“The Americans are all but gone, the Afghan government has collapsed, and the
Taliban rule the streets of Kabul now. Overnight, millions of Kabul resi

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


August 25, 2021 

 

 

The New York Times: Under Taliban Rule, Life In Kabul Transforms Once Again
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“The Americans are all but gone, the Afghan government has collapsed, and the
Taliban rule the streets of Kabul now. Overnight, millions of Kabul residents
have been left to navigate an uncertain transition after 20 years of
U.S.-backed rule. On Tuesday, nine days after the Taliban walked back into
power, government services were still largely unavailable. Residents are
struggling to lead their daily lives in an economy that, propped up for the
past generation by American aid, is now suddenly in free fall. Banks are
closed, and cash is growing scarce even as food prices rise. Gas is becoming
harder to find. With American forces clinging to the international airport to
conduct a rushed evacuation, the Taliban continued to tighten their grip in the
capital’s neighborhoods and streets. While relative calm reigned over the
capital, in sharp contrast to the free-for-all at the airport, many residents
hid in their homes or ventured out only cautiously to see what life might be
like under their new rulers. Reports varied according to neighborhoods and
people, providing an evolving and sometimes contradictory snapshot of life in a
city governed, once again, by the Taliban — a movement now promising moderation
and inclusiveness but with a history of adherence to a harsh and uncompromising
Islamist order of society.”

 

The Irish Times: Yazidi Women And Girls Still Enslaved By Isis Within
Detention Camp
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“On the seventh anniversary of Islamic State’s genocide of the Yazidi people,
about 2,800 women and girls enslaved by the terror group are still missing. It
is thought that many of those who survived may be trapped in the increasingly
dangerous Al-Hawl detention camp in northeast Syria, imprisoned with their
captors. Rights groups say that, without international efforts to identify and
free them, these women and girls, originally from the Sinjar area in Iraq, are
at risk of being smuggled outside the Kurdish-run camp and sent to Islamic
State – or Isis – cells in Syria and third countries like Turkey – after which,
it may become impossible to find them. Shejk Ziyad is head of the Yazidi Home
Centre, a tiny operation whose volunteers have risked their lives to rescue 265
Yazidis from Al-Hawl. He believes that time is now running out, as Isis
sympathisers within its perimeter have cottoned on to the presence of the
centre’s infiltrators and are co-ordinating with the terror group’s networks on
the outside to move them out. Faced with death threats, Ziyad has fled to an
undisclosed location outside Syria. “Al-Hawl is like a giant spider’s web.
Inside and outside, they have good and strong contacts with smuggling
networks,” he told The Irish Times over the phone.”

 

United States

 

Fox News: Arizona AG Warns Of Potential Border Threat From Terrorists Freed By
Taliban In Afghanistan
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“Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich – the latest Republican to link the
border crisis to the situation in Afghanistan – is warning of a potential
terrorist threat via the southern border from prisoners being freed by the
Taliban. In a letter to President Biden, Brnovich pointed to comments made by
former Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott about the threat of terrorists
potentially making their way through the southern border amid the ongoing
migration crisis facing the U.S. “I firmly believe that it is a national
security crisis,” Scott said in a video message to agents, as reported by The
Washington Examiner. “Immigration is just a subcomponent of it, and right now,
it’s just a cover for massive amounts of smuggling going across the southwest
border — to include TSDBs at a level we have never seen before. That's a real
threat.” TSDBs refers to migrants whose names match those on the Terrorist
Screening Center Database. It is not publicly available how many migrants have
names on the TSDB, but in March, Fox News reported that at least four migrants
whose names match those on the terror watch list had been picked up by U.S.
Border Patrol since the beginning of the fiscal year. Brnovich linked Scott’s
statements to the Taliban’s freeing of thousands of prisoners – including
terrorists – as they take control of Afghanistan ahead of the U.S. withdrawal
at the end of the month.”

