“The Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced plans this week
to return millions of internally displaced people (IDP) to their home villages
and provinces in Afghanistan, a move analysts warn could worsen the country's
humanitarian crisis. “In the first phase, 5,000 displaced families in Kabul
would be moved to different places to their places of origin. Most of these
families are from [the northeastern province of] Kunduz,” said the ministry’s
statement, issued Wednesday. The Taliban called on national and international
organizations to support their relocation plan. “This is a priority for the
ministry,” the statement said. “It is a good decision to relocate displaced
families to their communities of origin,” said Sayed Ahmad Selab, the founder
of the Selab Charity Foundation and former Afghan parliamentarian, adding, “but
it could bring about a humanitarian crisis under the current circumstances.””











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Eye on Extremism



November 18, 2024



Voice Of America: Taliban Relocation Plan Could Worsen Humanitarian Crisis In
Afghanistan, Analysts Say
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“The Taliban's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced plans this week
to return millions of internally displaced people (IDP) to their home villages
and provinces in Afghanistan, a move analysts warn could worsen the country's
humanitarian crisis. “In the first phase, 5,000 displaced families in Kabul
would be moved to different places to their places of origin. Most of these
families are from [the northeastern province of] Kunduz,” said the ministry’s
statement, issued Wednesday. The Taliban called on national and international
organizations to support their relocation plan. “This is a priority for the
ministry,” the statement said. “It is a good decision to relocate displaced
families to their communities of origin,” said Sayed Ahmad Selab, the founder
of the Selab Charity Foundation and former Afghan parliamentarian, adding, “but
it could bring about a humanitarian crisis under the current circumstances.””



BBC News: Hezbollah Media Chief Killed In Israeli Strike In Beirut
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“Hezbollah's media chief Mohammed Afif has been killed in an Israeli strike in
central Beirut, the Lebanese militant group has confirmed. A strike hit the
headquarters of the Baath political party in the densely populated Ras al-Naba
neighbourhood on Sunday, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.
The country's health ministry said four people were killed, but did not name
the victims. Afif, one of the few remaining public faces of the group, was last
seen on Monday, when he gave a press conference in Beirut’s southern suburbs,
where the group is based. Hezbollah confirmed the death on Sunday evening,
several hours after it was first reported. Most of the headquarters of the
Lebanese branch of the Syrian Baath party was destroyed in the strike, as
rescue and civil defence teams rushed to aid a number of people trapped under
the rubble, the National News Agency reported.”




CEP Expert Analysis

*
ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency In October 2024
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*
ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency In September 2024
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*
CEP Report: Civilian Counterterrorism Militias Take Action, Introduce New
Challenges to Combatting Violent Extremism in Africa
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*
CEP Policy Brief: Identifying and Disrupting Key Antisemitic Actors
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Extremist Content Online: Extreme Right Celebrates Anti-Muslim Immigration
Riots on Telegram and X
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CEP Mentions



Russian Roulette In Yemen | War On The Rocks
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CEP Non-Resident Fellow Ari Heistein made an appearance on “The WarCast”
podcast from War On The Rocks to discuss recent events in Yemen.



United States



Associated Press: Trump Pentagon Pick Had Been Flagged By Fellow Service
Member As Possible ‘Insider Threat’
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“Pete Hegseth, the Army National Guard veteran and Fox News host nominated by
Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was flagged as a possible
“Insider Threat” by a fellow service member due to a tattoo on his bicep that’s
associated with white supremacist groups. Hegseth, who has downplayed the role
of military members and veterans in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack and railed against
the Pentagon’s subsequent efforts to address extremism in the ranks, has said
he was pulled by his District of Columbia National Guard unit from guarding Joe
Biden’s January 2021 inauguration. He’s said he was unfairly identified as an
extremist due to a cross tattoo on his chest.”



Iraq


Reuters: Iraq’s Missing Yazidis: Inside The Long Search For Islamic State
Captives
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“Aydin Hadid Talal thought his whole family had been killed in Islamic
State’s ferocious assault on Iraq’s Yazidi religious minority a decade ago.
Then last year, the 20-year-old started receiving messages from a Facebook
account he didn’t recognize, asking about his missing brother, Rojin. “Can you
give me a call?” the person asked. “No, I can’t. I don’t know you,” Aydin said.
“I’m Rojin,” came the response. The last time Aydin had seen his younger
brother was in March 2019, when they were both captives of IS in Syria. He
asked to see a picture to confirm it was Rojin. It was. They then spent more
than two hours on a video call. They were eager to reunite, but it wouldn’t be
easy. Rojin, who is 18, was working in Idlib, a city in northwestern Syria that
is a last bastion of anti-government rebels and Islamist extremists with ties
to al-Qaeda and IS.”



