“A group of Taliban officials met over the weekend in Iran with leaders of
several armed Afghan resistance groups, reportedly offering to let them ret

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


January 11, 2022

  

The Washington Post: Taliban Meets With Opposition Militia Representatives In
Iran
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“A group of Taliban officials met over the weekend in Iran with leaders of
several armed Afghan resistance groups, reportedly offering to let them return
home safely. It was the first direct interaction between Afghanistan’s new
rulers and an alliance of domestic militias that launched a short-lived
uprising after the Islamist extremists took power in August. But a spokesman
for the resistance groups later angrily rejected the Taliban’s outreach move,
saying the meetings had “achieved nothing” and calling the Taliban a tyrannical
regime that opposes human rights and freedoms. He said that the Taliban is not
serious about addressing the group’s concerns and that they will continue to
fight. “We tried to leave a door open,” Sigbatullah Ahmadi told the BBC Persian
service in an interview in Afghan Dari on Monday night. “The Taliban were
thinking we would stop our resistance if they offer us ministries, provinces,
embassies. Our resistance is not for participation in a tyrannical government.
Our resistance is for the people of Afghanistan.” Bilal Karimi, a senior
Taliban spokesman, said in a tweet Monday that two top Afghan militia leaders,
Ismail Khan from western Herat province and Ahmad Massoud from northern
Panjshir province, met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan
Muttaqi, and other officials.”

 

Reuters: Islamic State Claims Responsibility For Dec 25 Suicide Attack In Congo
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“Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed at
least five people in a restaurant in the city of Beni in eastern Congo on Dec.
25, the group’s Amaq news agency said on a Telegram channel on Monday. The
suicide bomber was also killed and 14 people were injured in the attack, the
latest violence in a region where Congolese and Ugandan forces have launched a
campaign against suspected Islamists.”

 

United States

 

New York Post: Suspected Antifa Activist Busted With Pipe Bomb, ‘Direct
Action’ Plan Near Jan. 6 Rally, Cops Say
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“A Florida man suspected of being affiliated with Antifa was busted near a
Jan. 6 anniversary rally in Florida carrying a homemade pipe bomb and a
detailed plan of “direct action,” authorities said. Garrett James Smith was
arrested Thursday — his 22nd birthday — as a local congressman joined more than
80 others at a rally supporting a member of the Oath Keepers being held on
Capitol riot charges. Officers chased Smith — who “stuck out” dressed all in
black, including a ski mask — when he suddenly sprinted away from the rally
outside Pinellas County Jail, local Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told a press
conference. Officers then found a homemade pipe bomb in his backpack, which
“had the potential to be very harmful,” the sheriff warned. “It could have been
very destructive, and he could have hurt a lot of people,” Gualtieri said,
adding that he was certain Smith was “prepared” to set off the bomb before he
was spooked and fled. Alongside the bomb, officers found a handwritten “direct
action checklist” detailing the armor he needed, such as a gas mask, duct tape
and flammable rags, the sheriff said. Smith also had a black helmet decorated
with three red arrows in a circle, the sheriff said of the “Iron Front” logo
widely used by Antifa. The suspect had until several months ago been based in
Portland, the troubled Oregon city that saw nightly riots by the left-wing
militant group.”

 

NBC Chicago: White Supremacist Group Crashes Anti-Abortion Rally In The Loop
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“Dozens of members of a white supremacist group marched alongside
anti-abortion activists Saturday afternoon in the Loop. Video footage from the
event shows March for Life members heckling the far-right group Patriot Front
as they attempted to join their rally. Patriot Front members were clad in their
uniform khakis, blue jackets and white face coverings, with many holding large
shields and wearing shin guards. Members held a large sign which read “STRONG
FAMILIES MAKE STRONG NATIONS.” Thomas Rousseau, the group’s figurehead, was
seen leading the front of the group in a cowboy hat and no face covering.
Rousseau previously led another extremist group, Vanguard America, at the
disastrous “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. “What
are you carrying shields for? This is a peaceful demonstration. You guys are an
embarrassment,” a man with March for Life yelled at the Patriot Front members
in one video posted to Twitter. Patriot Front members did not respond to
hecklers in the video and eventually stopped marching alongside the
anti-abortion activists who ended their demonstration in front of the Hilton
Hotel. In a blog post, the Anti-Defamation League defines the Patriot Front as
a white supremacist group who “espouses racism, anti-Semitism and intolerance
under the guise of preserving the ‘ethnic and cultural origins’ of their
European ancestors.”

 

Iraq

 

The National: Iraq Takes Back 111 ISIS-Linked Families From Syria
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“Iraqi authorities have repatriated 111 families linked to ISIS from a
Kurdish-run camp in northern Syria, a local official said on Monday. They
arrived on Saturday and were transferred to Al Jadaa camp south of Mosul, in
Nineveh province, the official said. Since May 2021, at least 339 families
linked to ISIS have been moved from Al Hol camp in north-east Syria to Al Jadaa
which holds about 7,500 internally displaced people. These include families of
extremists, some of whom hail from other parts of Iraq, including the provinces
of Salaheddine and Ramadi, Iraqi authorities say. The prospect of their return
to their places of origin has sparked concern among residents who survived the
brutal rule of ISIS when it occupied a third of Iraq between 2014 and 2017. In
late 2017, Iraq declared “victory” over ISIS after driving the extremists from
all urban areas, with support from a US-led coalition. Iraqi authorities
announced last month their intention to close Al Jadaa, the last camp
sheltering displaced people in the country, outside the autonomous region of
Kurdistan. But the process is long and facing resistance from local populations
who do not want ISIS families among them. The International Organisation for
Migration says six million Iraqis were displaced during ISIS's rule.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Al Jazeera: Mortar Shell Explosion Kills 9 Children In Eastern Afghanistan
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“An explosion in eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan has killed
at least nine children and wounded four others, according to local officials.
The blast on Monday took place when a cart selling food items struck an old,
unexploded mortar shell in Baiganan village in the district of Lalopar,
according to a statement from the office of the governor of Nangarhar province.
The wounded children were taken to the regional hospital in the provincial
capital of Jalalabad for treatment, the statement said. No other details were
immediately available. Afghanistan is among the countries with the most
unexploded land mines and other ordnance from the country’s decades of war and
conflict. When the ordnance detonates, the victims are often children. The
Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility
for a series of bloody attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the
country in mid-August 2020, including in Nangarhar, one of its most common
targets. The affiliate of the ISIL (ISIS) armed group has operated in
Afghanistan since 2014, carrying out dozens of horrific attacks and most often
targeting the country’s minority Shia Muslims.”

 

Pakistan

 

Arab News: Daesh Militants On The Run In Pakistan After Evading Police Raid
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“A band of suspected Daesh militants is on the run in Pakistan after escaping
a police raid that killed six other members of the group, officials said
Monday. Counterterrorism police said in a statement they had stormed a hideout
in the southwestern city of Quetta on Saturday and killed six militants, but
“around four to five managed to escape.” A senior police official speaking on
condition of anonymity told AFP that “teams are now raiding different areas to
arrest those who escaped.” Among the dead was Asghar Sumalani, a junior
commander in the regional chapter of Daesh State-Khorasan. He had a two million
rupee ($11,400) bounty on his head. Pakistani officials have long played down
the presence of IS-K in their country. But the group has claimed responsibility
for numerous attacks, including the slaying of 11 miners from the minority
Shiite Hazara community last year. Some of the miners were beheaded after being
kidnapped from a remote coal mine in the mountainous Machh area, 60 kilometers
(37 miles) southeast of Quetta. IS-K has deep roots in several provinces in
eastern Afghanistan along the porous border with Pakistan. The group carried
out a suicide bombing at Kabul airport in August, killing scores including 13
US service members, as the Taliban retook Afghanistan.”

 

Yemen

 

Arab News: Arab Coalition Kills 270 Houthis In Yemen Airstrikes
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“The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said on Monday that 220 Houthi
militants were killed in airstrikes on Shabwa province, Saudi state TV
reported. The coalition added that 29 military vehicles were also destroyed
during 38 operations targeting the Iran-backed Houthi militia over the last 24
hours. In a separate statement, the coalition said it had carried out 11 other
operations targeting the Houthis in Marib, killing 50 fighters and destroying
seven vehicles. Meanwhile, pro-government forces in Yemen backed by the
coalition said they had seized control of the northern oil-rich Shabwa province
from the Houthis rebels. The pro-government Giants Brigade announced in a
statement the “liberation of the district of Ain” after a 10-day assault, which
it said had been the last area of the province left in Houthi control. The
militia began a major push to seize the government’s last northern stronghold
in Marib and Shabwa last February and, after a lull, they renewed their
offensive in September, when they seized districts in Shabwa. But the Giants
Brigade, a force of an estimated 15,000 fighters, had launched a pushback,
announcing last month that troop reinforcements had been sent to bolster
positions in Shabwa.”

 

Middle East

 

The Cipher Brief: Dynamics In The Middle East Are Shifting, But In Which
Direction?
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"The dynamics of the Middle East are changing. From a protracted pandemic to a
rise in Chinese interest and influence in the region and a general fatigue in
the West of long military conflicts, the region today poses both threats and
opportunities that are far different than they were even a couple of years ago.
The Cipher Brief talked with Expert Norm Roule, who served as Former National
Intelligence Manager for Iran at ODNI – and now travels routinely to the region
for meetings with high-level officials in multiple countries – to get his take
on how he sees the region changing, the dynamics behind it, the new U.S. role
and where issues and events are most likely heading."