 

Syria

 

Associated Press: Blast In Northern Syria Kills 8 Militants, Wounds Others
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“An explosion shook the base of an al-Qaida-linked group in northern Syria on
Tuesday, killing at least eight gunmen and wounding others, opposition
activists said. The explosion came as opposition fighters suffered a major
setback in southern Daraa province, where a Russian-brokered deal led to the
evacuation of gunmen from the region. The evacuation was to pave the way for
the deployment of government troops. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused
the explosion at the base of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the northwestern province
of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the country, but some said it was
a shell that exploded as fighters trained. HTS is the most powerful group in
Syria’s northwest. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said
the explosion near the village of Ram Hamadan was apparently caused by a shell
that exploded. The Observatory said eight fighters were killed and 10 were
wounded. It added that the explosion occurred as drones of the U.S.-led
coalition were flying overhead. Step news agency, an activist collective, said
at least nine fighters were killed and others were wounded in the blast. Step
said it could have been caused when a mortar shell exploded during training.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Newsweek: Germany Warns Of 'Increase' In Islamic State Suicide Bombers
Entering Kabul
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“Germany's top military commander told reporters Tuesday that the military is
concerned about an apparent threat of attacks by the Islamic State militant
group (ISIS) in Kabul, Afghanistan, the Associated Press reported. General
Eberhard Zorn said that “the threat has further increased,” adding that
American and German intelligence indicates an increase of ISIS suicide bombers
sneaking into the city. “That's increasing and leads to heightened
precautions,” Zorn added. Germany's defense minister, Annegret
Kramp-Karrenbauer, warned that the Taliban's August 31 deadline for foreign
troops to fully withdraw should be taken “seriously.” “I think one needs to
take very, very seriously the announcement that they won't agree to a further
delay,” she said, adding that the Taliban could be using the deadline as a
bargaining chip in negotiations with foreign officials. The Dutch military is
halting shooting exercises at one of its firing ranges because the facility
will be used to house Afghans evacuated from Kabul. The Defense Ministry said
Tuesday that shooting training at the Harskamp military base is suspended until
further notice. The first Afghan evacuees are expected to arrive later Tuesday
in Harskamp, a large military base in the forests of the Veluwe region of the
central Netherlands.”

 

The Washington Post: Opinion: Biden’s Claims That Al-Qaeda Is ‘Gone’ In
Afghanistan Are Delusional And Dangerous
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“Remember “Baghdad Bob,” the Iraqi information minister who, as U.S. forces
entered the capital, insisted that there were no Americans in Baghdad? That’s
what President Biden is beginning to sound like with his delusional insistence
that no Americans were having trouble getting to the Kabul airport, no allies
were calling into question the United States’ credibility, and that the United
States had no interest in Afghanistan because al-Qaeda was “gone.” Really? If
that last claim were true, then how did the Afghan military manage to kill
al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, Abu Muhsin al-Masri, in Afghanistan’s Ghazni
province last October? Al-Masri was on the FBI’s most wanted list for
conspiracy to kill Americans. If al-Qaeda poses no threat to the United States
in Afghanistan, as Biden claims, what was a senior al-Qaeda leader focused on
external operations doing there? And why is Sirajuddin Haqqani, an
al-Qaeda-linked U.S.-designated terrorist with a $5 million reward for
information leading to his capture, serving as the Taliban’s second-in-command?
His network was recently placed in charge of security in Kabul. The fact is
al-Qaeda is not only present in Afghanistan, but deeply embedded within the
Taliban.”

 

Metro: Isis Threat Escalates Amid ‘Disturbing Reports’ It Will Target Airport
Evacuation
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“…The Counter Extremism Project (CEP), a New York-based think tank, also
warned Isis is exploiting the rapid UK and US exit for its own ‘brutal goals’.
Nathan Sales, a former US ambassador-at-large who is now a CEP adviser, told
Metro.co.uk: ‘While the Taliban has had a close partnership with Al-Qaeda that
stretches back several decades, the Taliban and the local Isis affiliate see
each other as enemies. ‘Nevertheless, there is a significant risk that
Isis-Khorosan will be able to operate in Afghanistan after the Biden
administration’s withdrawal. ‘We are already seeing disturbing reports that
Isis may be planning to attack the airport in Kabul. ‘It appears that
Afghanistan under Taliban control may become a permissive environment for a
range of terrorist groups, even ones that are hostile to the Taliban.’ The
Khorosan suffix has been given to the Isis element said to be active across
Afghanistan and the wider south and central Asian region. While the Taliban has
looked to consolidate its hold on power since rapidly seizing control of the
country just over a week ago, this is not thought to have included a direct
military assault on the Tora Bora region. David Ibsen, Executive Director to
CEP, said: ‘In 2017, ISIS captured Tora Bora, the cave complex that was once
bin Laden’s fortress.”

 

Saudi Arabia

 

Gulf News: UAE Condemns Al Houthi Terror Attacks On Khamis Mushait In Saudi
Arabia
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“UAE has strongly condemned the systematic attacks on civilians and civil
objects in Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, by Iran-backed Al Houthi terrorists.
The attacks were intercepted by the Coalition Forces. In a statement issued by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) on
Tuesday, the UAE reiterated that these recurrent terror attacks by Al Houthis
reflect their blatant disregard for the international community and all
international laws and norms. The ministry has urged the international
community to take an immediate and decisive stance to stop these recurrent
acts, which target critical infrastructure and threaten the security and
stability of Saudi Arabia, as well as global energy supplies. It also stressed
that the continued threat of these attacks in recent days is a grave escalation
that represents new evidence of these militias’ attempts to undermine security
and stability in the region. The UAE renewed its full solidarity with Saudi
Arabia over these subversive terrorist attacks and reiterated its position
against all threats to the kingdom’s security and stability. The UAE also
reiterated its support for all the measures undertaken by the Saudi authorities
to ensure the safety and security of its citizens and residents.”

 

Libya

 

The North Africa Post: Libya Rejects Claims Of Terrorists’ Infiltration Into
Tunisia
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“Libya’s Interior minister Khaled Mazen has brushed aside claims by Tunisia
that dozens of terrorists have crossed into Tunisian territory from around
Al-Watiya airbase (AB) in view of attacking the border city of Ben Guerdane.
Tunisia notified the Interpol of the presence of 100 terrorists at Al-Watiya AB
and said they were trying to infiltrate into its territory, Libya Observer
reports. Mazen in the rejection of the claims, argued that the Anti-Terrorism
Force was doing its tasks of monitoring terrorist acts and detaining all those
suspected of involvement in terrorism. A source close to military commanders at
Al-Watiya AB, the Libyan media notes, said all forces in and around the base
are regular army forces under the Ministry of Defense and said the Tunisian
claims of terrorists were the first result of the “coup in Tunisia”. Tunisia’s
President Kais Saied late last week claimed that he was aware of an
assassination plan being plotted against him. He however did not provide names.
Tunisia has been victim in the past of lawlessness in Libya where terrorists
found safe haven. Three bloody attacks rocked Tunisia in 2015. The attackers
were according to state officials trained in Libya.”

 

Nigeria

 

Associated Press: Gunmen Kill 2 In Raid On Nigerian Army School In Northwest
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“Gunmen attacked a military training school in northwestern Nigeria early
Tuesday, killing two military personnel and abducting another, an army
spokesman said. Bashir Jajira said the gunmen entered a residential area at the
Nigerian Defense Academy in Kaduna state but did not provide further details on
how the assailants gained access to the base. Efforts were underway to rescue
the hostage, he said. The attack comes amid mounting violence in Kaduna state,
where already three mass school abductions have taken place this year alone
including one near the military school in Afaka. The increase in crime has been
attributed to bandits, though some observers fear there may be links between
the attackers in Kaduna and the Islamic extremist groups in northeastern
Nigeria. Boarding schools have been frequent targets of abductions for ransom
in the northwest, though attacks on military bases are more rare.”

 

Voice Of America: Nigeria Says 'Safe To Assume' Boko Haram Leader Is Dead
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“Nigeria’s government no longer has any doubts that Abubakar Shekau, the
notorious leader of the Boko Haram terror group, is dead. Reports of Shekau’s
death first emerged three months ago, with word he had been killed during a
confrontation in the Sambisa Forest with rival terror group Islamic State West
Africa Province (ISWAP). Despite some initial skepticism, Nigerian officials
now say the reports appear to be accurate. “Our position is that he has been
reported dead and he is dead,” Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed told
VOA’s Hausa service in an interview late Monday. “Going from reports from the
camp of Boko Haram itself, and going by the instability that has followed
shortly after and the struggle for succession, and the recent surrender by
thousands of Boko Haram adherents, I think it's safe to assume that really, you
know, he's dead,” Mohammed said. “(We've) not seen any resurfacing of Abubakar
Shekau.” The Nigerian assessment aligns with the thinking of some U.S.
officials who, like their Nigerian counterparts, have yet to see conclusive
evidence.  “We think he was probably killed,” a U.S. military official told VOA
on the condition of anonymity, because of the sensitivity of the intelligence
about the Boko Haram leader.”

