A new breakaway Afghan Taliban faction that has close ties to neighboring Iran
and opposes efforts aimed at ending the 18-year insurgency in Afghanist

 

 


<[link removed]>
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Eye on Extremism


June 10, 2020

 

Radio Free Europe: Iranian Links: New Taliban Splinter Group Emerges That
Opposes U.S. Peace Deal
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“A new breakaway Afghan Taliban faction that has close ties to neighboring
Iran and opposes efforts aimed at ending the 18-year insurgency in Afghanistan
has emerged. The Hezb-e Walayat-e Islami, or Party of Islamic Guardianship, is
believed to have split from the mainstream Taliban soon after the United States
and the militant group signed a landmark peace agreement in February. The
formation of the splinter group underlines the possible divisions within the
Taliban, which has seen bitter leadership transitions and growing internal
dissent in recent years. It is unclear whether the new splinter group will
rally broad support, but its emergence could pose a new hurdle for the
U.S.-Taliban deal, which has been undermined by violence, disputes, and delays.
Under that agreement, international forces will withdraw from Afghanistan by
July 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban, which
pledged to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and power-sharing deal with the
Afghan government. Antonio Giustozzi, a Taliban expert with the Royal United
Services Institute in London, said it appears the new splinter group is based
in Iran, which shares a 900-kilometer border with Afghanistan and has a sizable
Afghan population.”

 

Newsweek: Hundreds Of Thousands Sign Petitions Urging The U.S. Government To
Declare KKK A Terrorist Group
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“Hundreds of thousands of people are demanding that the Ku Klux Klan be listed
as a terrorist organization, with several online petitions rapidly gaining
support. A number of change.org petitions have gone viral this week demanding
the white supremacist hate group be classified as terrorists, prompting them to
be included among the top trends on Twitter. One such petition calling for the
KKK to be declared a terrorist organization reached 100,000 signatures before
it closed. Two more petitions have also attracted at least 79,000 and 86,000
signatures, with a fourth demanding the KKK be illegal reaching 125,000
signatures. “Black Americans have suffered the most under this terror group.
Terrorism is the use of violence and intimidation in pursuit of political
aims,” a description on the Change KKK status into Terrorist Organization
petition reads: “We ask if ISIS or ISIL is labeled a terrorist group for their
acts, then surely the KKK fit the clear description of a terrorist.” The
now-closed Declare the KKK a Terrorist Organization petition adds: “What kind
of message is the government spreading by allowing the KKK to function? That
it's okay to be racist? “Think about the pain African Americans endure every
single day for the color of their skin.”

 

Syria

 

The Defense Post: Syria Jihadist-Regime Clashes Leave 41 Fighters Dead
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“An Al-Qaeda offshoot led an offensive Monday against regime forces in
northwest Syria, sparking clashes that left 19 pro-government fighters and 22
jihadists dead, a war monitor said. “Jihadist factions led by Hurras al-Deen
launched an assault on two villages in Sahl al-Ghab,” a region of the central
province of Hama, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. They briefly
seized the villages of Al-Fatatra and Al-Manara, Observatory chief Rami Abdel
Rahman said. But regime forces took them back just hours later amid Russian air
strikes and intense shelling, the Britain-based monitor said. Abdel Rahman said
the clashes left 19 government soldiers and 22 jihadists dead. The country’s
official SANA news agency also reported the attack on “two Syrian army
positions,” saying it involved “explosive-rigged vehicles and suicide bombers.”
Citing a military source, it said the situation was now under control after the
jihadists were forced to pull out under regime fire. The offensive was launched
from within the Idlib region, which is controlled by jihadists and rebels and
is the last bastion of resistance to Damascus after nine years of devastating
civil war. A truce reached on March 6 has largely stemmed fighting in the
region, which President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to fully retake.”

