“Saudi Arabia's state-run news agency said 16 people of different nationalities
were wounded Monday at an airport in the south as a result of the inte

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


February 22, 2022

 

Associated Press: Saudi Arabia: 16 Hurt In Airport Drone Attack From Yemen
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“Saudi Arabia's state-run news agency said 16 people of different
nationalities were wounded Monday at an airport in the south as a result of the
interception and destruction of a drone carrying explosives launched from
Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition that’s battling Yemen’s Houthi rebels was quoted
as saying that the bomb-laden drone was targeting King Abdullah Airport in the
Saudi city of Jizan, near the border with Yemen. Saudi defense forces allege
the drone was launched from Sanaa's airport in the Yemeni capital. Saudi state
TV reported three travelers were in critical condition. It aired a short video
clip of the aftermath that showed glass shattered across the floor inside the
airport near a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store. The state-run Ekhbariya news
channel later showed travelers moving about within Jizan’s airport and reported
that flights were back to operating normally. Saudi Arabia has been involved in
Yemen’s civil war since 2015, fighting against the Iranian-backed Houthis who
overran the capital of Sanaa and ousted the internationally recognized
government from power. Despite seven years of fighting and war, the Houthis
remain in control of Sanaa and much of northern Yemen.”

 

Reuters: U.S. Begins Counter-Terrorism Training In Africa Amid Upheaval
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“The United States' yearly counter-terrorism training program for African
forces began on Sunday in Ivory Coast at a time of upheaval in which Islamist
fighters control large areas, coups are on the rise and French forces are
winding down. The training program, known as Flintlock, will bring together
more than 400 soldiers from across West Africa to bolster the skills of forces,
some of which are under regular attack by armed groups linked to al Qaeda and
Islamic State. Those not present included forces from Guinea and two countries
worst-hit by Islamist violence, Mali and Burkina Faso. Military juntas have
snatched power in those three countries since 2020, raising concerns about a
return to West Africa's post-colonial reputation as a "coup belt". Central to
this year's training is coordination between different forces fighting the same
enemy. "A main focus of Flintlock is information sharing. If we can't
communicate, we can't work together," said Admiral Jamie Sands, Commander of
the U.S. Special Operations Command Africa, at the opening ceremony.”

 

Iran

 

The Times Of Israel: Lapid Calls On White House Not To Delist Iran’s Guards As
Terror Group
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“Foreign Minister Yair Lapid indicated on Monday that the Biden administration
may be open to delisting the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist
organization, and called on international actors to convince the White House to
reject this Iranian demand. “Everyone in his right mind should talk to the
administration about this and tell them, ‘This is just wrong, don’t do that,’”
said Israel’s top diplomat, speaking in Jerusalem at the Conference of
Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. In front of the same forum
the night before, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also warned that Tehran was
demanding the IRGC be delisted. “They are now asking to let the biggest terror
organization on earth off the hook,” Bennett said. In July, Iran’s Foreign
Ministry said in a report to parliament that the US would delist the IRGC and
remove sanctions on senior Iranian officials if a nuclear deal were reached in
Vienna. In 2019, Trump administration secretary of state Mike Pompeo announced
that the IRGC would be designated a foreign terrorist organization, the first
time the US blacklisted an entire entity of a foreign government in this way.”

 

Turkey

 

Daily Sabah: Turkey, Iraq Agree To Dispel Terrorism: Defense Minister Akar
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“Turkey and Iraq have agreed to eliminate terrorism as soon as possible,
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Sunday following his recent meetings with
central and regional Iraqi government officials. Speaking to reporters on the
sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Akar said: “We all agree on the
fight against terrorism and getting rid of it as soon as possible.” “I have
expressed to them very clearly: 'We have been fighting (terrorism) for 40
years. Now we need to get rid of it as soon as possible,” Akar said. “For this
reason, we reminded them of our principle 'wherever there is a terrorist, that
is our target.'” Turkey has carried out a series of offensives, known as the
called “Claw” operations, since 2019 against terrorist groups in northern Iraq,
particularly the PKK. Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle were initiated in
June 2020 in the Sinjar, Qandil, Haftanin and Zap regions, while operations
Claw-Lightning and Claw-Bolt were launched last April in Metina and
Avashin-Basyan regions. No matter what anyone says, Turkey is determined to
root out terrorist organizations that threaten the security, peace and
stability of the country and the region, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said
earlier this week regarding the ongoing operations.”