 

Somalia

 

Reuters: Al Shabaab Attacks Somali Military Base, Recaptures Central Town
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“Al Shabaab fighters stormed a military base in the centre of Somalia on
Tuesday and recaptured a town it lost to government forces earlier this month,
eyewitnesses said. Residents of Amara in the Galmudug region said the morning
assault started with a suicide bomb attack which targeted government special
force units, known as Danab and Darawish. The Somali Army and Darawish forces
responded with air strikes and “triumphed” over the attacking al Shabaab
forces, killing “several” combatants, according to state media which did not
providing details on casualties or the status of the military base or town.
Amara is a strategic town which lies on the route to the coastal town of
Harardheere, another al Shabaab stronghold. Harardheere was once a pirate base
at the height of hijackings of merchant ships in 2011. “Al Shabaab militants
have launched an attack on a government base in the town of Amara this morning.
The government forces, especially the Danab and the Darawish of Galmudug,
withdrew from the area and al Shabaab took control of the area,” Farah Osman, a
resident of Amara, told Reuters by phone. Asmail Nur, another resident,
confirmed the attack and said al Shabaab captured 11 armoured vehicles and
burned seven others.”

 

Africa

 

Voice Of America: Cameroon Says 40 Villages Razed, Thousands Displaced Fear
Returning
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“Cameroonian authorities are urging thousands of villagers who fled northern
Cameroon after a violent conflict between herders and fishers this week to
return home. The villagers fled across the border into neighboring Chad after
clashes over resources left farms and villages destroyed. Cameroon says the
conflict between cattle ranchers and fishermen has displaced people in Logone
and Chari villages, but residents are reluctant to return due to concerns of
ongoing violence in the country’s northern border with Chad. Midjiyawa Bakari
is the governor of Cameroon’s Far North region, where the Logone and Chari
Division is located. Bakari insists that Mousgoum fishermen and Arab Choua
cattle ranchers are fighting over water resources to maintain control over
their natural habitats. He wants all civilians to know that Mousgoum fishermen
also clash among themselves over water in fishing areas. He adds that the Arab
Choua cattle ranchers have informed Cameroon government officials on several
occasions that their peers allow cattle to stray out of ranches in search of
water, causing tensions between Arab Choua cattle ranchers. Bakari said Mosgoum
and Arab Choua communities are not fighting to chase each other from
territories they have been living in for decades.”

 

The Africa Report: Islamic State, GSIM, Al-Qaeda: The Jihadist Gold Rush In
Burkina Faso
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“For the past five years, terrorist groups have been taking over gold mining
sites in areas where the government of Burkina Faso is virtually absent. They
are using their control as a means of financing themselves. More than two
months after the attack that took place during the night of 4-5 June, which
killed 132 people, Solhan has still not fully recovered. This town of 10,000
inhabitants (including 7,000 gold miners, according to local authorities) –
located about 15km from Sebba, the capital of the north-eastern province of
Yagha – has become the target for gold smuggling by two rival groups: the
Islamic State (IS) and the Groupe de Soutien à l’Islam et aux Musulmans (GSIM,
affiliated with Al-Qaeda).”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Independent: ‘Fascist’ Teenager Attempted To Make 3D Gun And Drew Up Plans
For Storage Bunker In Terror Plot, Court Hears
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“A “fascist” teenager attempted to make a 3D gun and drew up plans for a
storage bunker as part of a far-right terror plot, a court has heard. Matthew
Cronjager, 18, is accused of preparing acts of terrorism and running a social
media channel that encouraged attacks. He denies the charges but on the first
day of his trial on Tuesday, he admitted four separate offences of possessing
information useful to a terrorist. Prosecutor Alistair Richardson told the Old
Bailey that Mr Cronjager held “fascist beliefs” and hated Jews, Muslims,
non-white people and the LGBT+ community. “He wanted to bring about his own
revolution, based on his own racist ideology,” Mr Richardson told jurors. “To
that end, he sought to produce a firearm using a 3D printer, he made plans for
storage of firearms in preparation for his violent acts, and he provided
instructions and funds to others in order to secure the manufacture of a
firearm.” The court heard that Mr Cronjager was unknowingly communicating with
an undercover police officer, and was arrested in December. Mr Richardson said
that examinations of the defendant’s iPhone, laptop and USB devices showed that
he had been “obtaining manuals to help him prepare” and had downloaded a large
volume of extreme right-wing propaganda.”



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