Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Iran Protest Deaths Seen Rising With One Estimate Topping 20,000 Eye on Extremism January 22, 2026   Top Stories Reuters: Iraq says it will prosecute Islamic State detainees sent from Syria Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council said on Thursday it would begin legal proceedings against Islamic State detainees transferred from Syria, after the rapid collapse of Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria triggered concerns over prison security. More than 10,000 members of the ultra-hardline militant group have been held for years in about a dozen prisons and detention camps guarded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria's northeast. Bloomberg: Iran Protest Deaths Seen Rising With One Estimate Topping 20,000 The number of people reported killed in Iran’s protest crackdown has surged as rights groups continue to verify suspected fatalities, with the United Nations warning the total could be more than 20,000. The US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency said it’s verified 4,902 deaths during the unrest that erupted in late December, according to a statement on its website. The group is reviewing a further 9,387, while more than 26,000 people have been arrested, it said.   JOIN US THIS TUESDAY | Enduring Music: Compositions from the Holocaust will bring works nearly erased by atrocity into public consciousness, played again in remembrance of victims of the Shoah. Francesco Lotoro—world-renowned conductor, composer, and musicologist—and orchestra will premiere pieces from Maestro Lotoro's archive, honoring and bringing to life music composed in the unimaginable conditions of the death camps. Tickets now available here.   Analysis The Media Line: Will Transfer of ISIS Detainees Open Flood Gates to Terrorism in Iraq? US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Wednesday the launch of an operation to transfer thousands of detainees affiliated with the Islamic State group (ISIS) from northeastern Syria to Iraq, aiming to strengthen detention security and prevent potential escape attempts. According to information obtained by The Media Line, the operation comes within the framework of a new mission to ensure that ISIS terrorists remain in secure detention facilities. Jerusalem Post: Will Donald Trump's Hamas disarmament endgame make Israel safer? - analysis A real Hamas disarmament plan is here. How to disarm Hamas has been the central question that has dominated Israel's security scene and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, possibly for decades to come, since October 7, 2023. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump and his top aide on many of these issues, Jared Kushner, rolled out specific plans on a variety of issues relating to Gaza's "the Day After." ACLED: Ransom, gold, and spoils of war: Islamic State Mozambique's new cash flow In 2025, Islamic State Mozambique developed significant new income sources through kidnapping, extortion, and ransom, as well as by exerting control over artisanal and small-scale mining. These give the group significant new income. Whether this is in addition to external funding from the Islamic State, or replaces it, is not yet clear. United States Long War Journal: US Treasury sanctions entities for supporting Hamas The United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on January 21 that it sanctioned a network of organizations it says are covertly controlled by Hamas. The move aims to limit the Islamist group’s ability to raise funds while improving international mechanisms for supporting legitimate Palestinian civil and humanitarian needs. OFAC said the sanctions targeted entities that raised funds for Hamas, which is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and other countries, through sham charities and organizations that claimed to have supported Palestinian causes. CNN: Dozens of swastikas painted on playground in Jewish area of Brooklyn prompts hate crime investigation Dozens of swastikas were painted on a playground in a predominantly Jewish area of Brooklyn, New York, in two separate incidents this week, prompting a hate crime probe, the New York Police Department said. Gov. Kathy Hochul on X called the vandalism “a depraved act of antisemitism,” which comes during an extended period of such threats to the city’s Jewish community. Times of Israel: ‘Jewish safety is not negotiable’: Nearly 100 New Jersey rabbis demand state take action on antisemitism Dozens of rabbis from New Jersey demand that Governor Phil Murphy and the US state assembly adopt and implement the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism to combat discrimination against Jews. The New Jersey state government reportedly nixed a bill to adopt the IHRA definition earlier this month. Anti-Israel activists oppose the definition because the framework equates some forms of anti-Israel rhetoric with antisemitism, while allowing for measured criticism of the Jewish state. CBS News: Judge denies bond for family of Boulder terror attack suspect A judge has denied bond for the family of Boulder terror attack suspect Mohamed Soliman. Jerusalem Post: Man charged with hate crime for antisemitic attack on Israeli lecturer Rami Glickstein in Manhattan The man who carried out a vicious antisemitic attack on Israeli educator and IDF lecturer Rami Glickstein and two other Jewish men in October 2025 has been charged with hate crimes, according to an unsealed indictment released by the Justice Department on Wednesday. Glickstein, 59, suffered a vicious antisemitic attack while in New York on October 27, 2025, resulting in a brain bleed and a broken nose. The Times: US sanctions British-based activist over alleged ties to Hamas The US has sanctioned a British-based organiser of pro-Palestinian marches, alleging he is working on behalf of Hamas, putting pressure on Sir Keir Starmer’s government to follow suit. Zaher Birawi, from Barnet in north London, is the chairman of Palestine Forum in Britain, one of six organisations that make up the Palestine Coalition, which organised more than 20 rallies in London last year. The activist, 64, has lived in the UK for more than 30 years, and