“The Taliban said Wednesday there is enough security across Afghanistan to
restart major economic projects that stopped due to decades of war, despite a
slew of attacks rocking the country since the group seized power more than a
year ago. The Taliban have struggled in their transition from insurgency and
warfare to governing amid an economic downturn and the international community
withholding official recognition. Foreign aid stopped when the Taliban took
over Afghanistan in August 2021. World governments piled on sanctions, halted
bank transfers and froze billions more in Afghanistan’s currency reserves.
Taliban-appointed government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan has
the opportunity to connect with the rest of the countries in the region,
highlighting China as a key part of the nation’s economic development. “In the
last Cabinet meeting, it was decided that the Silk Road, which will connect
Afghanistan with China, must be built. This historic road can play a great role
in the economy of the country,” he said at a seminar about regional
connectivity. “It is a great opportunity, we have good security and it is the
time to start major economic projects.’”











<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>



Eye on Extremism


October 13, 2022



Associated Press: Taliban Say Afghanistan Secure Enough For Big Projects
<[link removed]>



“The Taliban said Wednesday there is enough security across Afghanistan to
restart major economic projects that stopped due to decades of war, despite a
slew of attacks rocking the country since the group seized power more than a
year ago. The Taliban have struggled in their transition from insurgency and
warfare to governing amid an economic downturn and the international community
withholding official recognition. Foreign aid stopped when the Taliban took
over Afghanistan in August 2021. World governments piled on sanctions, halted
bank transfers and froze billions more in Afghanistan’s currency reserves.
Taliban-appointed government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan has
the opportunity to connect with the rest of the countries in the region,
highlighting China as a key part of the nation’s economic development. “In the
last Cabinet meeting, it was decided that the Silk Road, which will connect
Afghanistan with China, must be built. This historic road can play a great role
in the economy of the country,” he said at a seminar about regional
connectivity. “It is a great opportunity, we have good security and it is the
time to start major economic projects.’”



Reuters: Slovak PM Condemns Shooting That Killed Two Outside Gay Bar
<[link removed]>



“Slovakia's prime minister condemned a shooting that killed two people
outside a gay bar in the capital Bratislava, saying on Thursday that extremism
had no place in the country. A gunman killed two people and wounded another
near the Teplaren bar in the city centre late on Wednesday. Police said they
found the suspected attacker dead on Thursday morning. Officers have not
released any details on the suspected motive. Slovak media reported the main
suspect had posted messages with the phrases "hate crime" and "gay bar"
hashtagged on Twitter. "It is unacceptable that anyone should fear for their
life because of the way they live," Prime Minister Eduard Heger said in a
statement. "I strongly condemn yesterday's attack in which two people died. No
form of extremism is allowed." The Duhovy PRIDE Bratislava (Rainbow PRIDE)
group said it was shocked by the attack.”



United States



New York Post: ISIS Bride Tania Joya: ‘My Crime Was Being An Idiot, Joining A
Really Bad Idea’
<[link removed]>



“Tania Joya, who was married to John Georgelas, once known as the
highest-ranking American in ISIS, does not want to be blamed for her
ex-husband’s misdeeds. “My crime was being an idiot and getting married too
young and joining a really bad idea,” she says in a new documentary, “A Radical
Life,” which begins streaming Thursday on Discovery+. “That was my mistake but
it’s not a crime.” The documentary takes an unfiltered look at Joya’s journey
from British schoolgirl to Jihadi bride to single mother living in Texas. She
was born in 1983 to a “culturally Muslim” Bengali-Bangladeshi family, the
daughter of an airline employee and a caterer. Joya experienced racism while
growing up in London, she says in the documentary; according to a 2017 Texas
Monthly interview, this even included her tormenters using the roof of the
family’s car as a toilet. A childhood surgery on a misshapen leg reportedly led
to constant worrying about her health, which in turn led to her becoming a more
devout Muslim. As she was mocked in public and scorned by her own family for
wearing a full-length jilbab and face-covering veil, she turned to a community
of other extreme worshipers — which helped lead to her becoming radicalized
after the Sept. 11 attacks.”



Syria



AFP: 13 Killed In Two Days Of Syria Rebel Clashes: Monitor
<[link removed]>



“Thirteen people, mostly fighters, have been killed in two days of ongoing
clashes between rival factions competing for power in northwest Syria, a war
monitor said Wednesday. Fighting between two pro-Turkish Syrian rebel groups
began in the town of Al-Bab in northern Aleppo province before spreading to
other areas and drawing in other factions, the British-based Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights said. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadist group headed by
ex-members of Syria's former Al-Qaeda franchise, has also weighed in, it added
in a statement. HTS mostly controls Syria's main rebel-held northwestern region
of Idlib, but other rebel groups are also active, with varying degrees of
backing from Turkey. Dozens of factions are competing for influence in northern
Syria, leading to the current “chaos”, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told
AFP. “Even if clashes began with a dispute between two groups, other factions
took advantage of the opportunity to fight their opponents,” he added. The
death toll includes three civilians, the Observatory said, with AFP
correspondents reporting that schools and markets had closed in Al-Bab, and
dozens had fled the Afrin countryside further west. HTS was able to control the
town of Jindires near Afrin Wednesday and a number of other villages in its
vicinity, the monitor said.”



Al Monitor: Islamic State Terrorizes Business Owners In Northeast Syria
<[link removed]>



“The areas controlled by the Kurdish forces in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor
province in northeastern Syria have recently witnessed growing activities by
Islamic State (IS) cells, which are terrorizing business owners and forcing
them to pay “zakat” (obligatory charitable payment). On Oct. 3, IS militants
blew up a money exchange and money transfer shop called Al-Iman Office in the
town of al-Azbah, in the northern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, after its owner
refused to pay zakat. No casualties were reported, but the shop was severely
damaged. One of the shop owner’s relatives told Al-Monitor on condition of
anonymity, “IS members detonated an explosive device they had planted in front
of the office located in the popular market in al-Azbah, after the owner
refused to pay zakat as demanded by IS.” He said, “In early September, IS
members reached out to the shop owner via WhatsApp, requesting him to pay a
specific amount as zakat. He did not respond to their request so they planted
an explosive device [near his shop] on Sept. 25, which failed to detonate.
Hours before their second attempt on the evening of Oct. 3, they had sent him a
message threatening to kill him and destroy his office because he had not paid
zakat.” The source noted, “Fortunately, the explosive device went off while the
office was closed, and no one was injured in the explosion.”



Associated Press: Syria: Blast Targeting Military Bus Kills 18 Soldiers
<[link removed]>



“A bomb exploded near a Syrian military bus Thursday, killing 18 soldiers and
wounding 27 others, Syrian state media reported citing a military source.
Similar attacks over the past years have killed and wounded dozens of soldiers
in government-held parts of the war-torn country. Last March, militants
attacked a military bus near Palmyra in central Syria, killing 13 troops and
wounding 18 others. Syrian authorities in the past have blamed such attacks on
Islamic State group militants who have been active in southern and central
Syria, despite losing territorial control in the country since 2019.”



Iraq



The Washington Free Beacon: Iraqi Official With Alleged Ties To Iranian Terror
Proxies Granted Entry To United States
<[link removed]>



“An Iraqi official with alleged ties to the Iranian regime and its terrorist
proxies traveled this week to the United States for high-level meetings amid a
global energy crisis that has sent oil prices skyrocketing. Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar
Ismail, Iraq’s oil minister and acting finance minister, is listed as an
official Iraqi government participant for World Bank meetings scheduled to be
held in Washington, D.C., according to a list of participants published by the
organization. He is also expected to hold meetings with Biden administration
officials, according to sources familiar with the matter. A coalition of
Republican lawmakers want to know why the Biden administration is “roll[ing]
out the red carpet” for Ismail and how he was able to obtain a U.S. visa. Three
Republican foreign policy leaders in Congress are pressuring the Biden
administration to reconsider engaging with Ismail, citing his alleged ties to
Iran’s terrorist regime and the country’s efforts to evade U.S. economic
sanctions. Under Ismail’s leadership, Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization
“has a track record of business dealings with Iran, Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Iranian-backed terrorist organizations
Asa’ib ahl al-Haq and Katai’b Hezbollah,” Reps. Jim Banks (R., Ind.), Mike
Waltz (R., Fla.), and Joe Wilson (R., S.C.) wrote on Wednesday to the White
House, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the Washington Free
Beacon.”