 

Afghanistan

 

AFP: Taliban Aiming To Create 'Grand Army' For Afghanistan
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“The Taliban are creating a “grand army” for Afghanistan that will include
officers and troops who served the old regime, the official tasked with
overseeing the military's transformation said Monday. Latifullah Hakimi, head
of the Taliban's Ranks Clearance Commission, also told a news conference they
had repaired half the 81 helicopters and planes supposedly rendered
unserviceable by US-led forces during last year's chaotic withdrawal. He said
Taliban forces took control of more than 300,000 light arms, 26,000 heavy
weapons and around 61,000 military vehicles during their lightning takeover of
the country. Afghanistan's armed forces disintegrated last summer in the face
of a Taliban onslaught ahead of the August 31 US-led force withdrawal -- often
abandoning their bases and leaving behind all their weapons and vehicles. The
Taliban have promised a general amnesty for everyone linked to the old regime,
but almost all senior government and military officials were among the more
than 120,000 people who evacuated by air in the final days. Many of the rank
and file remained, however, melting back into civilian life and keeping a low
profile for fear of reprisals. The United Nations said in January more than 100
people linked to the old armed forces have been killed since August.”

 

The National: MI5 Chief Ken McCallum: British Extremists Are Travelling To
Afghanistan
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“The head of Britain's domestic intelligence service said that Afghanistan is
becoming a hotbed for terrorism. A British man was one of two suspected ISIS
recruits caught while trying to enter Afghanistan this month. Ken McCallum, the
director general of MI5, said the service has evidence of terrorist groups
regrouping in Afghanistan and recruits are travelling to join them. In
September Mr McCallum said that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan would give
a “morale boost” to extremists in the UK and that terrorist groups would begin
“reconstituting themselves within Afghanistan and projecting the threat back at
the West including the UK”. “We have seen versions of both of those risks
beginning to materialise,” he told the Daily Mail in an interview. “Clearly we
have seen some people interested in travelling to Afghanistan in pursuit of
some of those goals. “We have seen the beginnings of some travel attempts, and
so with our partners we remain very vigilant.” After the Taliban regained
control of Afghanistan in August there were fears that the country would again
become a safe haven for terrorist groups despite Taliban leaders vowing not to
shelter such people. ISIS’s affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-K, is the
most extreme and violent militant group in the landlocked country.”

 

Lebanon

 

Associated Press: Israel Fires Missiles At Hezbollah Drone Flown From Lebanon
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“The Israeli military on Friday said it fired interceptor missiles and
protectively scrambled warplanes after what it described as a drone launched
from Lebanon crossed its tense northern border. Hours later, investigations
concluded the drone managed to return to Lebanon, the Israeli military said in
a statement, stopping short of blaming Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group on
launching the drone. In Lebanon, Hezbollah issued a statement saying it had it
sent the “Hassan” drone inside Israel. It claimed the drone toured the targeted
area for 40 minutes on a “reconnaissance mission that extended along seventy
kilometers” inside the occupied territories. “Despite the enemy’s multiple and
successive attempts to shoot it down, the ‘Hassan’ plane returned from the
occupied territories safely after it successfully carried out the required
mission,” it said. Minutes after the Hezbollah announcement, Israeli fighter
jet flying at very low altitude buzzed the Lebanese capital Beirut, jolting
residents, rattling windows and setting off some car alarms. The incident comes
just a day after Israel shot down what it said was another drone, allegedly
from Hezbollah. The military said in its statement that the incursion set off
air raid sirens in northern Israel, and that Iron Dome interceptors were
deployed and fighter jets were patrolling the skies.”

 

Foreign Policy: The Islamic State Is Capitalizing On Lebanon’s Economic
Collapse
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“Lebanon’s deepening economic crisis and long political stagnation have
recently persuaded dozens of the country’s Sunnis that their most hopeful
future involves joining the Islamic State. Over the last several months, young
and unemployed Sunni men from the poorest parts of the country have been lured
with the promise of handsome salaries by Islamic State handlers to join the
group and multiply its forces. Some of the men who have fled Lebanon for Syria
and Iraq to join the Islamic State had previously served time in Lebanese
prisons or were suspected of having links with or sympathy for extremist
outfits. Most, however, simply came from areas of Lebanon riven with poverty
and sectarian rivalry between Shiites and Sunnis. At the peak of Syria’s civil
war, hundreds of men from the Sunni-dominated Lebanese areas of Tripoli, Akkar,
and Arsal joined Syrian rebels, including Islamist jihadi groups, affiliated
with al Qaeda and the Islamic State. They carried out many lethal attacks
inside the country, including using car bombs. Sometimes, they carried their
violence back home. In 2015, the Islamic State’s suicide bombers killed more
than 40 people and injured more than 200 in an attack in Burj al-Barajneh, a
Shiite-dominated suburb of Beirut.”

 

Middle East

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: Hamas Calls On Australia To Reverse Decision Listing It As
Terror Group
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“The Palestinian Hamas movement rejected Australia’s intention to list both
its military and political wings as terrorist. Senior Hamas official Ismail
Radwan condemned the Australian decision as biased in favor of Israel, which
hailed the decision as a further step in the fight against terrorism. Hamas
stressed that the Australian government’s designation contradicts international
law, which guarantees the right of peoples to resist the occupier, and ignores
the oppressive practices of the occupation against the Palestinian people as
documented by international human rights reports. It referred to the latest
report by the Amnesty International, which called for accountability for the
crime of apartheid against Palestinians. It called on the Australian government
to reverse the decision, which “harms its reputation of respecting human rights
and recognizing international laws and norms.” The Australian government
announced its intention to list the entirety of Palestinian Hamas group as a
terrorist organization under the country’s criminal code, Home Affairs Minister
Karen Andrews said on Thursday. A listing by Australia of the whole group,
rather than just its military wing as at present, would bring Canberra’s stance
in line with the United States, the European Union and Britain.”

 

Somalia

 

Voice Of America: Al-Shabab Collects Millions To Spend On Weapons, Report Finds

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“Somalia’s al-Shabab militant group has an annual budget of $24 million to
spend on purchasing weapons, a new report finds. The report by a
Mogadishu-based research group, the Hiraal Institute, said the group uses
various methods to procure weapons, including direct purchases from local black
markets, and from arms traders contracted to buy and deliv­er weapons from
abroad, mainly Yemen. Hiraal said the acquisition of firearms, ammunition,
explosives and other lethal capacity weapons remains a priority for al-Shabab,
with nearly a quarter of its budget going to such transactions. “Out of an
annually planned expenditure of approxi­mately USD 100 million, al-Shabab’s
annual planned ex­penditure on arms procurement is assessed to be USD 24
million, budgeted monthly at USD 2 million,” the report said. Samira Gaid, the
executive director of Hiraal Institute, told VOA Somali that during research
they had access to al-Shabab's annual budget documentation. They have also
interviewed former al-Shabab members, clan leaders, business owners, government
officials and other sources who have knowledge of how the group functions.
“Just like the FGS [Federal Government of Somalia], the biggest chunk of its
resources is currently being spent on security-related expenses; these, of
course, include wages and operational costs,” Gaid said.”

 

Mali

 

Voice Of America: Eight Malian Soldiers Killed, 14 Wounded In Clash With
Militants
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“The Malian defense ministry said late Friday in a statement that eight
soldiers have been killed, 14 wounded, and five are missing, following clashes
with militants Friday afternoon in northern Mali. The statement also says that
during the clash, in which ground troops were supported by the air force, 57
terrorists were killed, and materials destroyed. The clash occurred near
Tessit, Mali, in the northeastern part of the country. Since 2012, violence and
instability have increased in northern and central Mali, and both Malian and
French military members have been frequently targeted by militants. France
announced Thursday that it would withdraw troops from Mali after a nine-year
presence, following months of deteriorating relations between Mali and France.
French troops first arrived as part of Operation Serval in 2013, which was
aimed at taking back northern Mali from Islamist militants. Operation Serval
was replaced by anti-insurgent Operation Barkhane. The Malian government asked
on Friday for French troops to leave Mali “without delay”, after French
President Emmanuel Macron had said the withdrawal would take between four and
six months.”

