Eye on Extremism
November 12, 2019
The
Washington Post: U.S. Will Leave Up To 600 Troops In Northeastern
Syria To Prevent ISIS Resurgence, Top General
Says
“As many as 600 U.S. troops will remain in northeastern Syria to
continue counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State, Gen.
Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Sunday.
“There will be less than 1,000 for sure,” Milley said, referring to
the number present when President Trump ordered their complete
withdrawal last month. Trump later was persuaded by national security
advisers and congressional supporters, such as Sen. Lindsey O. Graham
(R-S.C.), to retain an unspecified number of troops whose mission, the
president said, was to “secure the oil” from a takeover by the Syrian
government or militants. Milley, speaking on the ABC News program
“This Week,” said the number of troops that would remain was “probably
in the 500-ish frame. Maybe 600.” He did not mention Syrian oil but
said “there are still ISIS fighters in the region and unless pressure
is maintained . . . then there’s a very real possibility that
conditions could be set for a reemergence of ISIS.” Syria’s relatively
small oil reserves are concentrated in the northeastern part of the
country, which is under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian
Democratic Forces, a U.S. ally. Black market sale of the oil by the
SDF, primarily to the Syrian government, helps fund those
forces.”
The
New York Times: Israel Kills Senior Islamic Jihad Commander In
Gaza
“In a surprise strike before dawn on Tuesday, Israeli forces killed
a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group in
the Gaza Strip, setting off waves of retaliatory rocket attacks that
immediately raised fears of an escalating new conflict. Islamic Jihad
said that the commander’s wife was also killed in the attack, at 4
a.m., which the Israeli military said was a missile strike from a
fighter jet. The timing of the attack, amid a protracted, high-stakes
negotiation over who will lead Israel’s next government, led some
critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to charge that it was
politically motivated. Mr. Netanyahu insisted that the timing was
dictated by Israel’s security chiefs, whose recommendation he had
merely endorsed. Before 6 a.m., militants in Gaza began firing
barrages of rockets toward southern and central Israel from the
Palestinian coastal enclave. Islamic Jihad called the Israeli strike
“a declaration of war against the Palestinian people” and said, “Our
response to this crime will have no limits.”
The
Guardian: Alleged US Isis Member 'Marooned Between Turkish And Greek
Borders'
“An alleged American member of Islamic State has been marooned in
the no-man’s land between the Turkish and Greek borders after the
Greek authorities refused him entry, according to a Turkish news
report. The Turkish television channel Haber 7 screened video images
of a man dressed in dark clothes waving at the camera from the strip
of land between the two border posts. Jean-Charles Brisard, the
president of the Centre for Analysis of Terrorism in Paris, said in a
tweet that the video showed how “a Isis jihadist expelled by Turkey to
Greece is literally stuck in the buffer zone separating the two
countries after Greece’s refusal to allow entry into the territory”. A
state department spokeswoman said: “We are aware of reports of the
detainment of a US citizen by Turkish authorities. Due to privacy
considerations we have no further comment.” It was not clear whether
the Turkish detention had come before or after the apparent attempt to
expel the suspect via Greece. The spokeswoman gave no further details
but the timing of the statement issued in the early afternoon in
Washington suggested that after expulsion to Greece failed the man had
been taken into Turkish custody.”
The
Wall Street Journal: U.S. Drones Appear To Show Turkish-Backed Forces
Accosting Civilians In Syria
“U.S. military officials watched live drone feeds last month that
appeared to show Turkish-backed Arab gunmen targeting civilians during
their assault on Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria, attacks the
Americans reported to their commanders as possible war crimes,
according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the
incidents. U.S. surveillance videos of two incidents were included in
an internal report compiled by State Department officials laying out
concerns regarding four credible cases of alleged war crimes by
Turkish-backed forces, according to the U.S. officials. The existence
of the military surveillance videos, which hasn’t been previously
disclosed, provided what some of the U.S. officials saw as firsthand
evidence of apparent war crimes by forces backed by Turkey, a NATO
ally. Others said the videos were inconclusive. The footage now has
become a focal point of a broader debate within the Trump
administration over how to address mounting concerns by U.S. officials
that the Turkish-backed fighters could commit more war crimes if the
U.S. doesn’t do more to stop them.”
The
New York Times: Child Abusers Run Rampant As Tech Companies Look The
Other Way
“The main method for detecting the illegal imagery was created in
2009 by Microsoft and Hany Farid, now a professor at the University of
California, Berkeley. The software, known as PhotoDNA, can use
computers to recognize photos, even altered ones, and compare them
against databases of known illegal images. Almost none of the photos
and videos detected last year would have been caught without systems
like PhotoDNA.”
France24:
US-Born IS Bride Appeals Again To Come Home From
Syria
“A US-born woman who says she regrets having joined the Islamic
State group has appealed again to come home from the refugee camp
where she lives with her small son in Syria. The government is
refusing to let Hoda Muthana return to the US, arguing that she is not
an American citizen. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called her a
terrorist. She took part actively in IS propaganda, according to the
Counter Extremism Project. She had urged jihadists in America to "go
on drive-bys, and spill all of their blood." Muthana also hailed an
attack in 2015 in France against the offices of the magazine Charlie
Hebdo, which left 12 people dead.”
United States
VICE:
EXCLUSIVE: A U.S. Marine Used The Neo-Nazi Site Iron March To Recruit
For A ‘Racial Holy War'
“At least three members of the U.S. military were registered users
on the influential neo-Nazi forum Iron March, according to an analysis
of an anonymous data dump from the site this week. And one of them, a
Marine, was apparently using Iron March to try to recruit people for a
fascist paramilitary group he wanted to launch in the U.S. VICE News
and social analysis agency Storyful verified the identities of three
of the posters, but dozens more on the forum claimed to have military
experience. Antifascist activists published files on Wednesday
containing the screen names, emails, IP addresses, posts, and direct
messages from hundreds of people who were active on Iron March between
2011 and 2017. Storyful and VICE News verified the identities of three
men through tracing their emails, linked social media accounts, and
social posts."
The
New York Times: The F.B.I.’s New Approach To Combating Domestic
Terrorism: Straight Talk
“As a group of prominent black pastors listened, the top federal
prosecutor in northern Ohio, Justin E. Herdman, spoke recently at
Mount Zion church about the prospect that a gunman could target one of
their congregations. The subtext was clear. Mr. Herdman is among a
group of federal law enforcement officials who have begun speaking
more forthrightly about fighting domestic terrorism from the front
lines. They want to reassure a skeptical public that the Justice
Department is forcefully combating racist and politically motivated
violence in the Trump era, amid their own mounting concerns about a
possible surge in attacks sparked by the 2020 election. “When I sit in
church,” Mr. Herdman told the pastors, “I have one eye on what’s going
on at the altar, and I have got one eye on the entrance to the
sanctuary.” “Mm-hmm,” the pastors responded in unison. The community
relations effort is the most visible of several aggressive steps by
federal prosecutors and F.B.I. agents to combat domestic terrorism.
The bureau has about 850 open investigations across the United States.
Prosecutors have backed rewriting the laws on domestic terrorism. And
in northern Ohio, Mr. Herdman has encouraged his investigators to use
wiretaps, one of their most intrusive tools, in such cases.”
CNN:
The FBI Will Join The Investigation Into An Attack That Killed 9
Mormon Family Members In Mexico
“The FBI is taking part in the investigation into an attack that
left nine people dead last week in Mexico near the US border. Three
women and six children, all of the Mormon faith, were shot dead in the
mountains on November 4 when suspected drug cartels opened fire on a
remote dirt road in Sonora state. The victims were dual citizens of
Mexico and the United States. “The FBI will be providing assistance at
the invitation of the Mexican government with the investigation into
the recent attack against American citizens,” the FBI said in a
statement. “The FBI remains committed to working alongside our
international partners to help bring justice to the perpetrators of
this heinous act of violence.” The horrific massacre in broad daylight
stunned even a country long ravaged by drug violence and on pace for a
record high number of homicides this year. The convoy carrying women
and children was ambushed and sprayed with hundreds of rounds of
ammunition. One mother was gunned down as she begged the children be
spared. The government quickly suggested the attack was a case of
mistaken identity as a result of a conflict between rival drug
trafficking groups in a virtually lawless region near the US
border.”
Syria
Haaretz:
Syria's Assad Says Offensive To Retake Idilb To Resume
Soon
“Syrian President Bashar Assad says his forces will soon retake
control of the last major rebel stronghold in the country's
northwestern province of Idlib. Assad said in an interview with Russia
Today aired on Monday that they are now giving civilians some time to
leave the area that is dominated by al-Qaida-linked militants. Syrian
troops launched a four-month offensive on the province earlier this
year, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes
and capturing the important town of Khan Sheikhoun and several other
villages and towns.”
Voice
Of America: Backer Of Syria's White Helmets Found Dead In
Turkey
“A key backer of the Syrian White Helmets rescue organization was
found dead Monday near his home in Istanbul, according to Turkish
authorities. James Le Mesurier, a former British army officer, was the
founder of Mayday Rescue, which trained the White Helmets, formally
known as the Syrian Civil Defense group. The group is known for
rescuing people wounded after airstrikes in opposition-controlled
parts of Syria. It is credited with saving tens of thousands of lives
during the conflict. Le Mesurier was found near his home with
fractures to his head and legs, according to Turkish media reports. An
investigation has been launched into his death. The White Helmets
expressed its "deepest sorrow and solidarity with his family" on
Twitter Monday.”
The
Atlantic: The World’s Worst Game Of Risk Is Playing Out In
Syria
“The U.S. pulled back. Turkey moved in. Kurdish forces retreated.
The Syrian government gloated. Russia struck a deal and sent in more
troops. More than 100 people died and more than 100,000 fled. All this
happened over a few weeks in October across a long but narrow strip of
Syrian land running 300 miles along the Turkish border. It looked like
a 21st-century great-power scramble to redraw the map. In reality, not
much territory changed hands. So after almost a month of chaos, the
U.S. is caught in a new maelstrom of competing proxies, its weak
leverage further damaged, and the future of its anti-Islamic State
fight thrown into doubt. The supposed winners—Turkey, Russia, and the
Syrian regime—have gained some slapdash spheres of influence and a
severe hit to American prestige. The losers, as ever, are Syrian
civilians.”
Sky
News: Islamic State: New 'Mini Caliphate' Forms At Syrian Holding
Camp
“The boy can't have been more than 10 years old. Shaved head,
piercing brown eyes and goofy teeth. Our moment with him was fleeting
but chilling and deeply sad. In Arabic, he first quoted a verse from
the Koran: “God says, 'Turn to Allah with sincere repentance in the
hope that your Lord will remove you from your ills'.” He was asking us
to repent our sins. And then, calmly, he said: “We're going to kill
you by slaughtering you. We will slaughter you.” As he finished, he
looked straight into the lens of our camera. I have watched the
footage back now over and over. Does he know what he is saying? Does
he believe it? Has he seen others being slaughtered? How do you heal a
young mind so damaged? Around him, were dozens of other little boys
and girls; all ages, all nationalities, filthy and playing in the
dust. And with them, the only guides they have in their lives; the
black-clad women of the Islamic State. On the plains of northeast
Syria, al Hol is a place that should trouble governments around the
world. Behind a single fence are the people who will rebuild their
cult if they can. Guarded by a small contingent of Kurdish men and
women, who do their best, this vast camp is a holding centre for the
women and the children who emerged from the IS “caliphate” when it
fell in March.”
The
Independent: The Assassination Of Bin Laden Was Fatal For Al-Qaeda,
But Baghdadi’s Death Could Breathe New Life Into Isis
“In May 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in a US Special Forces
raid on his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. This dealt a fatal blow
to al-Qaeda as a cohesive organisation. The Obama administration
considered that to be one of its greatest achievements. But the
organisation’s demise resulted in the emergence of a collection of
successor groups, including two that proved to be even more potent and
vicious: the Nusra Front in Syria and the Islamic State (Isis). With
this in mind, it is advisable to be wary of apparent successes like
these. The same could happen again following the death of Isis leader
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi during last week’s US Special Forces raid on his
hideout in northwestern Syria. He reportedly blew himself up in an
escape tunnel, using the suicide belt he always kept at hand to ensure
he would never be captured alive. There have been conflicting accounts
of how, precisely, Baghdadi came to meet his grisly end. One story is
that he was tracked down to an isolated house near a village north of
Idlib belonging to the leader of the Hurras ash-Sham (Guardians of
Syria) Front, a local Isis affiliate, after a tip-off by a defector
from the group. But doubts have been cast on this version of events,
not least by the Russians.”