 

Kurdistan 24: US Envoy: ISIS Still Operates In Disputed Territories
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“Amb. James Jeffrey, US Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS
and Special Representative for Syria Engagement, briefed journalists on Friday
on the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Defeat-ISIS Coalition, which was
held the day before. Jeffrey explained that attacks by the so-called Islamic
State in Iraq and Syria, what he referred to as the “core,” had shown an uptick
during the fasting month of Ramadan. But compared to last year, the attacks “in
terms of numbers” have “dropped significantly” from a year ago, he said, as he
called the rise in Islamic State terrorism during Ramadan “typical.” The
Kurdish leadership has repeatedly complained of an Islamic State resurgence in
the disputed areas and stressed the need for more effective cooperation between
the Peshmerga Forces and the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF.)  Jeffrey expressed
that view, as well, as he explained that one of the places in which the Islamic
State still operates is “in the fault lines” between the Peshmerga Forces and
“the Iraqi army and certain of these militia groups,” an apparent reference to
the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF.) There are “coordination problems,”
between the two sets of local military forces, Jeffrey said.”

 

Iran

 

The Wall Street Journal: Iran Sentences Man To Death For Allegedly Spying For
U.S., Israel
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“Iran said it sentenced one of its citizens to death for allegedly providing
information to the U.S. and Israel about Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was
later killed in a drone strike that brought Washington and Tehran to the brink
of armed confrontation. Iran’s judiciary identified the man as Mahmoud Mousavi
Majd, who it said had “established links” with the Central Intelligence Agency
and Israel’s foreign spy agency, Mossad. He was arrested in 2018 and wasn’t
connected with Gen. Soleimani’s killing, which happened early this year.
Iranian judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said Mr. Majd provided
intelligence on Gen. Soleimani’s whereabouts to the U.S., but didn’t offer
supporting evidence or elaborate on how Mr. Majd would have known about the
general’s travels. The CIA and Mossad didn’t immediately respond to requests
for comment. The U.S. killed Gen. Soleimani in January in a drone strike in
Iraq that provoked an Iranian missile barrage on U.S. targets in Iraq. Both
sides eventually backed away from open conflict, but the decision to execute
the alleged spy illustrates how Gen. Soleimani’s killing remains a major point
of friction. Iran in the past has arrested and executed scores of alleged spies
who it said were working for foreign powers.”

 

Turkey

 

Daily Sabah: Terrorism Won't Be Turkey's Fate, Interior Minister Soylu Says
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“Terrorism will soon no longer be a problem in Turkey, as the country has
successfully destroyed a large number of them, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu
said, noting that the number of terrorists has been rapidly falling. Soylu said
there are only 445 PKK/YPG terrorists left in Turkey after four more were
killed on Tuesday.”Soon, terror will no longer be the fate of this country,”
the minister said on his Twitter account. His remarks came after Turkish
security forces killed four YPG/PKK terrorists in the southeastern Şırnak and
eastern Elazığ provinces. Security forces also seized weapons and ammunition
stored by YPG/PKK terrorists, the provincial governor's office in the eastern
Van province said Tuesday. According to a statement, the gendarmerie forces of
Van province launched an operation in a rural area of the Başkale district to
locate storages and shelters used by the terror group. A rifle, two hand
grenades and bullets were confiscated during the operation. Turkish security
forces regularly conduct counterterrorism operations in the eastern and
southeastern provinces of Turkey and in northern Iraq where the PKK has
attempted to establish a strong presence.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Agence France-Presse: Freed Taliban Prisoners Eye Return To The Battlefield
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“Afghan authorities are opening prison doors for thousands of Taliban inmates
in a high-risk gambit to ensure the insurgent group begin peace talks with
Kabul. Security concerns are mounting as many of the newly liberated fighters
say they are ready to resume their holy war. “If the Americans do not pull out,
we will continue our jihad, because they have killed many Afghans in their
operations,” said Mohamed Daud, who was freed from Bagram jail north of Kabul
last month. “We do not want foreign forces in our country anymore,” he told
AFP, dressed in a traditional shalwar kameez, before taking a taxi back to his
village with a cash handout from authorities worth $65. US forces arrested
Daud, 28, in the northwest province of Faryab nine years ago. Afghan
authorities accelerated the planned release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners,
including Daud, as a “goodwill gesture” after the insurgents called a three-day
ceasefire to mark the Eid holiday. Those released include members training to
be suicide bombers, suicide vest makers, kidnappers and even foreign fighters,
a security official said. The move is part of a larger prisoner swap agreed as
a precursor to peace talks starting. Before their release, inmates were
required to sign a pledge that they would not pick up arms again.”

