“The Pakistani Taliban said Thursday they will not extend a cease-fire agreed
to last month, accusing the government in Islamabad of not honoring the

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


December 10, 2021  

 

Associated Press: Pakistani Taliban Won't Extend Cease-Fire With Government
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“The Pakistani Taliban said Thursday they will not extend a cease-fire agreed
to last month, accusing the government in Islamabad of not honoring the truce
and failing to release 102 of their fighters. The militant group, also known as
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, has been behind numerous attacks on Pakistani
security forces and civilians over the last 14 years. TTP was also behind a
2014 attack on an army-run school in the northwestern city of Peshawar that
killed 154 people, mostly schoolchildren. They are a separate group from the
Taliban in Afghanistan, who took over that country in August. However, the two
groups are close allies and TTP leaders and fighters have over the years sought
sanctuary across the border in Afghanistan . A statement from TTP spokesman
Mohammad Khurasani claimed that despite the agreement on the cease-fire — which
went into effect on Nov. 9 and was meant to give time for peace talks between
the two sides — government forces are continuing to carry out operations
against the group. The truce expires at midnight. “It is not possible to carry
on with the cease-fire in these circumstances,” Khurasani said. There was no
immediate comment from the Pakistani authorities.”

 

Reuters: Philippines' Supreme Court Rules Parts Of Terrorism Law
Unconstitutional
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“The Philippines' Supreme Court declared two parts of a controversial
anti-terrorism law unconstitutional on Thursday, dismaying activists and rights
groups who sought the scrapping of the legislation over fears it threatened
civil liberties. While the Philippines does have legitimate security threats,
including Islamist extremism, lawyers and human rights groups challenging the
legislation say it could be abused to target government opponents and suppress
peaceful dissent. President Rodrigo Duterte has defended the legislation,
saying law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear. The Supreme Court, which has
yet to release a breakdown of ruling, said in a statement said it struck down a
part of the law “for being overbroad and violative of freedom of expression.”
It also declared as unconstitutional a provision that allows an anti-terrorism
council appointed by the president to adopt requests by other entities,
including international organisations, to designate individuals and groups as
terrorists. Akbayan, a group of activists and legislators, said the ruling was
a devastating blow for the country. “The Supreme Court missed the opportunity
to defend the Filipino people's human rights and democracy,” it said.”

 

United States

 

Vice: The Michigan School Shooting Was Terrifying. But Was It Terrorism?
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“There’s no doubt that what happened in the halls of Michigan’s Oxford High
School last week was terrifying. Authorities allege Ethan Crumbley, 15, exited
a bathroom in the school just before 1 p.m. on Nov. 30 and pulled out a handgun
his parents reportedly got him as a Christmas present. He began firing
methodically at students in a hallway. In the end, four were killed: Tate Myre,
16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Justin Shilling, 17. And
several more were injured. Just hours before, his parents had been called in to
the school after a teacher found a drawing Ethan had made of a figure shooting
people with the words “the thoughts won't stop, help me” and “blood
everywhere.” He was allowed to return to class after that meeting. The
fifteen-year-old was later arrested at the shooting scene and has been charged
as an adult with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and terrorism. That
final charge is unusual: It’s the first time terror charges have been brought
against an alleged school shooter, despite the hundreds of students shot and
killed in the U.S. over the last few decades. During a news conference, Oakland
County District Prosecutor Karen McDonald said that she filed the terrorism
counts so that the suspect’s charges would represent not just those he
allegedly wounded and killed but also those who were traumatized by his
actions. She was fully aware this is not “a typical charge.”

 

Oakridger: ORHS Students Charged With Terrorism, Threats Of Mass Violence
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“The three Oak Ridge High School students who allegedly posted shooting
threats against the school on social media have been charged with terrorism,
threats of mass violence on school property, and for filing false reports. Two
of the three students have also been charged with conspiracy. All three were
taken into custody Wednesday afternoon and the Anderson County Juvenile Court
authorized that they be transported to the Richard L. Bean Detention Facility
in Knox County, according to District Attorney General Dave Clark. In a news
release issued late Wednesday afternoon, he explained the juveniles could have
a detention hearing as early as Thursday afternoon. “The message should be loud
and clear to adults and juveniles alike that making threats over social media
or in any way that are directed at our schools, children or staff will not be
tolerated,” Clark said in a news release. “This is a very serious matter and
the law enforcement community and the judicial system in Anderson County will
respond accordingly. We are concerned to see that two such incidents have
occurred within the same week.” The district attorney general pointed out that
educational time was lost and students, parents, teachers and staff were
understandably upset about the threats. “The Oak Ridge Police Department
directed staff to immediately provide security at multiple schools and for the
Criminal Investigation Division to find those responsible.”

