“Several European countries are considering reopening their embassies in
Afghanistan in a move that would entail diplomatic recognition of the Taliban
almost three years after the fall of Kabul, according to people familiar with
the matter. In a sign of potential interest, Italy conducted a reconnaissance
mission with its intelligence services in Kabul in the past few weeks, said
some of the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive plans.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed Rome’s ambassador, currently posted
to Doha, Qatar, had visited Kabul. “We are working on it. There has been a
mission by our ambassador,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of the
NATO summit in Washington last week. “There are human rights problems. The
solution is very complicated, it will take time.” Western nations, including
the US, left Afghanistan after hastily evacuating nationals and security
personnel in 2021, as Kabul fell to the Taliban, who had mounted a decades-long
insurgency after being toppled from power in 2001.











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Eye on Extremism



July 16, 2024



Bloomberg: EU Nations Mull Reopening Afghan Embassies, Recognizing Taliban
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“Several European countries are considering reopening their embassies in
Afghanistan in a move that would entail diplomatic recognition of the Taliban
almost three years after the fall of Kabul, according to people familiar with
the matter. In a sign of potential interest, Italy conducted a reconnaissance
mission with its intelligence services in Kabul in the past few weeks, said
some of the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive plans.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed Rome’s ambassador, currently posted
to Doha, Qatar, had visited Kabul. “We are working on it. There has been a
mission by our ambassador,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of the
NATO summit in Washington last week. “There are human rights problems. The
solution is very complicated, it will take time.” Western nations, including
the US, left Afghanistan after hastily evacuating nationals and security
personnel in 2021, as Kabul fell to the Taliban, who had mounted a decades-long
insurgency after being toppled from power in 2001.



Reuters: Pakistan Army Says Eight Soldiers Killed In Militant Attack On Base
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“Islamist militants attacked a military base in northwestern Pakistan,
killing eight security personnel, the military said on Tuesday, after a suicide
bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into a perimeter wall. The
attack, which occurred on Monday, coincides with a resurgence of Islamist
militancy in the restive northwest border region with Afghanistan, which last
month prompted the government to launch a counter-insurgency operation in the
area. Militants targeted the base in Bannu, on the border with the tribal area
of North Waziristan, which is known as a hotbed of Islamist militancy, and is
close to the Afghanistan border. Security forces killed all 10 assailants
involved, the military said in a statement. "This timely and effective response
... prevented major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives," the statement
added. Among the dead in Monday's attack were seven army members and one
paramilitary soldier.”



CEP Mentions



Tagesspiegel: More And More Attacks By Radical Settlers: Can The Violence In
The West Be Contained
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“Yehuda Fox was more than clear. In recent months, "nationalist crime has
resurfaced under the guise of war," said the outgoing commander of the Central
Command of the Israeli armed forces in his farewell speech last Monday. It has
led to "chaos and fear among the Palestinian residents, who pose no threat."
Some Israelis have adopted "the methods of the enemy."[…] "There is an
extremely radical settler movement in Israel. Its supporters live in the West
Bank and see this as a political-ideological act," says Hans-Jakob Schindler,
senior director of the international Counter Extremism Project, to the
Tagesspiegel. By constantly putting pressure on Palestinian communities in the
immediate vicinity, the settlers tried to persuade the Palestinians to leave
the West Bank, says Schindler. In doing so, they often set up so-called
outposts, small settlements that are illegal even under Israeli law.”



United States



The New York Times: Biden Calls J.D. Vance A Trump ‘clone’ As Democrats Label
Him An Extremist
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“Democrats seized on former President Donald J. Trump’s selection of Senator
J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate on Monday, calling Mr. Vance an
extremist whose views on abortion, tax cuts and the results of the 2020
election would repel many Americans. Mr. Vance, 39, entered the Senate only
last year and has closely allied himself with the MAGA movement after attacking
Mr. Trump during the 2016 election. Before boarding Air Force One on Monday for
campaign events in Las Vegas, President Biden told reporters that Mr. Vance was
“a clone of Trump on the issues” and said he did not “see any difference”
between them. Mr. Biden’s campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, said on a call
with reporters that Mr. Vance would “bend over backwards to enable Trump and
his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law.” Among other
issues, she called out his false statements that the 2020 election had been
stolen.”