Afghanistan



Voice Of America: Taliban Urge US To Review New Sanctions, Calling Them Hurdle
In Furthering Ties
<[link removed]>



“Afghanistan’s Islamist Taliban government Wednesday criticized new U.S.
sanctions against some of its leaders as an “impediment to the development” of
ties between the two countries. The reaction comes a day after the United
States announced a new visa restriction policy as punishment for current or
former Taliban leaders and others “believed to be responsible for, or complicit
in, repressing” Afghan women and girls through restrictive policies and
violence. “Such decisions can adversely affect bilateral relations,” a Taliban
foreign ministry statement said. “All disputes should be resolved through
diplomatic channels and decisions that do not serve the interest of the two
sides should be reviewed,” it added. The statement questioned the timing of the
U.S. decision, saying it was announced after talks last week in Doha involving
high-level officials of the two countries where “almost all important issues”
were discussed in detail. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in unveiling the
sanctions on Tuesday, said that immediate family members of such persons may
also be subject to these restrictions. Blinken called on other governments to
join Washington in taking similar actions to collectively send a message to the
Taliban that only a government that represents all Afghans and respects their
human rights could be considered legitimate.”



Middle East



The Jerusalem Post: West Bank Suspects In Contact With Hamas Planned Terrorist
Attacks -Shin Bet <[link removed]>



“In the last two weeks, a Shin Bet investigation of four suspects from the
West Bank found that they were in contact with a Hamas operative from the Gaza
Strip in order to plan and carry out shooting attacks against Israeli targets.
The suspects were in contact with Bilal Basharat - a Hamas operative who was
released from prison as part of the Shalit deal, was deported to the Gaza
Strip, and operates within the 'Hagada Headquarters,' which is a Hamas body
located in the Gaza Strip and its mission is to promote military terrorist
activity in the West Bank. Basharat instructed the suspects to purchase weapons
and collect information from the area in order to carry out shooting attacks on
behalf of Hamas against civilian targets and IDF soldiers. The operatives of
the squad were arrested and a weapon they had purchased was also seized. In
addition, terrorist funds were seized and transferred to the squad on behalf of
the Hamas headquarters.”



Nigeria



Punch Nigeria: Troops Kill 19 Terrorists In Failed Ambush
<[link removed]>



“Troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces successfully thwarted an ambush by Boko
Haram and Islamic State of West African Province Terrorists in a fresh
pushback. Our correspondent gathered that the troops of 21 Armoured Brigade,
Bama thwarted the ambush during a fighting patrol between Kumshe and Banki axis
of Borno State in the early hours of Tuesday. An intelligence source, who
confirmed the incident, said soldiers repelled the terrorists after the
non-state actors detonated an Improvised Explosive Device and followed it with
rapid gunshots. The special forces were said to have repelled the attack,
killing 19 insurgents, with no casualty on the side of the military. “The
terrorists detonated Improvised Explosive Device and followed with continuous
gunshots which was immediately repelled by the gallant troops,” the source
said. He, however, noted that on Hilux vehicle belonging to the military was
destroyed while some soldiers sustained injuries during the encounter, and were
being treated at the Brigade Headquarters in Bama.”



Somalia



All Africa: Somalia: Al-Shabaab Attacks Pro-Government Militia In Hiran
<[link removed]>



“A heavy battle between the Somali army along with locals and Al-Shabaab was
reported in El-Ma'an area located on the outskirts of Jalalaqsi town. The
fighting erupted after Al-Shabaab fighters launched an attack on bases
belonging to Ma'wisley, a pro-government militia helping SNA in the war against
the militants in Hiran. The residents reported a tense situation on Tuesday
morning as the warring sides exchange heavy and small weapons in combat, which
comes amid intensified army operations. Somali troops have gained control of
dozens of villages in central Somalia from Al-Shabaab since last month with
officials in Hiran saying the militant group suffered heavy losses.”