Reuters: Roadside Bomb Kills Three Soldiers In Northern Iraq
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“A roadside bomb targeting an Iraqi army vehicle killed three soldiers in
northern Iraq on Sunday, police and hospital sources said. The attack near the
town of Tuz Khurmatu, about 175 km (110 miles) north of the capital Baghdad,
critically wounded two others, they said. The Islamic State militant group
claimed responsibility. Its news agency, Amaq, said two senior officers and a
soldier had been killed and three others wounded. Islamic State was defeated in
2017 after seizing swathes of Iraq and Syria, but remnants continue to conduct
hit-and-run attacks against government forces.”



Turkey



Reuters: Hamas Political office Has Not Moved To Turkey From Qatar, Turkish
Source Says
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“A Turkish diplomatic source dismissed on Monday reports that Hamas had moved
its political office to Turkey from Qatar, adding that members of the
Palestinian militant group only visited the country from time to time. Qatar
said last week it had told Hamas and Israel that it will suspend efforts to
mediate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal until both show willingness
and seriousness. Doha also said media reports that it had told Hamas to leave
the Gulf Arab country were not accurate. NATO member Turkey has fiercely
criticised Israel over its offensives in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon and does
not consider Hamas a terrorist organisation. Some Hamas political officials
regularly visit Turkey. "Hamas Political Bureau members visit Turkey from time
to time. Claims that indicate the Hamas Political Bureau has moved to Turkey do
not reflect the truth," the diplomatic source said.”



Afghanistan



The Guardian: Revealed: The Truth Behind The Taliban’s Brutal Kabul
‘Regeneration’ Programme
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“When the Taliban began a sweeping redevelopment drive in Kabul soon after
returning to power three years ago, they claimed there was a need to modernise
Afghanistan’s historic capital. A new investigation, however, reveals that the
Taliban’s regeneration programme has left thousands of people homeless and had
a brutal impact on the most vulnerable communities, with claims of properties
being demolished with children still inside. Using satellite imagery, social
media footage and testimony from Afghan residents, the findings offer a first
comprehensive insight into the Taliban’s ambitious redevelopment of Kabul – but
also its true cost. Satellite analysis indicates that 1.56 sq km (385 acres) of
the city – the equivalent of more than 220 football pitches – was flattened
within the city between August 2021 and August 2024.”



BBC: 'We Are Dying Every Moment' - The Afghans Risking Their Lives To Reach UK
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“The first time Azaan made the jump across the wall, he broke his arm.
Braving the 20ft (6m) drop into a wide trench below is, for many Afghans, the
only way to cross into Turkey from Iran - and yet hundreds risk it each day. “I
was in severe pain,” the former Afghan army officer told the BBC. “Several
others had broken limbs. The smuggler left us here and told us to run in the
direction of the lights of Van city. Many of us were fading out of hunger. I
fainted.” The wall - which stretches for nearly 300km (185 miles) - was built
to prevent illegal crossings, and is patrolled constantly by Turkish border
forces. Jumping off it is among the first of a series of extraordinary risks
Afghan migrants take as they cross continents, countries and seas to reach the
UK and other countries in Europe.”



Pakistan



Reuters: Militants Kill Seven Paramilitary Troops In Southwestern Pakistan
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“Militants stormed a paramilitary checkpoint in southwestern Pakistan on
Saturday, killing seven troops, the latest in a string of attacks by separatist
insurgents, police said. The early-morning attack in the mountainous Kalat
district, some 150 km south of Quetta, capital of the southwestern Balochistan
province, continued for several hours, said police officer Habib-ur-Rehman.
Another 18 wounded paramilitary soldiers, some in critical condition, were
admitted to local hospitals, he said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned
the attack.

Separatist militant group the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said in an email
sent to a Reuters reporter that its fighters had attacked the checkpoint.”



Yemen



Associated Press: Suspected Houthi Rebels In Yemen Target A Ship In The Red
Sea And Gulf Of Aden
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“Suspected attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship
traveling through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, though no damage or injuries
were reported, authorities said Monday. The attacks come as the rebels continue
their monthslong assault targeting shipping through a waterway that typically
sees $1 trillion in goods pass through it a year over the Israel-Hamas war in
Gaza and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. The ship’s captain saw that “a
missile splashed in close proximity to the vessel” as it traveled in the
southern Red Sea near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting to the Gulf of Aden
in the first attack late Sunday night, the British military’s United Kingdom
Maritime Trade Operations center said in an alert. The attack happened some 30
miles (48 kilometers) west of Yemen port city of Mocha.”



