At least two explosions have hit convoys supplying U.S.-led coalition forces in
Iraq in the last 24 hours, security sources said, the first on Monday

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


August 12, 2020

 

Reuters: Explosions Hit U.S. Coalition Supply Convoys In Iraq: Sources And
Military Say
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“At least two explosions have hit convoys supplying U.S.-led coalition forces
in Iraq in the last 24 hours, security sources said, the first on Monday
evening near the southern border with Kuwait and the second on Tuesday north of
Baghdad. The explosions, which caused no casualties but did some material
damage, are the latest in a string of such incidents in recent weeks. An attack
in southern Iraq on Sunday hit a convoy carrying supplies to coalition forces,
the military said. Several thousand U.S. forces are still based in Iraq,
leading a coalition whose mission is to fight Sunni Muslim Islamic State
militants. Those forces are also a target for Iran-backed Shi'ite militias,
which the United States blames for regular rocket attacks on bases hosting the
coalition, and on other U.S. targets such as Washington's embassy in Baghdad.
The militias have vowed to avenge the death of paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi
al-Muhandis, who was killed alongside Iranian military mastermind Qassem
Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in January. Political forces
aligned with the militias demand a full withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq.
They also oppose Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who took office in
May.”

 

United States

 

The Jerusalem Post: 3 Years After Charlottesville We’re Suing To Break The
Cycle Of Terror
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“Three years ago today, the country watched in horror as neo-Nazis and white
supremacists attacked Charlottesville, Virginia. Three years later, as
far-right extremists continue to spread disinformation, hate and violence, it’s
clear that “Unite the Right” was a harbinger of what would follow — and that we
still have much to learn from that weekend. My organization, Integrity First
for America, is supporting a coalition of Charlottesville residents in a
federal lawsuit against the individuals and groups that orchestrated the
violence. The trial is scheduled for October. These extremists didn’t come to
Charlottesville to peacefully protest the removal of a Confederate statue, as
they claimed. Rather, for months in advance, in private social media chats,
they methodically planned a weekend of violence. “Next stop: Charlottesville.
Final stop: Auschwitz,” they wrote amid discussions of which weapons to carry
and whether they could claim self-defense if they hit counterprotesters with
cars. And that’s exactly what happened. First, the violent tiki torch march,
meant to evoke the KKK and Nazis, with chants of “blood and soil” and “Jews
will not replace us.” Then, the next day, the attack on downtown
Charlottesville, culminating in James Fields driving his car into a crowd of
peaceful counterprotesters — exactly as planned in those chats — and killing
one, Heather Heyer.”

 

Syria

 

Voice Of America: Assassinations Highlight Security Challenges For US-Backed
Forces In Eastern Syria
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“Tensions are flaring in an eastern Syria province after the assassinations of
several powerful Arab tribal leaders, with U.S.-backed forces accusing Islamic
State (IS) sleeper cells and Syrian government proxies of carrying out such
attacks to cause instability in the former IS stronghold. In the past two
weeks, three leaders of the al-Agidat and al-Baggara tribes were killed by
unknown gunmen in separate incidents in the eastern Syrian province of Deir
al-Zour, local news reported. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a
major U.S. partner in the fight against IS terrorists, has accused sleeper
cells affiliated with IS of the recent killings in the Arab-majority province.
“These cells from the remnants of ISIS strive to cause confusion, whether
through assassinations, spreading rumors, mining and booby-trapping
operations,” the SDF said in a statement Monday, using another acronym for IS.
The SDF also accused the Syrian regime, Turkey and their respective local
allies of using certain elements in Deir al-Zour to cause instability.”

 

Turkey

 

Daily Sabah: 8 Suspects Arrested Over Daesh Links In Turkey's Black Sea Region
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“At least eight suspects have been arrested in Turkey's Black Sea region for
their links to the Daesh terrorist group, security sources said Tuesday.
Police, anti-terror and intelligence teams in northern Samsun province launched
simultaneous operations at various sites to nab the Iraqi suspects, said the
source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
The raids were held in the districts of Ilkadım, Canik, Tekkeköy and Atakum, it
added. Digital materials were also seized from their residences. Following
medical examinations, the suspects were taken to the police station. Turkey was
one of the first countries to recognize Daesh as a terror group in 2013, as
soon as it emerged. The country has since been attacked by Daesh terrorists
numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings and four armed
attacks that killed 315 people and injured hundreds of others. In response,
Turkey launched military and police operations at home and abroad to prevent
further terrorist incidents. The Daesh terrorist group held vast swaths of
territory across Syria and Iraq from its rise in 2014 until its military defeat
last year. Their expansion in Iraq and Syria featured horrendous public abuses.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Voice Of America: Taliban ‘Hopeful’ US-Brokered Afghan Talks Settle Conflict
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“The Taliban reaffirmed Tuesday its commitment to ending violence in
Afghanistan, while emphasizing that a comprehensive cease-fire has to be
discussed during intra-Afghan peace negotiations due to begin later this month.
The proposed talks are an outcome of the agreement the United States sealed
with the Taliban in February to end the nearly 19-year-old Afghan war,
America’s longest. Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told VOA the
Islamist insurgency is determined to move the Afghan peace process forward in
line with the pact, dismissing suggestions the start of the talks would mark an
end to insurgent violence. “It is clearly written in the agreement that
cease-fire will be one of the topics to be debated and agreed upon during
intra-Afghan negotiations,” Shaheen said by phone from the Taliban’s political
office in Doha, Qatar. The text of the landmark U.S.-Taliban pact states that
participants of the intra-Afghan negotiations will discuss the date and
modalities of a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire, including joint
implementation mechanisms, which will be announced along with the completion
and agreement over the future political roadmap of Afghanistan.”

 

Pakistan

 

Associated Press: Taliban Bomber Hits Pakistani Army Vehicle In NW, Wounding 3
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“A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up near a military vehicle carrying a
brigadier and two junior officers in a former tribal region in northwest
Pakistan on Tuesday, wounding all three, officials said. The attack took place
on a bridge in the town of Ladha in South Waziristan, a former tribal region,
which until recent years served as a base for the Taliban and foreign
militants, according to Shaukat Ali, district police chief. He said the wounded
soldiers were transported to a hospital, where two of them were listed in
critical condition. According to intelligence officials, the military vehicle
was badly damaged in the attack. Shortly after the attack, Mohammad Khurasani,
a spokesman Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack in
Ladha, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.
Pakistan has carried out a number of operations in the country’s rugged
northwest in recent years. The government has repeatedly claimed the areas were
cleared of insurgents, but violence there has continued. According to a
recently released U.N. report, more than 6,000 Pakistani insurgents are hiding
in Afghanistan, most belonging to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban group, which
often attacks Pakistani military and civilian targets.”

 

Lebanon

 

The Washington Post: Reforming Lebanon Must Start By Putting Hezbollah In Its
Place
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“Last week’s blast in Beirut, one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions
in history, has destroyed lives and devastated a city. It has also sharply
intensified demands for change in a country that desperately needs fundamental
reform. A wave of public anger has already forced the resignation of the
government, which was composed primarily of nominal technocrats beholden to a
pro-Hezbollah parliamentary coalition. But demonstrators chanting “revolution!”
are making it clear that they don’t just want early elections based on an
outdated electoral system; they want meaningful, lasting change, from the
ground up. That won’t be possible unless the country can tackle the most
fundamental problem of all: the role of Hezbollah and the political elites it
has co-opted. Even before this latest disaster, Lebanese were taking to the
streets to express their discontent with the status quo. Rampant corruption,
economic decline and failure to guarantee basic public services have inspired a
series of mass anti-government protests in recent years. But the blast — which
many Lebanese attribute to the long-established rottenness of the government —
has now vividly shown the consequences of empowering a parasitic political
class.”

 

Middle East

 

The Jerusalem Post: IDF Strikes Hamas Terror Targets In Gaza In Response To
Explosive Balloons
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“IDF fighter jets, helicopters and tanks attacked a number of Hamas terrorist
targets in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the IDF
Spokesperson said. During the attack, a military compound, underground
infrastructure and observation posts were targeted. The attack was carried out
in response to the launching of incendiary balloons into Israel from Gaza over
the past several days. “The IDF considers all terrorist activity against
Israeli territory to be very serious and will continue to act as necessary
against attempts to harm Israeli citizens,” the IDF said. “The terrorist
organization Hamas bears responsibility for what is happening in and out of the
Gaza Strip, and will bear the consequences of terrorist acts against Israeli
citizens.” The balloon units warned that they would continue the launch of
incendiary and explosive balloons on Wednesday in response to the IDF strikes
on Tuesday night. During the strikes, a missile that was fired from an IDF
helicopter towards Gaza fell next to a cowshed in a town in the Eshkol Regional
Council in southern Israel.”

 

Nigeria

 

Sahara Reporters: Again, Boko Haram Terrorists Kill Several Soldiers During
Attack On Borno Community
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“Several soldiers have been reportedly killed in an ambush by suspected Boko
Haram insurgents in Baga, a town under Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno
State, military sources told SaharaReporters on Tuesday. “Boko Haram Fighters
in several vehicles again stormed Baga town and engaged Nigerian troops in
intense fighting, killing several of them. The exact number of casualties is
not yet known,” one of the sources said. The attack came a few weeks after the
insurgents attacked the convoy of Governor Babagana Zulum in the town. Zulum
was on his way to some Internally Displaced Persons camps in the Northern part
of Borno when the incident happened. SaharaReporters gathered that Boko Haram
had in January 2015 overran the MNJTF base and took control of Baga, killing
hundreds of residents and forcing thousands to flee to Maiduguri. The town was
later retaken, but jihadists continue to attack the military and civilians in
the area, which is an ISWAP stronghold. In the past months, soldiers have been
targeted by the insurgents who lay ambush on their path.”

 

Punch Nigeria: Stop Foreign Terrorists’ Infiltration, Expert Tells FG
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“The President of the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators
of Nigeria, Dr Ona Ekhomu, has advised the Federal Government to take urgent
actions to counter the infiltration of terrorists from the West African
sub-region into the country. He said Nigeria’s already dire security situation
would be severely aggravated if it was further complicated with attacks by
foreign Sahelian Jihadi groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Ekhomu
stated this on Monday while reacting to the intelligence provided by the United
States of America that ISIS and Al-Qaeda terror groups were on the march to
Southern Nigeria through the North-West of the country. He said the rising
spate of terrorist/bandit attacks in the North-West states of Zamfara, Katsina,
Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger, was sufficient evidence of the occupation of
ungoverned spaces in Nigeria, from where attacks were being launched. Ekhomu
said since Nigeria’s porous borders had made it hard for the authorities to
prevent infiltration into the country by foreign terrorists, the law
enforcement agencies should detect and arrest them once on Nigerian soil.”

 

Somalia

 

Associated Press: Police Say 19 Inmates, Guards Killed In Somalia Prison Riot
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“A Somali police officer says at least 19 people were killed during a riot in
the central prison in Somalia's capital on Monday evening. Abdiqani Mohamed
Qalaf, spokesman for the police force in charge of prisons, told reporters the
dead included 15 inmates and four guards. He said the situation is back to
normal, but he gave no details. Gen. Mahad Abdirahman, commander of the
custodial corps, told reporters that the violence started when an inmate
grabbed an officer’s gun and went on a shooting spree. In the chaos, other
inmates, including some sentenced on terrorism charges, recovered guns from
fallen guards. The prison holds some members of the al-Qaida-linked extremist
group al-Shabab. It was the first such riot at the prison in recent memory.”

 

Dalsan Radio: Somalia: SNA Kills Al-Shabaab Official In Lower Shabelle
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“The Somali National Army [SNA] has killed senior Alshabab militant group
leader on Sunday in an operation in Lower Shabelle. According to Somali
military chief, general Odawa Yussuf Rageh the military managed to take over
Awdhegle, Mubarak and Darussalam villages and killed the Al-Shabab official
identified as Osman Gaab who ruled the villages. “The soldiers have killed a
number of fighters including commander administering the villages,” he said. He
also added army said it will intensify military operations to ensure they flush
out all al-Shabab remnants in the areas which are still under their control. On
Friday the military killed 17 Alshabab militants and dozen others were wounded
after they clashed in Daynunay village outskirts of Baidoa in Bay region,
southern Somalia. The government forces backed by African Mission in Somalia
chased al-Shabab militants from the capital Mogadishu in August 2011, but the
militants still control swathes of rural areas in southern regions conducting
ambushes and planting land mines.”