 

Iraq

 

Reuters: Three Turkish Soldiers Killed In Operations In Iraq -Ministry
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“Three Turkish soldiers were killed in an attack by Kurdish militants during
cross-border operations in northern Iraq on Thursday, the Turkish Defence
Ministry said, adding six of the militants were “neutralised”. “Targets
identified in the region were struck in an air operation and six terrorists
were neutralised according to initial indications. Operations in the region are
continuing,” the ministry said. “Neutralised” is commonly used to mean killed.
Turkey's operations in Iraq target the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant
group, which has bases there and which is designated a terrorist group by
Turkey, the United States and European Union. The group launched an insurgency
in southeast Turkey in 1984 in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.”

 

The Hill: US Ends Combat Mission Against ISIS In Iraq, But Troops Remain
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“The U.S. military on Thursday ended its combat mission in Iraq, transferring
instead to a training and advisory role, the Pentagon announced. Under the
terms from a July agreement, the United States for months has wound down the
mission against the Islamic State, with about 2,500 service members still in
Iraq. Those troops will remain for now to advise and assist Iraqi security
forces, a change finalized after technical talks wrapped up between Washington
and Baghdad on Thursday. “This is the natural evolution. This is in keeping
with our commitments to the Iraqi government,” Pentagon press secretary John
Kirby told reporters. He added that there will not be “a dramatic shift” in the
number of U.S. forces in the country. U.S. forces have been in Iraq since 2014
to lead a coalition to defeat the Islamic State after the extremist group took
over large swaths of it and Syria. At the height of their power, the group
controlled 110,000 square kilometers of territory with a height of 40,000
fighters. The military defeat of the group was declared in 2017, but its
scattered fighters have continued a low-level insurgency. Following the group’s
defeat, the Biden administration agreed to pull all combat forces in Iraq by
Dec. 31, with a new mission to advise and assist Iraqi forces as they continue
to fend off ISIS.”

 

Turkey

 

Al Monitor: Turkey Arrests Dozens Of Foreign Islamic State Suspects
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“Turkish authorities arrested dozens of alleged Islamic State militants today.
Police arrested 11 people in Istanbul and 22 in Ankara. There police are
searching for eight other individuals in Ankara. The suspects, all foreign
nationals, are alleged to have been planning to carry out attacks on behalf of
the Islamic State, Turkey’s official Anadolu Agency reported. Turkey has a
complicated history with the Islamic State. Turkish authorities have stepped up
pursuit of IS suspects in the country this year and arrested 26 of them in
June. Most of those detained had come from Iraq and Syria. At the same time,
critics accuse Turkey of being soft on the group and say courts insufficiently
punish IS members. In one case, an IS official who allegedly ordered the death
by burning of two Turkish soldiers lived for years in the city of Gaziantep and
ran a small business.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Associated Press: US Commander: Al-Qaida Numbers In Afghanistan Up 'Slightly'
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“The al-Qaida extremist group has grown slightly inside Afghanistan since U.S.
forces left in late August, and the country's new Taliban leaders are divided
over whether to fulfill their 2020 pledge to break ties with the group, the top
U.S. commander in the region said Thursday. Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of
U.S. Central Command, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the
departure of U.S. military and intelligence assets from Afghanistan has made it
much harder to track al-Qaida and other extremist groups inside Afghanistan.
“We’re probably at about 1 or 2% of the capabilities we once had to look into
Afghanistan,” he said, adding that this makes it “very hard, not impossible” to
ensure that neither al-Qaida nor the Islamic State group's Afghanistan
affiliate can pose a threat to the United States. Speaking at the Pentagon,
McKenzie said it's clear that al-Qaida is attempting to rebuild its presence
inside Afghanistan, which was the base from which it planned the Sept. 11,
2001, attacks against the United States. He said some militants are coming into
the country through its porous borders, but it is hard for the U.S. to track
numbers. The U.S. invasion that followed the Sept. 11 attacks led to a 20-year
war that succeeded initially by removing the Taliban from power but ultimately
failed.”

 

Yemen

 

Arab News: Yemen Army Kills Hezbollah Military Expert In Marib
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“A Hezbollah military leader fighting for the Iran-backed Houthis has been
killed in clashes with government forces in the central province of Marib,
Yemen’s information minister revealed on Thursday. In a tweet, Moammar
Al-Eryani said that expert adviser Akram Al-Sayed died when Yemeni army troops
shelled Houthi positions south of Marib, inflicting a blow to a Houthi militia
push to seize control of Marib city. The Houthis are being supported by
thousands of fighters, including many from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq. Al-Eryani
called on the international community and UN Security Council permanent
members, “to condemn this blatant interference, which undermines de-escalation
efforts in Yemen, continues bloodshed, and exacerbates humanitarian suffering
of Yemenis.” The minister urged an intensification of sanctions against
Lebanese Hezbollah and demanded that the government in Lebanon curb the influx
of Hezbollah fighters to Yemen. The Yemeni government has long accused Iran of
deploying fighters from its proxy militias in the region to reinforce the
Houthis. In August, the Yemeni government announced the death in a coalition
airstrike in Serwah of an Iranian military officer who was providing the
Houthis with frontline military advice in Marib.”

 

Nigeria

 

Punch Nigeria: Troops Ambush Boko Haram, ISWAP Terrorists, Neutralise Three In
Borno
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“Troops of Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have neutralised three Boko
Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists in Borno State on
Wednesday. This was after the troops staged an ambush at one of the terrorists’
notorious crossing points along Kwadal-Agapalwa-Amuda axis. Director Army
Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu disclosed this in a
statement on Thursday. According to the statement, “The troops, who were on a
Long range fighting Patrol towards Agapalwa and Amuda villages, got wind of the
rampaging activities of the terrorists and laid in wait for them at the
crossing point. “In the battle that ensued, troops rained heavy fire on the
terrorists, inflicting maximum casualty on them. After gallantly eliminating
the terrorists, the troops recovered one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG),
three Hand Grenades, 62 links of 7.62mm ammunition, one Motorcycle and three
Bicycles from the terrorists. “Troops are currently exploiting further to clear
the area of any escaping terrorist. “The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Faruk
Yahaya, has commended the vigilance and gallantry of the troops. He has also
urged them to intensify their offensive operations to further decimate the
terrorists.”

 

Somalia

 

All Africa: Somalia: Security Forces Arrest Al-Shabaab Members In Galkayo
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“Somali security forces have on Thursday arrested several Shabab fighters in
an operation in south Galkayo. According to the National Intelligence Security
Agency (NISA) officials leading the operation, the members were arrested in
different areas in Galkayo. They also stated that security forces carried out a
well-planned operation in the town in the past days. They added that the
operation was aimed at ensuring that the remaining militants are out of the
city. Al-Shabab, which has been seeking to topple the government, has continued
to restrict the movement of people and control supply routes to most of the
recovered areas. The group still holds control of strongholds in the rural
areas of southern and central regions, conducting ambushes and planting
landmines.”

 

Mali

 

Reuters: France Condemns Attack That Killed Seven U.N. Peacekeepers In Mali
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“France's Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned an attack that killed seven
United Nations peacekeepers and wounded several others in Mali on Wednesday,
saying those responsible must be identified and held accountable. Seven United
Nations peacekeepers in central Mali were killed and three others seriously
wounded by an improvised explosive device, the U.N. mission said on Twitter.”