Middle East



Associated Press: An Israeli Strike In Beirut Kills Hezbollah’s Spokesman,
While A Strike In Gaza Kills At Least 30
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“A rare Israeli strike in central Beirut killed the Hezbollah militant
group’s chief spokesman on Sunday, while an Israeli strike in northern Gaza ’s
Beit Lahiya killed at least 30 people, a hospital director there told The
Associated Press. Mohammed Afif al-Naboulsi was killed in a strike on the Arab
socialist Baath party’s office in Beirut, Hezbollah confirmed in a statement.
He had been especially visible after all-out war erupted between Israel and
Hezbollah in September. Israel’s military in a statement said he “wielded
significant influence over Hezbollah’s military operations” and “glorified and
incited” attacks on Israel. It was the latest targeted killing of a senior
Hezbollah official. On Sunday night, another strike in central Beirut hit a
computer shop, killing two people and wounding 22, Lebanon’s Health Ministry
said. There was no immediate comment from Israel’s military.”



Nigeria



Reuters: Nigeria And India Agree Deeper Ties In Maritime Security,
Counter-Terrorism
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"Nigeria and India on Sunday agreed to deepen collaboration in maritime
security, intelligence and counter-terrorism during a state visit to the West
African country by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi is the first
Indian premier to visit Nigeria in 17 years after an invitation by President
Bola Tinubu, who is seeking investments from some of the world's biggest
economies. Modi arrived in the capital Abuja on Saturday night and met Tinubu
at the presidential villa on Sunday where the two leaders also discussed
economic development, defence, healthcare and food security, a joint statement
said. With growing threats in the Gulf of Guinea and the Indian Ocean, the two
countries agreed to coordinated action to safeguard maritime trade routes and
combat piracy. Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is seeking to woo more
Indian investment and cheaper lines of credit to boost its economy and create
jobs."



Africa



The Times Of India: PM Modi, Nigerian President Pledge To Fight Terrorism &
Radicalisation
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“PM Narendra Modi and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu committed to jointly
fighting terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation as the latter on
Sunday hosted Modi for what was the first visit by an Indian PM to the West
African country in 17 years. Modi spoke about opening a new chapter in ties as
he stressed the importance India attaches to its strategic partnership with
Nigeria. India and Nigeria had held their second strategic and counterterrorism
dialogue earlier this month, in the run up to Modi's visit. The PM identified
terrorism and radicalisation along with piracy and drug trafficking as major
challenges the two countries were facing and pledged to intensify cooperation
in order to deal with them. The two leaders talked in detail about deepening
cooperation in defence and security.”



Associated Press: At Least 13 People Killed And More Kidnapped By Extremist
Rebels In Eastern Congo
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“At least 13 people were killed and others kidnapped in eastern Congo by
extremist rebels linked to the Islamic State group, local authorities said
Saturday. Rebels with the Allied Democratic Forces, which has ties to IS,
killed civilians in Mabisio village in North Kivu province, said the area’s
administrator, Col. Alain Kiwewa, on state television. Women were among those
killed in the attack late Friday evening, and houses were burned and looted, he
said. Eastern Congo has struggled with armed violence for decades as more than
120 groups fight for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others
try to defend their communities. Some armed groups have been accused of mass
killings. In recent years, ADF attacks have intensified and spread towards
Goma, eastern Congo’s main city, as well as neighboring Ituri province.”



France



Reuters: French Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor To Appeal Against Lebanese
Militant's Release
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“The office of France's anti-terrorism prosecutor said on Friday it would
appeal against a French court's decision to grant the release of a Lebanese
militant jailed for attacks on U.S. and Israeli diplomats in France in the
early 1980s. PNAT said Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a former head of the Lebanese
Armed Revolutionary Brigade, would be released on Dec. 6 under the court's
decision on condition that he leave France and not return. Abdallah was given a
life sentence in 1987 for his role in the murders of U.S. diplomat Charles Ray
in Paris and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov in 1982, and in the attempted
murder of U.S. Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg in 1984.
Representatives for the embassies of the United States and Israel, as well as
the Ministry of Justice, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.”



Southeast Asia



The Washington Post: Philippines Pivots From Battling Militants To Projecting
Power At Sea
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“For a half-century, Philippine soldiers deployed on the southwestern edge of
the country have been dedicated to squashing separatist movements led by
Islamist rebels. Now, the troops here are being retrained to confront what
their leaders see as a different and urgent threat: China. Chinese forces in
the South China Sea, a strategic waterway claimed in part by the Philippines
and six other governments, have become increasingly assertive, not only posing
a threat to Philippine security but also challenging a Western-led effort to
contain China’s power in the wider region, according to Philippine leaders and
Western security analysts. The Philippine military must overhaul its
capabilities after decades of focusing on internal guerrilla wars, military
analysts say.”



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