 

Africa

 

CBS News: Inside America's Only Military Base In Africa, As It Tries To
Prevent The Rise Of A New Bin Laden, Or “Someone Worse”
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“While the eyes of the world are on Ukraine, the U.S. is also keeping focused
on hidden conflicts against jihadists in Africa, where at least 18 different
terrorist organizations are operating. Thousands of Americans are stationed at
Camp Lemonnier in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. CBS News correspondent
Debora Patta visited the sprawling camp, which is the only permanent U.S.
military base in all of Africa and as she reports, it's close to some of the
continent's most dangerous trouble spots. As troops dropped one by one out of
U.S. military transport plane, Patta said while it was just a routine training
exercise, the Special Operations air combat forces know they have to stay
fighting fit. Their job is to rescue American troops that get trapped behind
enemy lines. U.S. Special Operations forces jump from a plane over the Horn of
Africa during training exercises at Camp Lemmonier, the American military base
in the East African nation of Djibouti. In the air, on land or at sea, the
4,500-strong American contingent at Camp Lemonnier is tasked with combatting
the deadliest al Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups in the world. Standing on the
deck of a U.S. Navy patrol vessel just off Djibouti's coast, Patta said it was
clear to see why the location is of such strategic importance: Yemen, where a
grueling civil war has allowed al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to flourish,
is only about 70 miles to the north.”

 

Southeast Asia

 

Reuters: Myanmar Junta Urges ASEAN Envoy Not To Engage With 'Terrorist' Groups
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“Myanmar's military government has criticised calls for the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations' special envoy to the conflict-torn country to meet
bodies that oppose last year's coup, which the junta has declared as
“terrorist” groups. With little sign of the junta implementing a five-point
peace plan agreed upon with ASEAN last year, which included an immediate end to
hostilities and letting a special envoy facilitate dialogue, growing divisions
have emerged in the 10-member bloc over how to restore stability. After last
Thursday's ASEAN foreign ministers meeting, Indonesia said it was crucial for
the envoy to meet all parties in the conflict, with Malaysia calling for talks
with the National Unity Government (NUG), a group made up of members of the
ousted administration and other junta opponents. “The ministry notes that while
some deliberations were constructive on the implementation of the five-point
consensus, two members have suggested special envoy to engage with unlawful
associations and terrorist groups,” Myanmar's ministry of foreign affairs said
in a statement. In its first public response to last week's ASEAN meeting, the
ministry said suggesting the envoy engage with such groups was “not only
contrary to the principles of the ASEAN charter but also undermine ASEAN's
counter-terrorism efforts.”

 

Yahoo News: Bangladeshi Jailed In Singapore For Financing Syria-Based
Terrorist Group's Campaigns
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“A Bangladeshi construction worker in Singapore who donated to campaigns
linked to a Syrian terrorist group and was detained under the Internal Security
Act (ISA) was jailed for two years and eight months on Monday (21 February).
Ahmed Faysal, 27, donated $891.98 over 15 occasions to campaigns that he had
reason to believe would benefit the militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).
HTS is a terrorist group in Syria that aims to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's
regime and establish an Islamic caliphate in Syria. It was created by Al-Nusrah
Front, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, in January 2017. HTS currently controls the last
rebel-held enclave in Idlib, a city in northwestern Syria. HTS was listed as a
terrorist entity on the United Nations Security Council’s ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-
Qaida list on 5 June 2018. Ahmed pleaded guilty to five counts under the
Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act, with 10 similar charges considered
for his sentencing. Ahmed initially supported the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria (ISIS) after learning about jihad and the Syrian civil war through
Facebook. He spread his pro-jihadist views on Facebook, creating multiple
accounts to glorify the solders of jihad and their deaths. He knew that
Facebook might delete his accounts due to the content he posted.”

 

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