 

Africa

 

Reuters: Gunmen Kill At Least 14 Militiamen In Burkina Faso Ambush
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“Unidentified gunmen ambushed and killed least 14 members of a
government-backed civilian militia in Burkina Faso on Thursday, officials said,
the latest in a wave of violence. The attack came a day after President Roch
Kabore sacked his prime minister and replaced the head of the army as he faced
street protests over his handling of a security crisis that has killed
thousands and displaced more than a million. There was no immediate claim of
responsibility for the ambush. But attacks by insurgents linked to al Qaeda and
Islamic State have been mounting in Burkina Faso and in neighbouring Mali and
Niger. The gunmen attacked the militia about 10 km from the northern town of
Titao where they were heading to reinforce other civilian fighters, the
government said in a statement. The 14 killed were members of Burkina Faso's
Homeland Defence Volunteers, which receives funds and training from the
government to help contain an Islamist insurgency.”

 

Associated Press: Burkina Faso's Prime Minister Is Fired Amid Growing Violence
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“Burkina Faso’s prime minister has been fired amid escalating jihadi violence
that’s killed thousands and displaced more than 1 million people. President
Roch Marc Christian Kabore sacked his prime minister amid weeks of
anti-government protests in which demonstrators have criticized his
government’s inability to stem extremist attacks by al-Qaida and the Islamic
State across the West African nation. Last month saw the deadliest violence
against the country’s security forces in recent memory, with more than 50
gendarmes killed in the Sahel region. Prime Minister Christophe Joseph Marie
Dabire was removed as a result of the president’s commitment to setting up a
“tighter and more cohesive government,” Communications Minister Ousseni
Tamboura, told The Associated Press. He didn’t know when a new government would
be formed, he said. According to Burkina Faso law, the prime minister's
resignation requires the entire government to resign. The outgoing Cabinet
ministers will remain in their positions until a new one is formed, said the
president's statement. Dabire became prime minister in 2019 and was reappointed
after Kabore won reelection to a second term in November, 2020. Kabore’s action
to get rid of his prime minister is part of a last-ditch effort to regain
political and military control in the face of plummeting popularity, said
Alexandre Raymakers, senior Africa analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, a risk
consultancy.”

 

The National: Terrorism Thrives In Climate Change Wastelands, UN Hears
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“The UAE joined France, Niger and other countries on Thursday in a push to the
UN Security Council to connect climate change to international security threats
such as terrorism. Niger, which holds the council's rotating presidency in
December, urged members to pass a draft resolution on climate change and
terrorism, but faced opposition from Russia, China and others. The UN says
armed extremist groups such as ISIS, Boko Haram and Al Shabab thrive in
communities stricken by drought and other harsh climatic conditions, where
joblessness and despair leave people vulnerable to hardliners. Mohamed
Abushahab, the UAE’s deputy ambassador to the UN, told council members the
“nexus between climate change and terrorism and extremism calls for action”.
“Even if indirect, there is a connection between climate impacts from migration
to unemployment, and the feelings of helplessness, resentment and loss of faith
in governance systems that contribute to terrorist recruitment,” Mr Abushahab
said. Some regions have already seen desertification and other harsh climatic
conditions nudging people towards extremism, creating “pockets of unstable
territory that are springboards for terrorist attacks”, he said.”

 

Germany

 

Deutsche Welle: Germany's New Interior Minister Nancy Faeser Makes Fight
Against Right-Wing Extremism Top Priority
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“Nancy Faesar is no stranger to dealing with enemies of an open, democratic
and diverse society. The new German interior minister hails from the central
German state of Hesse, which has repeatedly made the headlines because of
right-wing extremist attacks. The most notorious took place in Hanau in
February 2020, when a racist attacker shot nine people in a hookah bar. Even
before that, Hesse hit international headlines in June 2019 when a neo-Nazi
murdered the center-right Christian Democrat (CDU) local politician Walter
Lübcke, because of his support for refugees. And back in 2006, Halit Yozgat was
shot in an internet cafe in Kassel, the ninth of ten victims of the National
Socialist Underground (NSU), a neo-Nazi terrorist group. Nancy Faeser has
placed herself in the tradition of anti-fascists and women's rights activists.
The mother of a six-year-old son is a trained lawyer and spent time studying in
the United States before joining an international law firm in Frankfurt. In the
negotiations to form the new coalition for Germany's new governemnt, she was a
negotiator for her center-left Social Democrats (SPD) on the issues of
migration and integration — key topics for the Interior Ministry.”

 

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