 

Foreign Policy: Factional Struggles Emerge In Virus-Afflicted Taliban Top Ranks

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“With the likely death of the Afghan Taliban’s supreme leader from COVID-19
and the illness of many other senior figures, the son of Mullah Mohammad Omar,
the militant group’s founder, has taken control. But now the Afghan government
is worried that a power struggle within the Taliban could damage the tenuous
peace process that is barely underway. Indeed, as the Taliban move closer to a
return to at least partial power in Kabul, thanks to a deal with the United
States aimed at ending its war in Afghanistan, there are signs the jihadi
movement is set to descend into an internal battle of its own, as rival
factions and tribes fight for control of its vast financial and military
assets. At stake is close to $2 billion in annual revenues, a well-armed and
battle-hardened militia, and alliances with international terrorist groups,
including al Qaeda, eager to piggyback on the Taliban’s supposed victory over
the United States and its allies and use Afghanistan, as it once again becomes
an ungoverned space, for training and operational planning. Uncertainty about
how the Taliban’s leadership struggle will unfold comes amid the latest stage
of U.S. efforts to broker peace, following the signing of a bilateral deal on
Feb. 29 that transformed the Taliban into an ally and facilitated the
withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan in 14 months.”

 

Daily Sabah: Afghanistan Releases 60% Of Taliban Prisoners Amid Peace Talks
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“The Afghan government has released around 60% of Taliban prisoners that were
part of a deal between the United States and the militants to pave the way for
intra-Afghan peace talks, the National Security Council said Tuesday. Some
3,000 Taliban inmates have been released, and the prisoner release will
continue as a confidence-building measure for reaching a lasting peace, the
council said. The High Council for Reconciliation led by Abdullah Abdullah has
also started its work. The government negotiating team is ready for talks with
representatives of the Taliban. The release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners
was part of the deal the Taliban made with the U.S. in February, as well as a
precondition set by the militants for joining intra-Afghan talks. The deal also
foresees the gradual withdrawal of all international forces from Afghanistan in
return for security guarantees. The Taliban announced a three-day cease-fire
for Eid last month. In return, President Ashraf Ghani announced the release of
another 2,000 Taliban prisoners in addition to the 1,000 detainees released
before. The Taliban claims they have released nearly 500 pro-government forces
from their custody. However, both sides are providing conflicting figures about
the number of prisoners released by each side.”

 

Pakistan

 

Hindustan Times: 22 Terrorists, Including 8 Top Commanders, Killed In J&K In
Last 15 Days
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“Twenty-two terrorists, including 8 top commanders, have been killed in the
last 15 days in Jammu and Kashmir by security forces, sources said. According
to sources, soon after Eid festival operations were stepped up with more vigour
focussing on top terror leadership. “This has lead to terrorists being
neutralised without any collateral damage,” sources added. Islamic State Jammu
and Kashmir (ISJK) commander Adil Ahmad Wani and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadre
Shaheen Ahmad Thoker were killed on May 25 at Khud Hanjipora Kulgam while
Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Parvaiz Ahmad Pandith and JeM commander Shakir
Ahmed Itoo were neutralised on May 30 at Wanpora Kulgam. Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)
group commander Aaqib Ramzan Wani and Awanitpora JeM commander Mohammad Maqbool
Chopan killed on June 2 at Saimoo Tral Awantipora. According to sources, on
June 3, in a major breakthrough JeM top commander Fauji Bhai, who was a
resident of Pakistan, HM top commander Manzoor Ahmad Kar, JeM commander Javaid
Ahmad Zargar were neutralised at Kangan Pulwama.”