 

Africa

 

Reuters: Niger Expands Emergency Across Region Where Aid Workers Were Killed
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“Niger’s government has extended a state of emergency to the entire region
that surrounds the capital Niamey and suspended access to a giraffe reserve
where six French aid workers and two Nigeriens were shot dead. Attackers on
motorbikes ambushed the group on Sunday while they were driving through the
reserve, a popular destination for expatriates southeast of Niamey in the
Tillabery region. French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted on Tuesday that
France would bolster security measures to protect its nationals in West
Africa’s Sahel region, without providing any details. France has 5,100 troops
deployed in the arid region south of the Sahara desert, but violence by
jihadists linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda continues to rise. A state of
emergency had already been in place in parts of Tillabery to the north and west
of Niamey, near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso. An affiliate of Islamic
State has repeatedly carried out attacks in that zone, including one that
killed four U.S. soldiers in 2017. Niger’s national security council announced
late on Monday that it was extending the state of emergency to all of
Tillabery, which extends more than 350 km (217 miles) south from the Malian
border to the frontier with Benin.”

 

France 24: France To Step Up Security For Its Citizens In Africa's Sahel
Region, Macron Says
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“France will step up security measures to protect French nationals in Africa's
Sahel region, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday, two days after six
French aid workers were shot dead in Niger. “We will do everything we can to
support the families of the victims and to respond to the attack that cost the
lives of six of our compatriots and two Nigeriens. These six young people, who
were members of the NGO 'ACTED', showed extraordinary commitment to the local
population,” Macron tweeted. “I have decided to step up security measures for
our citizens in the region. We will continue in our action to eradicate the
terrorist groups, with the increased support of our partners.”

 

The Defense Post: Millitants In Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze In Attack Killing
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“Militants in volatile central Mali killed a prison officer and a gendarme
late Monday night, officials said, in a raid that saw a jail set ablaze and
five inmates escape. The overnight attack occurred in the village of Kimparana,
in the Segou region of central Mali, which has witnessed a surge in violence
linked to a Jihadist insurgency. Gunmen targeted a prison and gendarmerie in
the village late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, the district prosecutor
Dramane Diarra told AFP, killing one gendarme and prison guard. He added that
the jail had been “torched” and that five prisoners escaped in the melee,
without offering further details. A local Kimparana resident told AFP that the
prison guard “fought until his last breath,” and that soldiers had now secured
the area. “We wish that they would protect us more,” he said of the security
forces. According to the United Nations, at least 580 civilians have been
killed in Central Mali this year. Michelle Bachelet, the UN’s High Commissioner
for Human Rights told UN News that “all of these violations and abuses have
been perpetrated in a context of overwhelming impunity,” only eroding the
public’s confidence in government institutions.”

 

Southeast Asia

 

Voice Of America: Islamic State Holding On In Philippines, Despite Millions In
US Spending
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“Hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars and hundreds of hours spent working with
and training Philippine government forces appear to be doing little to dislodge
Islamic State fighters entrenched in the country’s south. The assessment, part
of a just-released Pentagon report, warns that at best, U.S.-supported efforts
in the Philippines have fought IS and other terror groups to a stalemate, with
Philippine forces unable to gain the upper hand. “In general, efforts to reduce
extremism in the Philippines do not appear to have made a substantial
difference,” U.S. Defense Department Acting Inspector General Sean O’Donnell
wrote in the report assessing the success of Operation Pacific
Eagle–Philippines. IS-East Asia and its partners “have remained about the same
size and strength for the last few years,” O’Donnell added, noting there has
been “little change” in their ability to finance and carry out operations.”

 

Technology

 

The Wall Street Journal: Facebook Removed Nearly 40% More Terrorist Content In
Second Quarter
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“Facebook Inc. removed nearly 40% more content that it categorized as
terrorism in the second quarter compared with the first three months of the
year, the company said. Facebook removed about 8.7 million pieces of such
content—which includes, according to the company’s definition, nonstate actors
that engage in or advocate for violence to achieve political, religious or
ideological aims—in the second quarter of this year, up from 6.3 million in the
first quarter. That increase “was largely driven by improvements in our
proactive detection technology to identify content that violates [Facebook’s]
policy,” a company spokeswoman said. For “organized hate” groups, a separate
category, the company said it took down four million pieces of content, down
from 4.7 million in the first quarter. And in a third category, hate speech,
the company said it dramatically increased removals of such posts from Facebook
and its Instagram platform. It said it removed 3.3 million pieces of hate
speech from Instagram in the second quarter, more than triple the amount the
previous quarter, and 22.5 million pieces from Facebook, more than double what
it removed in the first quarter.”



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