 

Nigeria

 

Sahara Reporters: Nigerian Troops Eliminate ISWAP Fighters, Boko Haram
Terrorists On Looting Spree
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“Nigerian troops have eliminated scores of ISWAP fighters and Boko Haram
terrorists at Kawuri and Kayamla respectively in two separate operations. Both
operations were carried out on Monday in communities within Konduga Local
Government Area of Borno State. PRNigeria gathered that ISWAP terrorists had
attempted to attack a military base at Kawuri to loot the armoury when the
troops after obtaining intelligence on their movement ambushed and eliminated
them with full force before the Nigerian aircraft shelled their fleeing
guntrucks. Meanwhile, with the support of the Civilian JTF, troops of the 73
Battalion stationed at Jere also eliminated suspected Boko Haram terrorists on
a looting spree after invading Kayamla community. The terrorists were ambushed
while escaping with rustled cattle and other items they stole from the
community. Items recovered from the terrorists in the two operations included
guntrucks, sophisticated weapons, ammunition and phones.”

 

Africa

 

The National: UAE Pushes For ‘Redoubled’ Sahel Anti-Terror Effort
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“The UAE on Monday pushed for “redoubled” efforts against ISIS and Boko Haram
across Africa’s Sahel belt before the terrorist groups establish footholds for
launching future attacks. UAE ambassador Lana Nusseibeh told the UN Security
Council that the “fragile security situation in West Africa and the Sahel is
worsening” and called for tougher counter-terror operations. “It is necessary
to redouble our efforts to combat terrorist groups in these areas, especially
[ISIS] and Boko Haram, who may take advantage of the political vacuum and the
deteriorating social and economic conditions to establish a foothold for their
terrorist activities,” Ms Nusseibeh said. She also warned of the “link between
organised crime and terrorism” in the vast, turbulent region and the
“persistent acts of piracy and armed robbery” carried out by maritime raiders
in the Gulf of Guinea. Mali has struggled to suppress a brutal insurgency that
emerged in the north of the country in 2012 before spreading to central regions
and to nearby Burkina Faso and Niger. Large parts of Mali’s vast territory lie
outside of government control, and the worsening insurgency and instability
have claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Independent: Police And MI5 ‘Very Much Alive’ To Danger Of Extremists
Freed From Prison
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“Police and MI5 are making “a serious investment in terrorist lifetime
offender management” due to the long-term threat posed by freed terror
offenders, the country’s top counter-terrorism officer has said. The threat
from those convicted has become a growing challenge for police and Assistant
Commissioner Matt Jukes said police were “very, very much alive” to the danger
that released extremists presented to the public. Following attacks by freed
terror convicts, there has been rising concern about short sentences given to
extremist offenders. The incidents also raised issues about the effectiveness
of de-radicalisation efforts in the prison system. In November 2019, Saskia
Jones and Jack Merritt were killed by Usman Khan at Fishmongers’ Hall, London
after he was released from prison on licence in December 2018. He was convicted
of plotting to set up a terrorist training camp in 2012. In February 2020,
Sudesh Amman, another released terrorist offender, stabbed two people on
Streatham High Road, London. After the attack in Fishmongers’ Hall, legislation
to enforce longer sentences for some terror offences was passed. However, this
means sometimes offenders have to be arrested for lesser crimes carrying
shorter terms so their plots can be intercepted before it’s too late.”

 

France

 

Newsweek: Emmanuel Macron Talks Security In Campaign-Like Visit To French City
Hit By Extremist
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“French President Emmanuel Macron visited the city of Nice on Monday in what
could be considered an unofficial presidential re-election campaign stop.
Macron was in Nice to discuss security and safety, a topic particularly
important for the Mediterranean city. In 2016, an extremist terrorist drove a
cargo truck into a packed crowd celebrating Bastille Day. The attack killed 86
people and injured countless more. During his visit, Macron met with law
enforcement officials and lawmakers to discuss security measures in the city
and country. “We have invested heavily in our security forces to ensure the
safety of our citizens,” Macron said at a press conference. “The people have
the right to live in peace every single day, but there's a lot more to do.”
Macron has not officially confirmed whether or not he will seek re-election.
However, the visit to Nice is being viewed as an unofficial confirmation of a
second-term run. Nice is often considered to be a critical city for elections,
as they often lean conservative and right wing. The lean could be significant
for the centrist Macron, whose biggest competitor for president is the
Republicans' Valérie Pécresse. If Macron is planning to run for re-election, he
is expected to do so soon, as the French presidential election will occur on
April 10.”

 

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