The
Intercept: Baghdadi Died, But The U.S. War On Terror Will Go On
Forever
“As a matter of principle, I try to restrain myself from
celebrating the misfortunes of others. But nearly a decade ago, when I
heard the news that Osama bin Laden had been killed in a nighttime
U.S. military raid in Pakistan, I briefly allowed myself a moment of
naive optimism. My hope was that the death of the Al Qaeda leader
might be the beginning of the end of the “war on terrorism” — that
strange, brutal global conflict that had defined our generation and
already claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people
worldwide. In the years since Bin Laden’s death, the Middle East has
become a far more violent place, marked by state collapse, ever more
brutal wars, and the sinister growth of international terrorism. Such
hopes, it turned out, were far too optimistic. The killing of bin
Laden did not usher in a better world. In the years since his death,
the Middle East has become a far more violent place, marked by state
collapse, ever more brutal wars, and the sinister growth of
international terrorism. At the same time, Europe and the United
States have turned inward, erecting physical and psychological
barriers to insulate themselves against the chaos now consuming the
region. We now face the very real specter of far-right governments
arising in countries that had championed liberalism and social
democracy just a generation earlier.”
Iran
Bloomberg:
Iran’s Uranium Enrichment Capacity Is Up 25-Fold And Rising
Fast
“Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium -- the heavy metal used for
bombs and nuclear power -- has grown 25-fold since it began violating
the landmark deal with world powers to protest the return of U.S.
sanctions. International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors said Monday
that Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium swelled almost
two-thirds during the last quarter to more than 372 kilograms (820
pounds), according to a restricted document seen by Bloomberg. Iran’s
now enriching about 100 kilograms of the metal a month compared to
just 4 kilograms back when it was observing the 2015 agreement’s
conditions in June, and purifying the metal to 4.5% Monitors confirmed
Iran had restarted enriching at its Fordow complex built into the side
of a mountain. New advanced centrifuges being tested at the country’s
main enrichment plant in Natanz mean its rate of production could
expand significantly, according to a senior diplomat familiar with the
work.”
The
Washington Post: A Ray Of Light In The Mysterious Case Of An American
Missing In Iran
“This week marks the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the Iran
hostage crisis. It was on Nov. 4, 1979, that revolutionary Iranian
students breached the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking
diplomats hostage, and ultimately holding 52 of them for the next 444
days. While the ordeal for the embassy hostages is now in the distant
past, for some Americans the nightmare continues. Among them is the
family of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who was detained on
Iran’s Kish island on March 9, 2007. Yet now a tantalizing clue offers
hope of a shift in his case. Alluding to the hostages taken in 1979,
the Levinson family issued a statement on Monday that noted: “Bob
Levinson has been held more than 10 times longer — for 4,624 days. Bob
Levinson must come home, and Iran’s hostage-taking as government
policy must end.”
The
Guardian: Uranium Particles Detected At Undeclared Site In Iran, Says
Atomic Watchdog
“The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has detected uranium
particles at an undeclared site in Iran. The International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) said in its latest report, seen by AFP, on the
country’s nuclear programme on Monday: “The agency has detected
natural uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at a location in
Iran not declared to the agency.” The particles are understood to be
the product of uranium which has been mined and undergone initial
processing, but not enriched. The IAEA added that it was “essential
for Iran to continue interactions with the agency to resolve the
matter as soon as possible”. The agency did not name the site in
question, but diplomatic sources have previously said the agency has
been posing questions to Iran relating to a site where Israel has
alleged secret atomic activity in the past. Sources say the IAEA took
samples from the site in the Turquzabad district of Tehran in the
spring and that Iran has been slow in providing answers to explain the
test results.”
Iraq
The
Wall Street Journal: Iraqi Freedom Confronts Iranian
Domination
“Americans long ago lost interest in the democratic experiment they
set in motion more than 15 years ago in Iraq—abandoning the “freedom
agenda” that was once the heart of U.S. Middle East policy in favor of
a realpolitik focused on threats like Iran. Yet while Washington has
largely disengaged from domestic politics in Baghdad, the exercise of
Iraqi freedom suddenly confronts the Iranian regime with a serious
strategic challenge—both to its ambitions for regional hegemony and
its own internal legitimacy. Political protests have convulsed Iraq
for the past month. Those protests are directed not only at corruption
in Baghdad but also, increasingly, at what Iraqis perceive as Tehran’s
violent efforts to suppress their dissent. This debacle for the
Iranian leadership is entirely of its own making. When Iraqis first
took to the streets in early October, their complaints were
overwhelmingly inward-looking, rooted in the systemic failure of
Baghdad’s successive elected governments to provide basic services and
responsive government. Especially now with the threat from Islamic
State receding, public rage at the corruption, nepotism and cronyism
in Baghdad has exploded.”
The
New York Times: Iraqi Forces Shoot Three Dead In Southern City As
Protests Flare: Police, Medics
“Iraqi forces shot three anti-government protesters dead in the
southern city of Nassiriya on Sunday, police and medics said, adding
to scores killed in weeks of unrest that have shaken the war-weary
country out of relative stability it had enjoyed since the defeat of
Islamic State. Protesters had gathered on a bridge in the city and
security forces shot live ammunition to disperse them, the sources
said. More than 100 other people were wounded in clashes in Nassiriya,
they said. Security forces also fired tear gas at demonstrators in
Baghdad injuring more than 20 people, a day after they pushed protests
back toward one main square in the Iraqi capital. One person died in
hospital from wounds sustained the previous day in the same area,
police and medics said. The violence shattered a day of relative calm.
Unrest erupted in Baghdad on Oct. 1 with protests over lack of jobs
and services that spread across the capital and much of southern Iraq.
Security forces have used live ammunition, tear gas and stun grenades
against mostly young, unarmed protesters, killing more than 280
people, according to a Reuters tally based on medical and police
sources.”
Fox
News: Roadside Blast In Iraq Injures 5 Italian
Soldiers
“Five Italian soldiers were wounded in a roadside blast Sunday
while returning from a mission to help Iraqi troops combat ISIS,
military officials said. Three of the wounded were in “grave
condition” after the explosion, the Italian Defense Ministry said.
Rear Adm. Fabio Agostini said the five – three in the navy and two in
the army – are part of a special forces team that was traveling back
after a mission aimed at finding ISIS refugees. Agostini told Italian
Rai state TV that Iraqi armed forces members were also injured in the
blast but didn't say how many. An Iraqi security official said the
bomb exploded next to their vehicle as they were traveling just
outside Kirkuk – about 165 miles north of Baghdad, wounding six
Italian soldiers. The discrepancy in the number of wounded wasn't
immediately explained. U.S. military helicopters evacuated the
soldiers to a hospital in Baghdad. One Italian soldier lost a leg to
amputation due to injuries from the bomb and another suffered serious
internal injuries, Italian Gen. Nicola Lanza de Cristoforis told Rai.
Iraq declared victory against ISIS two years ago, but the group
continues to stage insurgent attacks across the country.”
The
Jerusalem Post: Ask Any Iraqi – Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi Is Dead, Isis
Isn’t
“Certainly, putting an end to the life of the former leader of the
Islamic State (ISIS) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was expected to be an
operation conducted way more final and way more absolute. Within the
last 48 hours following this action arise questions surrounding it as
to who made this possible, who gave the intelligence and, most
importantly, who was the dog who helped run this operation? Bringing
about the end of one of the most ruthless terrorist leaders of this
time seems to just be another episode in the Kafkaesque ensemble that
international politics is today. The US special operation, named after
Kayla Mueller – an American aid worker who was kidnapped, tortured and
reportedly raped by the ISIS leader himself – started in northwest
Syria on October 26 at 5:01 p.m. ET. Two hours later the special
forces – while being joined by US President Donald Trump in the
Situation Room – declared “jackpot” and officially confirmed the death
of Baghdadi. Shortly after, the President – of course – went on to
announce that “Something very big has just happened!” on Twitter, his
favorite forum of political participation. In the last four days, it
was disclosed that Baghdadi took his three children and blew himself
up with a suicide vest, shortly after the operation began.”
Turkey
The
Independent: ‘Filled With Hatred And Lust For Blood’: Turkey’s Proxy
Army In Northern Syria Accused Of Abusing Civilians
“In the month since Turkey intervened to drive US-allied Syrian
Kurdish fighters from a broad swath of northern Syria, proxy forces
backed by Ankara have been blamed for a growing ledger of abuses
against the local population, residents say, undermining Turkey’s
stated goal of creating a “safe zone” for civilians. More than 200,000
people have been internally displaced by the Turkish-led offensive,
according to the United Nations. Families that have been scattered
across eastern Syria say that Turkey’s Syrian Arab proxies have
carried out summary executions and beatings, kidnapped or detained
their relatives and looted their houses, businesses and belongings.
The result, refugees say, is a form of ethnic cleansing – an operation
they see as designed in part to force out Kurdish residents and their
sympathisers and replace them with Arabs loyal to Turkey.”
The
New York Times: Turkey Starts Sending Captured Foreign Fighters Home
From Syria
“Turkey on Monday started making good on its vow to send foreign
fighters who were captured in Syria back to their home countries,
including one it sent to the United States, the Interior Ministry told
the state-run news agency. “One American foreign terrorist fighter
whose proceedings are completed has been deported,” a ministry
spokesman, Ismail Catakli, was quoted as saying by the agency,
Anadolu. Procedures to deport 11 French citizens and seven Germans,
along with others from Denmark and Ireland, were underway, Mr. Catakli
added, with the German citizens scheduled to be sent back on Thursday.
He described the detainees as “foreign terrorist fighters.” Western
countries have strongly resisted taking back fighters for the Islamic
State, or their wives and children.”
Reuters:
Turkey Starts Repatriating Islamic State Detainees
“Turkey said on Monday it had deported two captives from Islamic
State, a German and an American, starting a program to repatriate
detainees that has caused friction with its NATO allies since it
launched an offensive in northern Syria. Ankara says it has captured
287 militants in northeast Syria and already holds hundreds more
Islamic State suspects. It has accused European countries of being too
slow to take back citizens who traveled to fight in the Middle East.
Allies have been worried that Islamic State militants could escape as
a result of Turkey’s assault against Syrian Kurdish militia who have
been holding thousands of the group’s fighters and tens of thousands
of their family members. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu had said
last week Turkey would begin to send foreign Islamic State militants
back to their home countries starting on Monday, even if the nations
the fighters came from had revoked their citizenship. Ministry
spokesman Ismail Catakli said one American and one German were
deported on Monday. He did not specify where they were sent, although
Turkey has repeatedly said detainees would be sent to their native
countries.”
Afghanistan
The
New York Times: Deal With Taliban Will Free American And Australian
Professors, Officials Say
“The Afghan government said on Tuesday that it would release three
imprisoned commanders of the Taliban, in what is expected to be an
exchange for American and Australian professors who were abducted by
the insurgents more than three years ago. The apparent exchange —
officials did not immediately confirm that anyone had been released
yet — is a possible first step toward a new round of peace talks
between the United States and the insurgents, officials said.
President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan said Tuesday that the government
would be “conditionally” releasing the Taliban figures, including Anas
Haqqani, the younger brother of the Taliban’s military operations
leader. He did not say what those conditions were, but American and
Afghan officials say that negotiators have been working for weeks on
an exchange for the professors. In a nationally televised address, Mr.
Ghani said the exchange was intended to “facilitate direct peace
negotiations.” But the Taliban have refused to negotiate with the
Afghan government, which announced in October that it would not take
part in negotiations with the Taliban unless a cease-fire had held for
at least a month.”
Modern
Diplomacy: The Rise OF ISIS And Its Aftermath In
Afghanistan
“I will see you guys in New York.” Abu Du’a, the leader of ISIS,
whose nom de guerre (war name) was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, told his
American captors as he was released from a brief detention during Iraq
war. After American invasion of Iraq in 2003, Al Baghdadi joined the
Arms Resistance against the U.S led coalition troops in Iraq but he
was captured and detained in a US. – run Iraqi prison in 2006.
Following al Baghdadi’s release in the late 2000s, he joined the
predecessor to ISIS: the Islamic State of Iraq(ISI). This group
initially affiliated themselves with AL- Qaeda, but was later rejected
by AL Qaeda due to their brutal acts and it became Islamic State of
Iraq (ISI). IN 2010, al Baghdadi became the leader of ISI and changed
the name of the organization to Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
in 2013. On 29 June 2014, ISIS declared the worldwide caliphate under
the leadership of “caliph Ibrahim” with publishing a statement of
supporting al Baghdadi’s designation as caliph. This concept of
caliphate is mainly based on the universal religion and its ultimate
goal is the establishment of Islamic state. This political idea of
Islamic state is embodied in the concept of the ummah (community)
which says that all the Muslims wherever they reside are bounded by a
common faith which transcends all geographical, political or national
boundaries.”
Xinhua:
36 Militants Surrendered In E. Afghan
Province
“As many as 36 militants have denounced violence and surrendered in
Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, the provincial government
said Sunday. “A total of 32 Islamic State (IS) militants and four
militants of Taliban outfit joined the government-initiated peace and
reconciliation process on Saturday,” the government said in a
statement. The former militants brought with them firearms when they
surrendered to the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the
country's primary intelligence agency, in provincial capital Jalalabad
city, the statement added. The statement said the 36 were active
members of IS and Taliban in Haska Mina, Sherzad, Achin and Khogyani
districts of Nangarhar. With their surrender, peace and stability
would be further strengthened in the mountainous province, officials
said. The militant groups have not made comments on the report so
far.”
Xinhua:
2 Killed, 4 Injured In Taliban Car Bomb Blast In S.
Afghanistan
“One Afghan police officer and a militant were killed and four
police officers wounded in a Taliban insurgents' suicide car bomb
blast at a military camp in southern Kandahar province on Saturday,
local police said. “A militant rammed a hijacked explosive-packed
military vehicle to a police camp in Chinarto, an area in Shah Wali
Kot district at early Saturday, killing himself and a police officer
and injuring four other police,” Jamal Barakzai, provincial police
spokesman, told Xinhua. The targeted camp belongs to highway police of
Afghan National Police, he said. The explosion was followed by clashes
when several militants arrived in the area and engaged with the police
after the blast. Reinforcement troops arrived at the site shortly
after the clashes which lasted for hours as the militants used
villagers' houses to hide themselves, he noted. Located in the
northern part of Kandahar, the district has been the scene of heavy
clashes between Taliban and security forces for long. Security
situation has been improving in Kandahar, the former stronghold of
Taliban, over the past months, as security forces have conducted
search and cordon operations across the province. But the militants
attack government interests in the province from time to time.”
Pakistan
The
Washington Post: Pakistan Police Say Gunmen Attack Security Vehicle, 5
Killed
“Pakistani police say gunmen have ambushed a security force vehicle
in Punjab province, killing five people. Police spokesman Kaleem
Qureshi says dead were two police officers, two intelligence officers
and an informant. He said they came under attack late Sunday while en
route to raid a militant hideout in the Arbi Tabba area of Rajanpur
district. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
But the area borders southwestern Baluchistan province, which has been
the scene of a low-level insurgency by Baluch separatist groups.
Islamist militants also operate in the region.”
Lebanon
Hurriyet
Daily News: Ex-Hezbollah Leader Slams Iranian Supreme
Chief
“Former Secretary-General of Lebanon's Shia Hezbollah movement
criticized Iran's supreme leader on Nov. 10 for being behind
corruption in Lebanon and Iraq, where anti-government and corruption
protests are ongoing. Subhi al-Tufayli, speaking to Arab and social
media, delivered remarks on recent mass protests held in Lebanon and
Iraq. Al-Tufayli said at least 250 people were killed and more than
11,000 were injured in Iraq, according to official figures and alleged
the deaths were caused by the men of Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader
of Iran. He went on to say that the peaceful demonstrators in Lebanon
were attacked by supporters of Hezbollah and Amal Movement, and
claimed the aggressors were affiliated with the Iranian supreme
leader. He alleged that Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon have been
responsible for injustice and looting in Lebanon since 1972. and that
Khamenei spent money to buy media outlets in his favor during the
Syrian civil war.”
Reuters:
Hezbollah Says Its 'Arms Won't Be Twisted' As Crisis
Deepens
“Political talks to agree an urgently needed Lebanese government
are still deadlocked, three senior sources said on Sunday, as the
powerful Shi’ite group Hezbollah indicated it would not be forced into
concessions. The latest failure to break Lebanon’s political impasse
will worsen pressures on an economy gripped by its deepest crisis
since the 1975-90 civil war, amid protests against a political
establishment widely regarded as corrupt and inept. Since reopening a
week ago, commercial banks have been seeking to stave off capital
flight by blocking most transfers abroad and imposing curbs on
hard-currency withdrawals, though the central bank has announced no
formal capital controls. A big part of Lebanon’s economic crisis stems
from a slowdown of capital inflows which has led to a scarcity of U.S.
dollars and spawned a black market where the Lebanese pound has
weakened below its official pegged rate. A meeting on Saturday evening
between caretaker Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri and senior officials
from Hezbollah and its Shi’ite ally Amal failed to yield any
breakthrough toward forming the new cabinet, the sources
said.”
Middle East
The
Jerusalem Post: Ex-Idf Intel. Officer: Not All Hezbollah's Twitter
Accounts Were Suspended
“Twitter announced last week that it had suspended numerous
Hezbollah and Hamas affiliated accounts following a letter and implied
threats from US Congressmen demanding the social media giant prevent
itself from being used by terrorists. Hezbollah and its affiliates
have more Twitter accounts still operating than the number of accounts
that were suspended last week, an ex-senior IDF intelligence officer
told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. “No doubt that they [Hezbollah]
have a much greater presence that remains [on Twitter] versus what was
suspended,” said Col. (res.) Reuven Ehrlich. Ehrlich made his
statement following the publication of a report by his center, the
Meir Amir Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, which
performed a comprehensive analysis of Hezbollah’s presence on Twitter
before and after last week’s announcement. Twitter announced that it
had suspended numerous Hezbollah and Hamas affiliated accounts
following a letter and implied threats from US congressmen demanding
the social media giant prevent itself from being used by terrorists.
The congressmen gave Twitter a deadline of the beginning of
November.”
Middle
East Eye: After Baghdadi: Will Islamic State Fighters Seek Return To
Al-Qaeda?
“The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the appointment of a
virtually unknown successor could see some fugitive Islamic State
group fighters seeking a return to the ranks of al-Qaeda-aligned
groups. Baghdadi died last month during a raid by US special forces on
a compound near the village of Barisha in the northwest Syrian
province where he appeared to have been hiding under the apparent
protection of one such hardline group. According to reports, the
building where Baghdadi spent his final few months was owned by a
people smuggler with links to Hurras al-Deen, or the Guardians of
Religion Organisation, which claims allegiance to al-Qaeda. Several
Hurras al-Deen fighters were also reported killed after shooting at US
helicopters on the ground, though the operational commander of the
raid told reporters last week that they were not believed to have been
aware that Baghdadi was nearby.”
The
Washington Post: Israeli Airstrike Kills Islamic Jihad Commander In
Gaza Home
“A pair of Israeli airstrikes targeted senior Islamic Jihad
commanders in Gaza and in Syria early on Tuesday, escalating Israel’s
confrontation with Iran across the region and threatening to unleash
another devastating round of cross-border violence with Palestinian
militants. In eastern Gaza, the Israeli strike killed Bahaa Abu
el-Atta and his wife, setting off a furious barrage of rocket attacks
reaching as far as the Tel Aviv heartland as Islamic Jihad vowed
further revenge. The Israeli military said Abu el-Atta was the
mastermind of recent attacks against it. Meanwhile, Syrian officials
said an Israeli airstrike in the capital, Damascus, targeted another
Islamic Jihad commander, Akram al-Ajouri, who was not harmed. Syria’s
state-run news agency said Israeli warplanes fired three missiles at
al-Ajouri’s home, killing his son and granddaughter. The Israeli
military had no comment. The sudden surge in violence looked to awaken
Israel’s increasingly open conflict with Iran and its proxies in the
region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a series of
warnings recently about alleged Iranian aggression. Netanyahu also has
been criticized by southern border residents and political rivals for
a tepid response to recent militant attacks.”
Voice
Of America: Al-Qaida Gaining Strength As World's Focus Remains On
IS
“Despite major setbacks in recent years, the al-Qaida terror group
seems to remain resilient and is slowly rebuilding its capabilities in
many conflict-ridden countries around the world, while the world's
focus is on the Islamic State (IS), experts warn. Experts say the
once-powerful jihadist group has been seeking to establish more ties
with local extremist groups, particularly in some parts of Africa and
the Middle East. “For some time, al-Qaida has been working quietly in
many places, forging new alliances, and re-establishing links with
former affiliates,” said Radwan Badini, a professor of political
science at Salahaddin University in Irbil, Iraq. The ongoing political
and security instability in countries such as Syria, Libya and Yemen
has offered yet a new opportunity for al-Qaida to strengthen its
presence. “The fact that IS has been the main target of the United
States and other powers has allowed al-Qaida to reinvent itself and to
become a more decentralized terror network that attracts Islamist
groups that are even slightly inclined to wage jihad against the
West,” Badini told VOA. In its 2018 Country Reports on Terrorism, the
U.S. State Department last week asserted that al-Qaida's affiliate in
Yemen has managed to recruit new members, wage attacks and threaten
the West.”
Egypt
Associated
Press: Egypt Officials: 2 Security Forces Killed In Sinai
Blast
“Egyptian officials said a roadside bomb has killed two members of
the security forces on Saturday in the restive northern Sinai
province. The explosion hit their armored vehicle in Rafah, a town on
the border with the Gaza Strip. Two other security force members were
wounded. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they
weren’t authorized to talk to reporters. No group immediately claimed
responsibility for the attack. Egypt has for years been battling an
insurgency in northern Sinai that’s now led by an Islamic State group
affiliate. The fighting intensified in 2013 after the military
overthrew the country’s elected but divisive Islamist president. Last
week, Egypt’s military said at least 83 militants have been killed in
the past five weeks in northern and central Sinai. Authorities heavily
restrict access to the northern Sinai, making it difficult to verify
claims related to the fighting. IS has carried out a number of
large-scale attacks in recent years, mainly targeting security forces
and Egypt’s Christian minority.”
Nigeria
The
Punch Nigeria: 13m Out-Of-School-Children Are The Boko Haram Of The
Future, Group Warns
“A civic society group, Life Builders Initiative has warned that
the 13million out-of-school children in Nigeria could consume the
country in the future, describing the situation as a time bomb waiting
to explode. The founder of the group, Dr Sanwo Olatunji- David, who
raised the concern while addressing a news conference in Abuja on
Friday, ahead of a stakeholders’ forum on education next week,
described the street children as the future Boko Haram insurgents and
bandits. “If we don’t get these children back to school, in the next
few years, we would have built an army that’s worse than Boko Haram
and bandits,” he warned. Olatunji-David explained said LIB, which had
enrolled over 1,500 children in school in the past six years, had
impacted their lives and reduced the number of Almajiris on the
street. He attributed the huge number of out-of-school children in the
country to poverty, noting that over 92 million Nigerians were living
below the poverty line, a situation he said could become worse if
things did not improve. The educationist added, “If they
(Out-of-school children) don’t go to school in the next five years,
they would have produced another 150 million out-of-school
children.”