has previously been identified in parliament as a serious security risk because of his alleged involvement with Hamas. France Jerusalem Post; France's Law Committee adopts controversial bill to combat 'renewed forms of antisemitism' The French National Assembly Law Committee on Tuesday adopted a controversial bill aimed at combating “renewed forms of antisemitism,” including anti-Zionism and Holocaust minimization. The fighting against renewed forms of antisemitism bill was brought by Jewish MP Carolina Yadan, who seeks to combat modern antisemitism in the form of Israel-hatred. The bill passed 18-16, with most of its support coming from the governing majority and the far Right. The Left voted against it. The bill will now be deliberated by the full assembly. The National: French parliament backs call for EU to list Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisation The French parliament on Thursday endorsed a resolution for the European Union to list the Muslim Brotherhood as a terror organisation, according to media reports. The vote was described by broadcaster CNews as a “victory” for the right-wing political party Les Republicains. It was adopted with 157 votes for and 101 against. Germany Deutsche Welle: Germany: Far-right extremist 'Saxon Separatists' stand trial The accused called themselves the "Saxon Separatists" — SS for short. It was an allusion to National Socialism: During the reign of terror under Adolf Hitler from 1933 until the end of World War II in 1945, SS stood for Schutzstaffel, an elite paramilitary organization. It was a central instrument of power and crucial in the planning and implementation of the Holocaust and other genocides. Afghanistan Afghanistan International: UN Security Council Condemns Attack On Chinese Restaurant In Kabul The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned the Islamic State group’s terrorist attack on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e Naw neighbourhood. In a statement, the council expressed condolences to the families of the victims in Afghanistan and China and stressed the need to hold accountable those responsible for planning, carrying out and supporting the attack. Gaza Strip/West Bank i24 News: Hamas reportedly agrees to surrender weapons in US-mediated deal Hamas has reportedly reached an understanding with the United States to surrender its weapons and provide maps of Gaza’s tunnel network in exchange for being allowed to remain a political party in the territory, according to a Palestinian source speaking to Sky News Arabia. The source said that Hamas has already handed over arms and tunnel schematics “through a mechanism that has not yet been revealed.” i24 News: Who will disarm Hamas under Trump’s ‘Board of Peace,’ and how? During his presentation of the 'Master Plan for Gaza' in Davos, Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, finally answered the long-awaited question: How will Hamas be disarmed, and by whom. "We have a new government in Gaza. This government will be working with Hamas on the demilitarization to really take the principles that were agreed to in the document to the next phase," Kushner said. The head of the new technocratic committee in Gaza, Ali Shaath, confirmed as such during his televised remarks: "As chief commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), it's my responsibility to turn this moment into action to restore order to rebuild institutions and to create a future for the people of Gaza defined by opportunity and dignity under the principle of one authority, one law, and one weapon." Jerusalem Post: IDF carries out anti-terrorism operation in Hebron, seizes illegal weapons, arrests wanted suspects The IDF Judea Brigade began a counterterrorism operation earlier this week in the Hebron area, as part of an ongoing effort to enforce law and order and maintain security in the area, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir announced on Thursday. The operation "is part of a series of proactive operations to thwart terrorism in Judea and Samaria and to strengthen the defense of the settlements," Zamir said. Iraq New York Times: U.S. Starts Moving ISIS Detainees From Syria to Iraq The U.S. military began transferring Islamic State prisoners from northeastern Syria to Iraq on Wednesday, amid growing concern that thousands of former fighters and their family members could escape from detention as the Syrian government takes control of much of the area from Kurdish-led forces. The U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement that American forces had already transported 150 fighters from the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, out of a detention facility in northeastern Syria to an unspecified “secure location in Iraq.” Iran New Yorker: A Massacre in Mashhad On a recent January evening, throngs of Iranian protesters filed up wide boulevards spanning the northeastern city of Mashhad. Within hours, the highways and footbridges were packed with people, including young children trailing their mothers and grandparents. Most wore masks and dark clothing. As the crowds thickened, police tried to disperse the swell of people with tear gas. Around 8 P.M., internet service was cut, and, soon after, security forces started shooting into the demonstrations. Some of the protesters crawled to escape the gunfire. Others bled to death on sidewalks or on the backs of strangers who had tried to carry them to safety. But the government forces kept firing into the crush of demonstrators. Financial Times: The opaque Iranian military force tightening its grip on power For nearly four decades, Iran’s 86-year-old supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has sat atop the country’s sprawling theocratic regime, the ultimate decision maker in a network of power centres from the Shia clergy to the president and parliament. But in the wake of mass demonstrations this month, in which protesters called to oust Khamenei and bring down the regime in an unprecedented challenge to his authority, analysts and diplomats in Tehran say one institution appears better placed than any other to shape Iran’s future: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Israel Times of Israel: IDF reservist injured in Hamas attack in southern Gaza succumbs to wounds An Israel Defense Forces reservist wounded in a Hamas attack in the southern Gaza Strip in October 2025 succumbed to his wounds overnight, the military said Thursday. Sgt. Maj. (res.) Asael Babad, 38, an infantryman with the Menashe Regional Brigade’s 941st Battalion, from the West Bank settlement of Bnei Adam, was seriously injured when Palestinian terror operatives attacked soldiers in Rafah on October 19, less than a week into a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Middle East Monitor: Report warns that ‘Jewish terrorism is out of control’ and could lead to major security escalation An Israeli report warns of a rapid rise in Jewish terrorism against Palestinians in the West Bank, saying it has become a widespread phenomenon with serious security and strategic implications. The report cautions that this trend aims to undermine the Palestinian presence and could trigger large waves of violence, while also causing growing damage to Israel’s international standing. Lebanon JNS: IDF hits Hezbollah arms routes, top smuggler The Israel Defense Forces struck four border crossings on the Syria-Lebanon frontier used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons and killed a senior arms dealer for the Iranian terrorist proxy near the southern Lebanese city of Sidon on Wednesday, Israel’s military said. The attacks on the border crossings took place in the mostly Shi’ite Hermel area along the Syria-Lebanon border. Reuters: Israel strikes four Syria-Lebanon border crossings Israel launched strikes on four border crossings on the Syria-Lebanon border on Wednesday, saying they were used by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah to smuggle weapons. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2024, ending more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that culminated in Israeli strikes that severely weakened the group. Since then, both sides have traded accusations of violations. JNS: Assessing the Lebanese Army’s push to disarm Hezbollah The Israel Defense Forces carried out multiple strikes across Southern Lebanon this week, targeting the Hezbollah terrorist movement’s rocket-launching sites and training camps. According to the IDF, the operation also neutralized tunnel shafts used for weapons storage at locations where “unusual military activity” had been identified in recent months. These ongoing military actions underscore Israel’s continued efforts to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its arsenal and infrastructure despite the November 2024 ceasefire. Syria Reuters: How Syria's Sharaa captured Kurdish-held areas while keeping the US onside The Syrian government's rapid takeover of territory long held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces took shape in a string of high-stakes meetings in Damascus, Paris and Iraq earlier this month, nine sources briefed on the closed-door summits told Reuters. The accounts, not previously reported and shared on condition of anonymity, showed that the U.S. did not stand in the way of an operation that has radically altered Syria's balance of power, at the expense of a one-time ally. Australia Guardian: Silence marks moment of sorrow as Australians mourn victims of Bondi terror attack At 7.01pm on Thursday evening, a crowd of 1,500 mourners packed into the Sydney Opera House descended into a heavy silence. Television stations paused their coverage. Gatherings fell still. Six weeks after 15 people were gunned down celebrating the first night of Hanukah in Bondi, in the worst terror attack on Australian soil, the nation was still coming to terms with the weight of its loss. Sydney Morning Herald: ‘Profoundly sorry’: PM leads tributes to Australian Jews at Bondi memorial Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was “deeply and profoundly sorry” for not protecting Australia’s Jewish community, in a landmark speech at a national memorial event for the 15 people killed in the Bondi massacre. Thousands gathered at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday evening for the National Day of Mourning for the victims of the December 14 terrorist attack, united around the theme chosen by Bondi’s Jewish community: “Light will win”. Australian Broadcasting Corporation: PhD candidate Sepehr Saryazdi, accused of planning terror attack on Australia Day, denied bail A PhD candidate accused of planning to use Molotov cocktails in a terror attack on the Gold Coast on Australia Day has been denied bail. Sepehr Saryazdi, who worked at the CSIRO, appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday after being charged with one count of acts in preparation for or planning a terrorist act. During a bail application, the court heard the 24-year-old had been brought to the attention of counter terrorism officers after information was received about things he was allegedly posting online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Groups targeted by federal hate laws quietly scrub social media channels and website Two groups at the centre of the government's crackdown on hate have scrubbed their social media channels and shut down their websites as new laws passed parliament. The Telegram channels of prominent neo-Nazis have been wiped of offensive content and now feature significantly toned-down rhetoric and controversial Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir has shut down its social media pages and website. CEP Podcasts Unpacking the week's extremism-related anniversaries and news, as well as counter extremism developments and prospects. A deep dive into CEP's research and topics that are relevant to our mission, from our Berlin-based team.   The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) is a nonprofit and non-partisan international policy organization working to combat the growing threat posed by extremist ideologies. CEP depends on the generosity of its supporters. If you value what we do, please consider making a donation. DONATE Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe for yourself here. Counter Extremism Project (CEP) | PO Box 3980 | New York, NY 10185 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice