“A large group of heavily armed militants killed 14 Burkina Faso soldiers and
injured seven others in a dawn attack in the north on Monday, the govern

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


October 5, 2021 

 

Reuters: Militants Kill 14 Soldiers, Injure Seven In Burkina Faso Attack
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“A large group of heavily armed militants killed 14 Burkina Faso soldiers and
injured seven others in a dawn attack in the north on Monday, the government
said in a statement. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the
military detachment, which took place near the town of Yirgou, in the
center-north Sanmatenga province, an area overrun by jihadist insurgents linked
to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Yirgou was the scene of another militant ambush
in June, when at least 15 police officers were killed. Their unit had been
visiting the town on a relief mission following a previous bout of militant
violence. Attacks linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have surged across
Africa's Sahel region, killing thousands and displacing millions across Burkina
Faso, Mali and Niger. About 1.2 million people have been displaced by the
violence in Burkina Faso alone.”

 

The New York Times: Why The Taliban’s Repression Of Women May Be More Tactical
Than Ideological
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“Why are the Taliban stripping away so many of Afghan women’s hard-won
freedoms? That may seem like a facetious question. When the Taliban ruled the
country in the 1990s, after all, their regime was known for having some of the
world’s harshest restrictions on women. The group still adheres to a
fundamentalist vision of Islamic society. But ideology is only part of the
story. Every group has a range of beliefs, and not all of them become
priorities for governance. Some Taliban officials, particularly those who
conducted peace negotiations and favored international engagement, have
suggested that this iteration of Taliban governance might be less restrictive
toward women. And there are certainly economic incentives, as the resumption of
international aid would be based at least in part on human rights
considerations. None of that has seemed to make a difference thus far. Though
some Taliban officials continue to say that conditions will improve, women are
still being kept from workplaces and schools. Each week seems to bring a new
report of restrictions. In that light, the Taliban’s decision to restrict
women’s freedom begins to look like a political choice as much as it is a
matter of ideology. Understanding why the Taliban might see that choice as
rewarding, experts say, offers insight into the group’s state-building efforts,
and to the nature of the society they now rule again.”

 

United States

 

Chicago Tribune: Federal Trial Begins For Ex-DePaul Student Accused Of Writing
Computer Code To Help Spread ISIS Propaganda
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“Thomas Osadzinski was a DePaul University computer science student in June
2018 when he allegedly sent out a message in an online chat room seeking the
recipe for a powerful explosive favored by terrorists and suicide bombers,
according to federal prosecutors. When someone in the chat room responded that
he should be very careful, Osadzinski allegedly responded he “will be doing
some studying.” “You mean studying for school?” asked the person in the chat
room, who unbeknownst to Osadzinski was a covert FBI agent. Osadzinski
allegedly replied, “For jihad,” followed by a heart emoji and a symbol
associated with the Islamic State terrorist group. That conversation three
years ago will be a focal point for prosecutors as Osadzinski’s trial gets
underway at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where he faces charges of using the
computer skills he was learning at DePaul to craft a first-of-its-kind code
designed to spread violent terrorist propaganda online. Osadzinski, 22, who is
originally from Park Ridge and lived in an apartment in Chicago’s Lakeview
neighborhood at the time of his arrest, was charged with attempting to provide
material support to a terrorist organization, which carries up to 20 years in
prison if convicted.”

 

Iran

 

BBC News: Israel Accuses Iran Over Cyprus Alleged Hitman Plot
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“Israel has accused Iran of plotting to kill Israelis in Cyprus after police
there arrested a man suspected of being hired to carry out the attacks. The
Israeli prime minister's office said “an act of terror... was orchestrated by
Iran against Israeli businesspeople” living on the island. His office denied
media reports that the target was Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi. Iran -
Israel's arch-foe - has denied Israel's claims. “This regime is always making
such a baseless allegation against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Iranian
embassy in the Cypriot capital, Nicosia, said in a statement to Reuters news
agency. The suspect - said to be a 38-year-old Azeri using a Russian passport -
was arrested a week ago in Nicosia after crossing from Turkish-occupied
northern Cyprus, according to local media. Reports say he had arrived from
Russia about three weeks ago and was under police surveillance. Cypriot media
say he had a gun with a silencer in his car when he was arrested, though police
have not confirmed details of the case. There are conflicting reports as to who
might have been a target. Some reports in Israeli and Cypriot media say Mr Sagi
was one of a number of Israeli businesspeople on a hit list. Both the Israeli
prime minister's office and Mr Sagi's company, the Sagi Group, denied the
tycoon was known to be a would-be victim.”

 

Iraq

 

Associated Press: Turkey Says It Captures Kurdish Militant Base In North Iraq
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“Turkish troops have captured a major base belonging to Kurdish militants in
northern Iraq, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Monday. Twelve members of the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, were “neutralized” in the operation, the
ministry said in a tweet. It uses the term to describe opponents that are
killed, wounded or captured. The operation took place close to the Turkish
border in a region where three Turkish soldiers were killed in August. The
ministry said the “eastern headquarters” of the PKK were captured in what it
called a “powerful blow” against the group, which is listed as a terrorist
organization by the U.S. and EU. There were no details when the operation
happened. Turkey launched its latest air and ground campaign in northern Iraq
in April in a bid to limit the PKK’s ability to mount cross-border attacks in
Turkey. Tens of thousands of people have been killed since the PKK began its
armed campaign in 1984.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Al Jazeera: Taliban Killed 13 Members Of Hazara Ethnic Group: Report
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“The Taliban killed at least 13 members of the Hazara ethnic group, including
a 17-year-old girl, in the central province of Daykundi, shortly after they
took power in Afghanistan, according to a new report from Amnesty
International. On August 30, a convoy of 300 Taliban fighters entered Khidr
district and killed at least 11 former members of the Afghan National Security
Forces (ANSF), nine of whom were taken to a nearby river basin where they were
executed shortly after having surrendered, the rights group said in its report
published on Tuesday. A teenager, identified by the name of Masuma, was killed
in crossfire after the Taliban targeted Afghan forces who were attempting to
flee the area. Another civilian, Fayaz, a newly-wed in his 20s, was also among
those killed in the crossfire. The ANSF members who were killed ranged in age
from 26 to 46, Amnesty said. All the victims were Hazara, who were persecuted
during the Taliban’s first stint in power between 1996 and 2001. It is the
second killing of Hazaras documented by Amnesty. At least nine Hazara men were
killed by Taliban fighters in Ghazni province in July before the group captured
power, Amnesty reported on August 19. Both the Taliban and their rivals, the
Islamic State Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), an ISIL affiliate, have been
accused of targeting the Hazara people, who make up the majority of
Afghanistan’s Shia population.”

 

Reuters: Taliban Say Forces Destroy Islamic State Cell Hours After Kabul Blast
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“Taliban government forces destroyed an Islamic State cell in the north of
Kabul late on Sunday in a prolonged assault that broke the calm of a normally
quiet area of the capital with hours of explosions and gunfire, officials and
local residents said. With Afghanistan's economy close to collapse and large
areas of the country in danger of famine, the presence of an apparently
well-armed militant cell in Kabul underlined the daunting scale of the
challenge facing the new government. The Taliban operation came after a bomb
attack near a mosque in Kabul earlier on Sunday that was later claimed by
Islamic State. That blast killed and wounded a number of civilians in what
appeared to be the worst attack in the Afghan capital since the withdrawal of
U.S. forces at the end of August. The local affiliate of Islamic State, known
as ISIS-Khorasan after an ancient name for the region, has already claimed to
have carried out attacks on Taliban targets and remains unreconciled to the
Afghan Islamist movement. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said a
special Taliban unit carried out an operation against ISIS elements in Kabul's
17th district, in the city's north, destroying their base and killing all those
in it.”

 

Yemen

 

Arab News: Houthis Under Fire For Killing Displaced Civilians In Marib
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“Yemeni government officials, local and international activists and rights
groups and western diplomats on Monday strongly condemned the Houthi shelling
of a residential area in the central city of Marib that killed and wounded more
than three dozen civilians. On Sunday, three ballistic missiles fired by the
Iran-backed Houthis hit the city of Marib, killing two children and wounding
more than 30 people. One of the three missiles landed in a house in Al-Rawada
neighborhood hosting thousands of internally displaced people, flattening the
building and killing Ghazlan Faisal Al-Bareq and her brother Rada and
critically wounding their parents. The family comes from the northern province
of Amran, sheltering in Marib like thousands of Yemenis who fled the fighting
and Houthi repression. Graphic images taken by local journalists show the
headless and burnt Ghazlan lying in a bed in a local hospital in Marib, with
several other badly wounded children crying as they receive medication. The US
embassy in Yemen strongly condemned the “terrible” attack by the Houthis and
demanded the militias work on achieving peace in Yemen.”

 

Middle East

 

The Jerusalem Post: Palestinian Terrorist Should Be Given Death Sentence,
Father Says
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“The father of Yehuda Guetta, who was murdered by convicted Palestinian
terrorist Muntasir Shalabi in an attack in May, requested the Judea Military
Court judges punish Shalabi with the death penalty during a sentencing hearing
on Monday. “That is the only way to prevent the next murder,” Elisha Guetta
said, adding the death penalty “is just what he deserves.” Guetta also demanded
Shalabi's family, whose West Bank home was razed by the IDF in July, be
deported from Israel. “We demand to deport his family, maybe to Syria,” Guetta
said. “We cannot allow his children to travel to Lake Kinneret (the Sea of
Galilee) and take photos to upload on Facebook,” he added. In August, Muntasir
Shalabi was convicted for the murder of 19-year-old Guetta in a drive-by
shooting on May 2 at Tapuah junction. Shalabi, 44, was also convicted of
multiple attempted murder counts after he wounded two other 19-year-olds during
the attack. Muntasir Shalabi, who holds dual Palestinian-American citizenship,
said during the hearing Al-Aqsa was his motive for the drive-by shooting. In
response, attorney Haim Blecher of the Honenu legal aid organization, who
represents the Guetta family, said “we need to understand what we are up
against...every shred of hope must be erased.”

 

Nigeria

 

Premium Times: Nigeria: Troops Repel Attack On Repentant Terrorist Camp - Army
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“The army says the terrorists made attempt to access the camp in Damboa Local
Government Area of Borno State but were resisted by superior gun power. Troops
of Operation Hadin Kai have foiled an attack by members of the Islamic State
West Africa (ISWAP) on a camp housing repentant members of Boko Haram.
Spokesperson of the Army, Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement on
Sunday. According to him, the terrorists made attempt to access the camp in
Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State but were resisted by superior gun
power. The attack is coming on the heels of reported massive surrendering by
members of the terrorist group. Thousands of terrorists alongside their family
members have recently repented and handed over themselves to authorities.
President Muhammudu Buhari had, on Friday, during a nationwide address
commemorating Nigeria's 61st anniversary, stated that about 8,000 terrorists
had surrendered. The latest attack according to the army could be an attempt to
discourage intending surrendering terrorists from laying down their arms.”

 

Africa

 

Reuters: Four Suspected IS-Linked Militants, One Sudanese Security Forces
Member Killed In Khartoum
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“Four suspected Islamic State-linked militants and one Sudanese security
forces member were killed during clashes in a raid in Sudan's capital Khartoum
on Monday, state news agency SUNA reported. Sudanese security forces clashed
with militants in southern Khartoum on Monday, state TV and witnesses said,
days after a raid on what officials said was an Islamic State-linked cell in
the same area. Monday's raid included two sites and security forces arrested
four other suspected militants, a day after they captured eight “foreign
elements” in a raid in Omdurman, the capital's twin city, on Sunday, SUNA said.
Three security forces members were injured in Monday's raid, it added quoting a
statement of the General Intelligence Service. Witnesses in the Jabra
neighbourhood told Reuters they saw security forces exchange gunfire with a
group inside a residential building and close the main road in the area. State
TV described the group as being a terrorist cell. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head
of Sudan's ruling council, visited the site of the clashes, state TV reported.
On Tuesday, five members of the General Intelligence Service were killed and a
sixth injured following a raid where 11 suspects of different nationalities
were arrested, the service said.”

 

Reuters: Mozambique President Calls On Insurgents To Surrender After Key
Militant Killed
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“Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi urged Islamist militants in its far north
to surrender on Monday, saying they had nowhere to run, after allied Rwandan,
Mozambican and southern African forces pushed them out of territory they had
been occupying. Nyusi's comments to mark Peace and National Reconciliation Day
came a day after regional southern African forces said they had killed a senior
Islamist militant leader along with 18 other fighters in an offensive on
September 25. Awadhi Ndanjile, a religious leader instrumental in recruiting
and indoctrinating members of the Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'a (ASWJ), was killed on
a militants base in the Nangade district of Cabo Delgado, the statement from
the Southern Africa Development Community's mission in Mozambique said, using
one of the names given to the country's militants. “We wanted to invite them
not to wait for death ... this is not the intention of the defense and security
forces,” Nyusi said. “Surrender yourself ... because you have nowhere to go ...
You are running from one forest to another being endlessly chased.” A number of
areas previously held by militants have been cleared, including the town of
Mocimboa da Praia, more than a year after insurgents first seized it. Insurgent
bases have also been destroyed, according to security forces.”

 

Southeast Asia

 

The Defense Post: Six Dead As Thai Military Battles Rebels In Restive South
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“Six days of gun battles between soldiers and militants in Thailand’s restive
south have left six people dead, the military said Monday, as troops hunt
insurgents hiding in a swampy forest. Thailand’s three southernmost provinces
have been in the grip of a 17-year conflict that has killed more than 7,000
people, the majority civilians, as militants in the Muslim-majority region
fight for more autonomy from the Thai state. The pandemic had brought a lull to
the clashes — often characterized as tit-for-tat attacks — but fighting has
renewed in recent weeks. Thailand’s 4th Army Region, which oversees the
southern provinces, said Monday that the military has been locked in gun
battles with separatists in Narathiwat province since September 28. Authorities
surrounded a swampy forest in Bachao district on Tuesday after receiving a tip
that a group of suspected armed rebels were hiding there, said Colonel
Keattisak Neewong, a spokesman for the southern military unit in charge of
security. “We lost our first officer in the gunfight last Tuesday,” he told
AFP. “We continued to negotiate with them since day one with the help of local
religious leaders but they have rejected the talks and kept firing.” By Sunday
morning, the group tried to escape, sparking a gunfight that left four
suspected rebels and one soldier dead.”



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