Pakistan



Voice Of America: 3 Killed In Car Bomb-And-Gun Attack On Pakistan Military
Compound
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“Authorities in northwestern Pakistan said Monday that a suicide bomber drove
an explosive-laden vehicle into a military compound, followed by several armed
insurgents storming it, resulting in the death of at least three soldiers and
injuries to 12 others. The pre-dawn raid occurred in the garrison city of Bannu
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Local police
officials and witnesses reported that the intensity of the blast had also
shattered nearby civilian homes, injuring at least six people. Security sources
told VOA that Pakistani soldiers quickly “cornered” the assailants in a part of
the building, killing four of them in the ensuing heavy gunfight. They said
that army commandos were conducting a “clearance operation” to neutralize the
threat and secure the compound completely. A spokesperson from the military's
media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), told VOA they are
waiting for further details.”



Yemen



Associated Press: Two Attacks By Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Strike Ships In The Red
Sea
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“Two attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted ships in the Red Sea on Monday
as a new U.S. aircraft carrier approached the region to provide security for
the key international trade route that has been under assault since the
Israel-Hamas war erupted nine months ago. Three small Houthi vessels, two of
which were crewed and another uncrewed, attacked the Panama-flagged and
Israeli-owned MT Bently I off the coast of Al Hudaydah, Yemen, according to
British and American authorities. The “reported unmanned small craft collided
with the vessel twice and the 2 manned small craft fired at the vessel,” the
British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported.
”The vessel conducted self-protection measures, after 15 minutes the small
craft aborted the attack.” The captain later reported three separate waves of
missile attacks that exploded in close proximity to the vessel.”



Lebanon



Associated Press: Israeli Drone Strike Along Lebanon-Syria Border Kills Syrian
Businessman Close To The Government
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“An Israeli drone strike on a car Monday near the Lebanon-Syria border killed
a prominent Syrian businessman who was sanctioned by the United States and had
close ties to the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to
pro-government media and an official from an Iran-backed group. Mohammed Baraa
Katerji was killed when a drone strike hit his car near the area of Saboura, a
few kilometers or miles inside Syria after apparently crossing from Lebanon.
Israel’s air force has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in recent years,
mainly targeting members of Iran-backed groups and Syria’s military. But it has
been rare to hit personalities from within the government. The strike also came
as Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group have been exchanging fire on an almost
daily basis since early October, after the start of the Israel-Hamas war.”



Middle East



Reuters: Palestinian Factions, Including Hamas And Fatah, To Meet In China In
July
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“Palestinian factions, including rivals Hamas and Fatah, will hold unity
talks in China in July, two senior Hamas and Fatah officials told Reuters on
Monday, as they try to resolve deep divisions. The two factions met in China in
April to discuss reconciliation efforts to end around 17 years of political
splits. The meetings come amid rising tensions between the two factions over
Hamas' continued war with Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who
leads the Fatah movement, has previously criticized the Islamist Hamas group
for the war, while Hamas has accused the Palestinian president of taking
Israel's side. The two main Palestinian factions have been at odds since Hamas
won legislative elections in 2006 and took over the Gaza Strip in 2007 after a
brief civil war in which it routed the Western-backed Palestinian forces loyal
to Abbas.”



Associated Press: Far-Right Groups That Block Aid To Gaza Receive
Tax-Deductible Donations From US And Israel
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“Under American pressure, Israel has pledged to deliver large quantities of
humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. But at the same time, the
U.S. and Israel have allowed tax-deductible donations to far-right groups that
have blocked that aid from being delivered. Three groups that have prevented
humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza — including one accused of looting or
destroying supplies — have raised more than $200,000 from donors in the U.S.
and Israel, The Associated Press and the Israeli investigative site Shomrim
have found in an examination of crowdfunding websites and other public records.
Incentivizing these donations by making them tax-deductible runs counter to
America’s and Israel’s stated commitments to allow unlimited food, water and
medicine into Gaza, say groups working to get more aid into the territory.
Donations have continued even after the U.S. imposed sanctions against one of
these groups.”



Reuters: Four Killed, Several Wounded By Gunfire Near Mosque In Oman, Police
Say
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“Four people were killed and several wounded by gunfire in the vicinity of a
mosque in Oman, the Omani police said on Tuesday, a rare breach of security in
one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. "All security measures and
procedures have been taken to deal with the situation, and procedures for
gathering evidence and investigation are being completed," the police said in a
statement. The U.S. embassy in the capital Muscat said it is following reports
of the shooting incident in Wadi al-Kabir, in the governorate of the capital
city Muscat. "U.S. citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed
directions of local authorities," it said in a statement. Oman has maintained
its neutrality in the turbulent region and mediated in disputes including
between the United States and Iran.”