Africa



Foreign Policy: Negotiating With Insurgents In Burkina Faso
<[link removed]>



“Late last month, military officers in Burkina Faso seized power in the
country’s second coup this year. In both cases, the main justification was the
leadership’s failure to curb violence from groups linked to the Islamic State
and al Qaeda. The insurgency has killed tens of thousands of people and
displaced about 10 percent of the population. This week on our podcast The
Negotiators, we tell the story of one community leader in Burkina Faso who set
out to negotiate with the insurgents so that members of his community could
return to their homes. His story might be familiar to people who follow
conflicts in other areas—including Afghanistan—where, in the absence of a
broader peace process, people at the local level engage in their own
small-scale diplomacy. Journalist Sam Mednick, who covered these community-led
negotiations in Burkina Faso for the New Humanitarian, reports this episode
with us. The Negotiators is a partnership between Doha Debates and Foreign
Policy. About The Negotiators: Conflicts don’t just get resolved on their own.
Most are settled through a grueling process of give and take, usually behind
closed doors. On the new podcast The Negotiators, Foreign Policy is teaming up
with Doha Debates to put listeners in the room. Hosted by FP deputy editor Jenn
Williams, each episode will feature one mediator, diplomat, or troubleshooter,
describing one dramatic negotiation.”



Germany



The Jerusalem Post: Three Years After The Synagogue Attack In Halle, Germany
Mourns <[link removed]>



“This week, Jews in the eastern Germany city of Halle mourned the third
anniversary of the October 9, 2019 attack on a local synagogue by a violent
antisemite. Officials held events in commemoration of the Yom Kippur attack
that did not merely stop at the house of worship, but continued with the
murders of two individuals who were nearby at the time. The gunman is now
serving a life sentence in prison. “The veneer of civilization is very thin.
Humanity can quickly turn to inhumanity and barbarism.” In commemoration, on
Sunday, public transport in the city ceased for around a minute at 12:03 p.m.,
the time the attack started, and church bells rang throughout the city. The
premier of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff of the Christian Democrats (CDU),
laid a wreath and in a speech urged the community to take a clear stance
against antisemitism and racism. “The veneer of civilization is very thin.
Humanity can quickly turn to inhumanity and barbarism,” he said, calling the
bullet-damaged door of the synagogue “a powerful memorial.” German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz also commemorated the attack, writing on Twitter: “This anniversary
reminds us never to look away. We remember the victims and reaffirm our
determination to fight right-wing extremism in every form.”



Southeast Asia



Nikkei Asia: 20 Years After Bali Bombings, Indonesia Confronts Extremism Online

<[link removed]>



“Indonesia's government has made progress in stopping Islamic terrorism in
the two decades since bombings killed more than 200 people here in 2002. But
its fight has moved onto social media platforms where extremist thought remains
only a screen scroll away. A memorial service was held in the tourist district
of Kuta on Wednesday to mark the 20th anniversary of the deadly attacks. The
survivors and their families stood before a plaque that listed the names of
those killed in the bombings. Bali is welcoming back tourists lost during the
pandemic. But the survivors of the bombings still carry the physical and
psychological scars from that that October night 20 years ago. One of them is
Thiolina Marpaung, who heads the Isana Dewata Foundation that assists survivors
and their families with their day-to-day lives. Thiolina, 49 years old, was in
a car that night with work colleague Dewa Rudita, now 55, heading to an event
in Kuta. They were caught in traffic along Legian Road when a car exploded five
vehicles in front of them. The blast set fire to their own car, but the two
co-workers managed to escape with their lives. Thiolina now has trouble seeing
after shards of glass struck her eyes and still visits a doctor once every two
months. Dewa was burned badly on his left arm and elsewhere, leaving prominent
surgical scars. He is so traumatized by the terror attack that he cannot
approach the site.”



The Counter Extremism Project depends on the generosity of its supporters. If
you value what we do, please consider making a donation.

DONATE NOW
<[link removed]>




Click here to unsubscribe.
<[link removed]>