 

Lebanon

 

Voice Of America: Hezbollah Called To Reform Amid Protests, Political
Pressure, Possible Sanctions 
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“Protests in Beirut in recent days over government corruption and
mismanagement quickly escalated into rioting and sectarian violence that
included clashes between Shi’ite Hezbollah supporters and other demonstrators.
Analysts say there are now renewed calls for the powerful Hezbollah militia,
also represented in the government and parliament, to disarm. Analysts say
Lebanon may be facing its biggest threat to stability since the end of the
country’s 15-year civil war in 1990. A spiraling economic crisis, the
coronavirus outbreak, and national protests have raised fears of a new slide
into sectarian violence. While demanding better living conditions and tougher
measures to fight corruption, demonstrators are urging Hezbollah to disarm.
That demand ignited violent rage from supporters of the powerful Shi’ite
paramilitary group backed by Iran, forcing Lebanese President Michel Aoun to
call for national unity. Lebanon maintains a fragile sectarian balance after
its many religious sects fought the civil war. Professor Habib Malik of the
Lebanese American University tells VOA that the spotlight on Hezbollah’s
misconduct is raising calls to counter its powerful influence over Lebanon.”

 

Nigeria

 

Reuters: Boko Haram Kills 69, Razes Village In Northern Nigeria: Sources
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“Boko Haram gunman killed at least 69 people and razed a village to the ground
in northern Nigeria’s Borno state on Tuesday afternoon, three sources told
Reuters. The men attacked the village of Faduma Koloram, in Gubio local
government area of Borno state, starting about noon. They arrived in vehicles
and on motorcycles, shooting with AK-47s, razing the village and stealing 1,200
cattle and camels. A resident, a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) member and a
soldier each confirmed the same account. They said the men attacked because
they suspected residents of sharing information on Boko Haram’s movements with
security authorities. “It’s an unfortunate day for us to witness this,” said
CJTF fighter Kachallah Bumu. While he said the residents were armed, and had
repelled previous attacks, this one caught them off guard. “They took us
unaware and killed our people,” he said. A military spokesman could not be
reached for comment. Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa
Province (ISWAP), have killed thousands and displaced millions in northeastern
Nigeria.”

 

Pulse Nigeria: Boko Haram Fighter Surrenders As Troops Kill, Arrest Terrorists
In Borno
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“In an official statement on Tuesday, June 9, the Army said Kori confessed
that he has been an active member of the Islamic sect for the past five years.
He said he fled his camp, located at Fulatari around Lake Chad, after a series
of artillery bombardments that led to the death of many fighters, including
local commanders. The Army also announced that a continuation of its aggressive
clearance operations in the northeast led to the death and arrest of many Boko
Haram fighters, and those of its influential breakaway faction, the Islamic
State's West Africa Province (ISWAP). The statement said troops of 192
Battalion deployed in Gwoza, Borno on Monday conducted a well-coordinated raid
on Boko Haram criminals' hideout at Kwatara on the Mandara Mountains, and
killed an unspecific number of fighters while others fled. Troops of 151
Battalion deployed at Strong Response Area Miyanti, also on Monday, conducted
an ambush operation against terrorists along Darel Jamel-Miyanti Road. Two
fighters were killed while two women were rescued from the attack. Two
bicycles, one sack containing 121 pairs of new rubber slippers, and the sum of
N29,500 were also recovered by troops. The reported successes of troops
happened on the same day the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, assured
President Muhammadu Buhari that the military has been crushing the terrorists.”

 

Africa

 

All Africa: Mozambique: At Least 11 Dead In Terrorist Raids
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“Terrorist groups have murdered at least 11 people in attacks between
Wednesday and Friday against villages in the northern province of Cabo Delgado,
reports Tuesday's issue of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”. On Wednesday
night, the terrorists invaded Imbada village, in Meluco district, where they
beheaded three people. On Thursday morning, people who had fled from an attack
on Litamanda village, and took refuge in Muambala, in Muidumbe district, said
they had seen five lifeless bodies as they fled. On Friday, two people were
murdered, one of them by beheading, on a beach near Ulo village in Mocimboa da
Praia district. The two victims were fishermen, who were caught by surprise
when their boat ran aground at low tide. The terrorists, who claim inspiration
from Islamic fundamentalism, have also been warning people not to approach
areas they claim are under their control in Mocimboa da Praia. The area the
islamists claim is in and around the villages of Ulo, Nanquidunga and Luchete.
The area covered runs from north of Mocimboa da Praia town to the Messalo
river. The threats have been taken seriously, and famers in these areas can no
longer tend their fields safely.”