Somalia



Garowe Online: Dozens Of Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed In Somalia
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“Somalia's infantry soldiers from the Somali National Army (SNA) have killed
over 50 Al-Shabaab fighters in central regions, the biggest achievement within
the last few months after operations were briefly halted across the country.
The operation was activated in Masagaway and Awsweyne, Galgudud region, with
the army moving forward to reclaim all strategic towns in the middle of the
ongoing exit of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops.
According to reports, members of the international community also participated
in the operation, helping the Somali National Army and local forces who were on
the frontlines. The US Africa Command is yet to make an update. "Over 50
al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in a joint operation by the National Army and
local forces in the Mesegaway and Awsweyne areas of Galgaduud region," state
media confirmed in an update on X formerly Twitter.”



Reuters: Car Bomb Kills Five, Injures 20 Outside Restaurant In Somalia's
Capital
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“Al Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack on an affiliated
radio station, saying the bombing targeted a place where security and
government workers meet at night. The Islamist group, which once ruled much of
Somalia, has been fighting for years to impose its strict interpretation of
Islam on Somalia. The insurgents have frequently launched raids and deadly
attacks in Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government in
the last two years, despite losing large swathes of territory to government
forces and their allies.”



Africa



Voice Of America: Chad Declares Humanitarian Crisis, Pleads For International
Help
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“Officials in Chad say urgent international help is needed to save the lives
of more than 2 million people caught in a severe humanitarian crisis caused by
conflicts and climate shocks. Officials say the country is among the poorest
nations in the world, and food is particularly scarce now, as hunger peaks in
the June-to-August lean season between harvests. Abdelmadjid Abderahim, Chad's
minister of public health, said he is pleading with all international partners
to help Chad during a severe humanitarian crisis affecting over 2 million
civilians in the country of about 18 million people. Abderahim said flooding,
an influx of refugees, increasing numbers of displaced persons, and armed
conflicts between communities are inflicting suffering on civilians that Chad's
government alone cannot meet. Abderahim, speaking Monday on Chad state TV,
described the food insecurity and humanitarian crisis as unprecedented.”



Germany



DW: Germany Bans Right-Wing Extremist Compact Magazine
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“Germany's Interior Ministry banned the right-wing extremist Compact
magazine, it said on Tuesday. Authorities searched properties related to the
magazine in four German states: Brandenburg, Hesse, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
The aim of the raid was to confiscate assets and evidence, the ministry said.
The ban also applies to Compact's subsidiary Conspect Film, and prohibits any
continuation of previous activities. "It is a central mouthpiece of the
right-wing extremist scene. This magazine incites hatred against Jews, people
with a history of migration and our parliamentary democracy in an unspeakable
manner," said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The ban shows "that we are also
taking action against the intellectual arsonists who are stirring up a climate
of hatred and violence against refugees and migrants and want to overcome our
democratic state," Faeser added.”



Voice Of America: Lebanese Man Arrested In Germany, Accused Of Supplying Drone
Parts To Hezbollah
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“German prosecutors announced on Monday the arrest of a Lebanese man
suspected of being affiliated with the Hezbollah militant group. He is accused
of sourcing drone components intended for export and use in attacks against
Israel. The man, identified as Fadel Z., was arrested Sunday in Salzgitter, in
Lower Saxony state, federal prosecutors said in a statement. Prosecutors
indicated that he was a member of Hezbollah in Lebanon by the summer of 2016.
This year, he reportedly began sourcing components in Germany for military
drones, specifically engines, at the militant group’s request. The parts were
intended for export to Lebanon for use in attacks against Israel, prosecutors
said. Since early October, the Israeli military has engaged in frequent
cross-border exchanges of fire with Hezbollah. Nearly 500 people have been
killed in Lebanon and at least 20 in Israel.”



India



DW: India: 4 Soldiers Killed In Kashmir Militant Fighting
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“At least four Indian soldiers, including an officer, were killed in a
gunfight with suspected rebels in an Indian-administered district in the
disputed Kashmir region, the army said on Tuesday. The shooting took place in
the forests of the Doda district in the Jammu Division. Another police officer
also died later due to his wounds, the French AFP news agency cited an
anonymous security source as saying. The attack comes a day after the Indian
army said it killed three suspected militants as they tried to cross from the
Pakistan-controlled side of the highly-militarized dividing line. Security
forces had launched an operation some 135 kilometers (85 miles) southeast of
the territory's capital Srinagar in the Jammu area on Monday evening. Militants
ambushed the patrolling team, military officials said, with a firefight
ensuing.”



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