in the guestbook and challenging tour
guides on the facts of the genocide. “Messages glorifying Nazism or
demanding the camps be reopened for foreigners have become more
common,” Volkhard Knigge, museum director at the former Buchenwald
concentration camp in eastern Germany, told AFP. “There have always
been incidents at memorial sites, but we have noticed an escalation
due to the far right's breaching of language taboos,” he said. At
Buchenwald, where 56,000 people died between 1937 and 1945, the number
of reported incidents has doubled since 2015. Right-wing extremists
have also been known to take smiling selfies in front of furnaces used
to cremate victims and leave stickers glorifying their fellow
revisionists, Knigge said. More recently, a growing number of tour
guides have been interrupted by extremists propagating revisionist
theories. Uwe Neumaerker, director of Berlin's Memorial to the
Murdered Jews of Europe, said that his museum faced similar
problems.”
Daily
Sabah: Every Other Right-Wing Extremist Crime Unsolved In Southwest
Germany
“The police in Germany’s southwest solve more right-extremist crime
but cannot solve every other case, according to Interior Ministry data
shown to dpa. As stated in the data, the crime-solving rate in the
southwest was 47.6% last year, compared to 39.4% in 2018. The average
crime-solving rate for all crimes in 2018 is 60.8%. The police
recorded an almost 10% rise in right-wing motivated crimes last year –
from 1451 in 2018 to 1596 in 2019. Many of these crimes are so-called
propaganda offenses such as smearing on swastikas, said a spokesman
for the Interior Ministry. It is essential to note that the crime
statistics only include crimes registered by the police – many cases
remain unreported. In the state of Baden-Württemberg, there were 10
politically motivated crimes again asylum centers in 2019. Seven of
these were identified as right-wing acts. The solving rate for
right-wing extremist violent crimes, of which there were 40 in the
previous year, was significantly higher, at 77.5%. The primary goal is
to prevent an attack in Baden-Württemberg – regardless of the motive,
the Interior Ministry said. Most of the unsolved crimes are the ones
that have a generally low solving rate such as crimes involving
damages on properties.”
Australia
The
Canberra Times: Queensland Terrorism Suspect Faces
Court
“An alleged Queensland terrorism sympathiser will have to wait to
learn if he will be extradited to NSW to face trial. Alaa Adam Atwani,
28, is charged with attempting to provide support to a terrorist
organisation in 2014 after allegedly trying to send his brother
video-editing software. An order to extradite him was suspended in the
Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday ahead of an application to
review the decision.”
|