 

Financial Times: Victory Remains Elusive In France’s Drive To Quell Sahel
Insurgency <[link removed]>

 

“The killing last week of one of al-Qaeda’s top commanders in Africa was
celebrated by France as a significant victory in its war on terrorism in the
Sahel. But seven years after it first intervened in Mali to quell an Islamist
insurgency, Paris is mired in a seemingly endless campaign. Despite 5,100
French troops across the region and 14,000 UN peacekeepers in Mali, violence
that began in the north of the country has spread, killing thousands and
displacing millions in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Frustrated by the rampant
insecurity, protesters flooded the streets of Bamako, the Malian capital, in
January calling on the French military to leave its former colonies. “Since
then, France has put more effort into letting people know what they are doing,
doing more communications so we can see what they’re achieving,” said Mathias
Hounkpe, head of the Mali country office for the Open Society Initiative for
west Africa.  But despite attempts to demonstrate progress, such as the killing
of Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM, Mr Hounkpe said
Malians were not listening.”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Telegraph: Extremists Are Operating With Impunity Because Of Flawed Laws,
Say Ex-Police Chief And Commissioner
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“Islamist and far right extremists are operating with “virtual impunity”
online and offline because of gaps in Britain’s laws, say the former head of
counter-terrorism and the Government’s countering extremism commissioner. In an
exclusive joint article for The Daily Telegraph, Sir Mark Rowley and Sara Khan
said extremists knew they could “easily steer” around current laws on
incitement and count-terrorism. This was why current legislation needed to be
reviewed to establish whether changes are needed to combat what Ms Khan’s
commission has termed “hateful extremism.” This review will be headed by Sir
Mark, who was assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police during the
terror attacks of 2017. The move follows a report last year by the commission
which found efforts to combat extremism were failing because the Government's
definition of it was so broad. There have been just nine prosecutions under
incitement to religious or racial hatred laws in a year. Instead, the report
offered a draft definition of “hateful extremism” based on three elements:
first, behaviours that incite and amplify hate; second, people who engage in
persistent hatred; and third, people who make the moral case for violence.”

 

BBC News: Extremism Body Examines New Hate Crime
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“The government's adviser on extremism is investigating whether it's possible
to ban behaviour that leads people to hate each other. The Commission for
Countering Extremism says there may be gaps in the law, allowing extremists to
sow divisions. The former head of counter-terrorism, Sir Mark Rowley, will lead
the review on whether a new crime could work. Successive governments have tried
and failed to come up with an agreed criminal definition of extremism. The
commission, set up by the Home Office but operating independently of ministers,
says it has gathered widespread evidence of people falling victim to hate that
leaves them living in fear - but is short of a crime. Incidents include
sectarian campaigns between communities, far-right street and Islamist protests
that encourage hostility to other groups, and online abuse that makes violence
more likely. In each case it says victims can feel let down by the authorities
who are powerless to stop subtle attacks that are not crimes under terrorism
legislation or hate laws. Last year, the commission concluded in a report that
government should focus on “hateful extremism” - meaning activity that
amplifies hate and pitches communities against each other - potentially leading
to violence.”

 

Fox News: Miss Hitler Beauty Pageant Entrant And Ex-Boyfriend Jailed In UK For
Being Members Of Terrorist Group
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“A British woman who reportedly competed in a Miss Hitler beauty pageant, and
her ex-boyfriend have been sentenced to jail Tuesday for being members of a
banned far-right terrorist group. Alice Cutter, 23, and Mark Jones, 25, had
been found guilty in Birmingham Crown Court earlier this year of belonging to
National Action, which became outlawed in the United Kingdom in 2016 after
celebrating the death of Jo Cox, a member of parliament who was murdered that
year by a man with white supremacist views, according to the BBC. “Following
proscription [of National Action], you weren't prepared to dissociate
yourselves from the vile ideology of this group and therefore defied the ban
and continued as members,” Judge Paul Farrer was quoted by Sky News as telling
the pair Tuesday. Alice Cutter, left, and Mark Jones have been sentenced to
prison in the United Kingdom after being found guilty of partipicating in a
banned terrorist group. Cutter was sentenced to three years in prison while
Jones received a 5.5-year term. Farrer, according to Sky News, described Cutter
as a “trusted confidante” of one of National Action’s leaders and also at one
point had been in a “committed relationship” with Jones, who himself “played a
significant role in the continuation of the organization” following its ban.”