Africa
Reuters:
Anger Grows As Families Bury The Dead After Burkina Faso
Attack
“Relatives of people killed and survivors from an attack this week
on a bus convoy of mine workers in Burkina Faso were increasingly
angry on Saturday at what they said was a lack of support from
authorities and the mining company. Hundreds of relatives, friends and
colleagues of the victims waited for hours to recover their bodies
from a morgue in the capital Ouagadougou, as a procession of vehicles
made its way to cemeteries across the city. “I am unhappy because I
lost my colleague and I am unhappy with the way the government is
dealing with this,” said Mahamdi Mande, 32, as he waited for the body
of his colleague, Moussa Ouattara. Canadian gold mining company Semafo
said five of its buses, which were traveling with a military escort,
came under fire on Wednesday on the road leading to its Boungou mine
in the East region. Authorities said 38 people were killed in the
attack, one of the deadliest in years in the West African country. A
survivor, who worked for Australian mining services provider Perenti,
said neither Semafo nor Perenti had contacted him since the attack, in
which he pretended to be dead to avoid being shot at. “They need to
treat me like a human being. They could have tried to talk to
everyone.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Tunisian Terrorist Battalion Pledges Allegiance To New ISIS
Leader
“Ajnad al-Khilafa- affiliated with terrorist ISIS in Tunisia – has
pledged allegiance to the new leader of ISIS, Abu Ibrahim al-Quraishi.
This battalion, entrenched in Djebel Mghila and Jebel ech Chambi,
published a picture showing six armed men in mountain regions as they
express loyalty to this group under its new command. The image made
counter-terrorism bodies in Tunisia alert against any possible
terrorist operations. The battalion was established in 2013 when it
detached from al-Qaeda in Morocco and joined ISIS. Tunisian
authorities accuse Ajnad al-Khilafa of standing behind several
terrorist acts including slaughtering a group of shepherds, rioting
houses near the mountain regions and encouraging extremist members to
carry out offensives as ‘individual wolves’. During the past years,
this battalion claimed responsibility for several attacks including
the suicidal attack conducted by the Tunisian terrorist Mona Qibla in
Bourguiba. Following this announcement, Tunisian security sources
revealed that the counter-terrorism forces have commenced analyzing
the place where this picture was taken and focusing on its details to
recognize the terrorists.”
France
Asharq
Al-Awsat: French ISIS Suspects Want To Go Home, And ‘Go On With My
Life’
“Three French women who escaped from a camp for suspected
extremists in northern Syria say they want to go home and face
whatever legal action France requires over their alleged links to the
ISIS group. The three, interviewed in Syria's Suluk town, controlled
by Syrian opposition factions backed by Turkey, said they had fled
during the chaos of Turkey's incursion into Syria last month and
turned themselves over to Turkish forces in hopes of returning home,
reported Reuters. The women, who declined to give their names,
suggested they were prepared to go France for the sake of their
children, adding that conditions in the camp in Ain Issa, run by the
US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), had been very hard. The
women gave no details of their life before detention. They are
believed to be among the wives and children of former ISIS fighters
killed or detained after the extremist group was expelled from its
strongholds in Iraq and Syria. Ankara’s unilateral offensive angered
Washington and Turkey’s main European NATO allies, who fear a return
of ISIS in the region. European countries are especially concerned
about foreign ISIS fighters and adult relatives returning to
Europe.”
Germany
The
Jerusalem Post: Free Democratic Party Urges Merkel To Place Full Ban
On Hezbollah
“The Free Democratic Party urged Chancellor Angela Merkel’s
administration to outlaw the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah
in Germany while the EU’s commissioner to combat antisemitism on
Saturday went mum on whether the European states should ban the
Shi’ite movement. The FDP member of parliament, Marcus Faber, wrote on
Twitter in late October, “Germany should treat, in the future,
Hezbollah as a terrorist organization,” and strongly work to make the
EU proscribe Hezbollah a terrorist entity. The FDP executive board in
the Bundestag passed an anti-Hezbollah decision. Despite rising
antisemitism in Germany, Merkel and her social democratic coalition
partner, the Social Democratic Party, are flatly against banning
Hezbollah.”
ABC
News: 30 Years After The Fall Of The Berlin Wall, Right-Wing Extremism
Is On The Rise As The East Lags Behind
“In the evening hours of Nov. 9, 1989 the world watched as East
Berliners climbed over the wall for the first time, celebrating a
newfound hope and freedom. The wall came down peacefully -- and in
Germany, the date is celebrated as the Peaceful Revolution. British
historian Timothy Garton Ash called 1989 “The best year in European
history” in a podcast released with the German Marshall Fund last
week. It was, as he said, “the almost entirely peaceful dissolution of
a nuclear armed post totalitarian empire; empires don’t normally
collapse peacefully.” Yet, 30 years on, that dream of democracy may
slowly be turning to disillusionment. Although the wall is down, in
many ways the boundaries between East and West Germany still exist.
Economically speaking, the former East Germany still lags behind the
western half of the country. Many former East German states were hard
hit by economic downturn after reunification and wages and pensions
are still lower. Enter the anti-immigrant far-right party Alternative
for Deutschland, which has been most successful in the Eastern part of
the country.”
Europe
The
Brussels Times: Two Belgian Suspects Arrested In International
Investigation Into Financing Of Terrorism
“Three men from the Netherlands and two men from Belgium were
arrested on 5 November as part of an international investigation into
the financing of terrorism. Another suspect from the Netherlands was
also arrested the following day, on 6 November. Authorities believe
that the suspects are connected to a foundation, based in the
Netherlands, which raised at least €200,000 to “provide assistance to
war victims.” The six suspects are believed to have travelled to
Turkey and Syria in 2013 and 2014 and to have handed over money,
around €130,000, to fighters of the Islamic State (ISIS). The
remaining €70,000 was likely used to finance the suspect’s travel, as
well as to fund another ISIS-affiliated organisation. As part of the
investigation, Dutch and Belgian police searched 11 addresses in both
central Netherlands and Belgium last week, seizing various documents
and records.”
The
Spectator: Winning The Online War After The Fall Of
Isis
“Home Secretary Priti Patel downgraded our national terrorism
threat assessment last week from ‘severe’, where it has sat for the
last four years to ‘substantial’. Attacks have now been reduced from
‘highly likely’ to ‘likely’. We’re never given the full analysis of
the reasons for the changes in alert levels, which is independently
assessed by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC). But it’s fair
to say from what we know, it’s more an art than a science. And there
are plenty of reasons to remain pessimistic. The threat of violent
extremists across the ideological spectrum to cause us severe harm
continues. It’s undoubtedly true that in terms of numbers, attacks and
potential attacks thwarted by the security services in Western Europe
have been on a downward trajectory from 2016 onwards.”
Reuters:
Dutch State Must Repatriate Children Of Islamic State Mothers, Court
Rules
“The Netherlands must actively help repatriate the young children
of women who joined Islamic State in Syria, a court in The Hague ruled
on Monday. The mothers themselves do not need to be accepted back in
the Netherlands, the court said. Lawyers for 23 women who joined
Islamic State from the Netherlands had asked a judge on Friday to
order the state to repatriate them and their 56 children from camps in
Syria. The women and children were living in “deplorable conditions”
in the Al-Hol camp in Northern Syria, their lawyer had argued. Judge
Hans Vetter said that while the women did not need to be repatriated
the state must make “all possible efforts” to return the children, who
have Dutch nationality and are under 12 years old. Most are younger
than six. “The children cannot be held responsible for the actions of
their parents, however serious these may be,” the court said in a
statement. “The children are victims of the actions of their parents.”
The women, however, “were aware of the crimes being committed by IS
and must be tried”, it said. The Dutch government has always insisted
it was too dangerous for Dutch officials to go into the camps and find
the women and children to return them to the Netherlands.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Russia: ISIS Cell Sentenced To 15 Years In
Prison
“Moscow's military court sentenced members of an ISIS cell to
prison for plotting terrorist attacks in Russian cities. The
defendants have set up an ISIS cell in Yaroslavl province, TASS news
agency reported citing the Federal Security Service's office in the
province. The terrorists contacted ISIS members through the Telegram
messaging application, which is banned in the Russian Federation, and
planned to carry out terrorist attacks in one of the Russian regions,
but they were unable to carry out their criminal plan when they were
arrested last year. After examining the case file, the Moscow Military
Court sentenced the members of Yaroslavl terrorist cell to prison with
terms ranging from 9 to 15 years. The Federal Service also announced
it arrested members of an ISIS cell collecting donations to fund the
group's activities and revealed that they had raised about $156,000
for Syrian militants. The agency issued a statement reporting that
ISIS representatives gave instructions to the cell members to
establish a financial system that funds the activities of the
international terrorist organization. The agency arrested two members
of this criminal cell who transferred money to militants in Syria via
payment systems and cards.”
Australia
The
Sydney Morning Herald: IS Recruiter Charged Over Sydney Terror
Plot
“The jailed ringleader of a network that helped young Australian
men fight for Islamic extremists in the Middle East has been charged
with leading a Sydney-based terror cell planning to commit domestic
atrocities. Hamdi Alqudsi, 45, is serving at least six years behind
bars in South Nowra jail after linking men with Mohammad Ali Baryalei,
a prolific jihadist recruiter and infamous Australian Islamic State
member. Alqudsi, a former disability pensioner from south-west Sydney,
was jailed in September 2016 after being found guilty of seven counts
of providing services with the intention of supporting hostile acts in
Syria between June and October 2013. On Tuesday he appeared before
Parramatta Local Court via audiovisual link after Australian Federal
Police charged him with directing the activities of a terrorist
organisation. He was charged in relation to Operation Appleby, a
multi-agency counter-terrorism investigation probing an alleged plot
to attack multiple government sites, including the Garden Island naval
base in Woolloomooloo. The taskforce, which includes NSW Police and
the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, also investigated
people involved in domestic terrorist acts, foreign incursions into
Syria and Iraq and the funding of terrorist organisations.”
Southeast Asia
The
New York Times: Philippine Guerrillas Kill At Least 6 Soldiers In
Bombing
“Six Philippine soldiers were killed and 23 others wounded, the
military said on Tuesday, when a platoon checking on reports of an
infiltration by communist rebels stepped on improvised bombs as they
negotiated hilly terrain. The troops had been sent in on Monday after
civilians had complained of harassment by guerrillas with the New
People’s Army outside Borongan City on Samar Island, which is in the
central eastern part of the country. Six improvised bombs planted by
the insurgents exploded before the soldiers engaged in a firefight
with them, the military said. The 30-minute gun battle that followed
led to the death of one guerrilla, the military said.”
CNN:
ISIS Recruiters Are Preying On Vulnerable Domestic Workers In Hong
Kong And Singapore
“For six days a week, the three women worked as domestic workers in
homes across Singapore. But in their spare time, they promoted ISIS
online, donated money to militants overseas, and became so radicalized
that at least one was ready to die as a suicide bomber in Syria,
according to Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs. The women -- all
Indonesian nationals -- were arrested in September under Singapore's
Internal Security Act on suspicion of taking part in terror financing
activities and face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to
$500,000 Singapore dollars ($362,000). A spokeswoman for the
Indonesian Embassy in Singapore confirmed the arrests and said it was
providing consular assistance to the women, who do not have legal
representation because they are still under investigation. The women
are yet to be formally charged. Terrorism experts say they are not the
only domestic workers who are believed to have been radicalized online
while working in big Asian cities like Singapore and Hong Kong. As
ISIS shifts its gaze towards Asia following the fall of its caliphate
in the Middle East, these women are increasingly being targeted,
albeit in a less organized way, experts warn.”
BBC
News: Australian Man Jailed For 12 Years In Vietnam On Terrorism
Charges
“A court in Vietnam has sentenced a 70-year-old Australian citizen
to 12 years in prison on charges of terrorism. Chau Van Kham, a
retired baker, belongs to the human rights group Viet Tan, which the
Vietnam government considers a terrorist organization. He is accused
of recruiting members for the group, raising funds for “anti-state
activity” and joining anti-Vietnam protests in Australia. In court, he
denied conducting any terrorist acts, his lawyer said. “His activities
were peaceful,” he said. Viet Tan dismissed the case as a “sham trial”
and accused Vietnam of “criminalizing human rights advocacy”. The
group said Kham was in Vietnam to conduct civil rights research when
he was arrested in January. Human Rights Watch said that Vietnam had
“handed down what is essentially a death sentence”, given Chau Van
Kham's age. “He has been incarcerated on bogus, politically motivated
charges that demonstrate just how fearful Vietnam is about people
exercising their rights and demanding genuine democracy,” said the
group's deputy Asia director Phil Robertson.”
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