 

Germany

 

The New York Times: Germany’s Far-Right Party Wins Suit Against Interior
Minister
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“Germany’s highest court ruled in favor of the far-right Alternative for
Germany party in its case against the country’s sitting interior minister on
Tuesday, a symbolic victory for the populist party that has been steadily
losing support in recent months as the country’s response to the coronavirus
has dulled the appetite for criticism of the government. Alternative for
Germany, known by its German initials AfD, is the country’s largest opposition
party, and took legal action against the interior minister, Horst Seehofer,
over a 2018 interview in which he warned that the party endangered the German
state. In its decision, the court focused on the fact that the interview,
conducted by the German news agency D.P.A., was also posted on Mr. Seehofer’s
ministerial website. The court defended Mr. Seehofer’s right to make the
comments, but it took issue with the use of government resources to promote
political speech. “The admissibility of the federal government’s public
relations work ends where advertising for, or influence against, individuals in
the political competing parties or persons begins,” Andreas Vosskuhle, the
court’s outgoing president, said on Tuesday.”

 

Australia

 

ABC News Australia: Adelaide Woman Acquitted Of IS Membership Would Use
'Second Chance Wisely', Court Told
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“An Adelaide woman acquitted of being an Islamic State member has never
trained with the terror group, can no longer travel to IS-controlled
strongholds in Syria and wants to use her second chance “wisely”, the Federal
Court has heard. Zainab Abdirahman-Khalif, 25, spent two years and six months
in jail after a South Australian Supreme Court jury found her guilty of being a
member of a terrorist organisation, before she was freed on appeal in October
2019. Commonwealth prosecutors have asked the High Court to overturn her
acquittal, but the hearing has been delayed because of the coronavirus health
pandemic. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is seeking to use powers under
the Anti-Terrorism Act to control parts of Ms Abdirahman-Khalif's life in a bid
to prevent a potential terror attack. She has been subjected to an interim
control order for the past six months which has limited her social media use,
movements and employment. It also bans her from contacting anyone in Turkey,
Syria and Iraq, going to the Adelaide Airport and driving a heavy vehicle. The
court was told that Ms Abdirahman-Khalif was detained at Adelaide Airport in
July 2016 after buying a one-way ticket to Turkey, and that she planned to
travel with $180.”

 

Southeast Asia

 

Al Jazeera: Court Challenge Awaits Duterte-Backed Anti-Terror Legislation
<[link removed]>

 

“The Philippine Congress has sent controversial anti-terrorism legislation to
President Rodrigo Duterte, paving the way for him to sign it into law, while
also setting the stage for opponents to mount an immediate legal challenge on
the constitutionality of some of its provisions before the Supreme Court.
Senate President Tito Sotto announced that he and House Speaker Alan Peter
Cayetano signed the bill on Monday night, and that the document had been
received by the office of the president on Tuesday. Last week, Duterte
certified the passage of the legislation as urgent, and he is expected to sign
it into law amid growing opposition and decision by several House members to
withdraw their support. The House of Representatives passed the bill on June 4
after it was approved by the Senate in February. Sotto, an ally of Duterte,
defended the bill saying only “terrorists” should worry about the legislation.
Duterte's spokesman said the approved bill would still be subject to review
before the president signs it. On Tuesday morning, opposition Senator Risa
Hontiveros, one of the two senators who voted against the bill, hinted at the
possibility of joining the effort to take the legislation directly to the
country's highest court, according to a transcript of a media statement that
was also provided to Al Jazeera.”



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