“The Biden administration has made it clear to Iraq's new prime minister that
it will not work with ministers and senior officials who are affiliated with
Shiite militias the U.S. has designated as terrorist organizations, two sources
briefed on the issue told me. Why it matters: Mohammed Shia al-Sudani became
the prime minister after he was endorsed by the pro-Iranian factions in the
Iraqi parliament, known as the Coordination Framework. These factions include
some Shiite militias on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organizations list. Still,
the U.S. plans to largely work with and give the new Iraqi government and
al-Sudani a chance, as Axios recently reported. Iraq is a key partner for the
Biden administration in the region, with many U.S. security and economic
interests that need to be preserved. State of play: The Biden administration
has already decided it will not work with the minister of higher education,
Naim al-Aboudi, who is a member of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), a Shiite militia
that is funded by Iran and was designated as a terrorist organization by the
U.S., the two sources said. The U.S. is also concerned about Rabee Nader, who
was appointed to head the Iraqi prime minister's press office. Nader worked in
the past for media outlets affiliated AAH and with the Kata’ib Hezbollah — a
Shiite militia designated by the U.S. as a terror group.”











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Eye on Extremism


November 17, 2022



Axios: U.S. Tells Iraq It Won't Work With Officials Linked To Terror Groups
<[link removed]>



“The Biden administration has made it clear to Iraq's new prime minister that
it will not work with ministers and senior officials who are affiliated with
Shiite militias the U.S. has designated as terrorist organizations, two sources
briefed on the issue told me. Why it matters: Mohammed Shia al-Sudani became
the prime minister after he was endorsed by the pro-Iranian factions in the
Iraqi parliament, known as the Coordination Framework. These factions include
some Shiite militias on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organizations list. Still,
the U.S. plans to largely work with and give the new Iraqi government and
al-Sudani a chance, as Axios recently reported. Iraq is a key partner for the
Biden administration in the region, with many U.S. security and economic
interests that need to be preserved. State of play: The Biden administration
has already decided it will not work with the minister of higher education,
Naim al-Aboudi, who is a member of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), a Shiite militia
that is funded by Iran and was designated as a terrorist organization by the
U.S., the two sources said. The U.S. is also concerned about Rabee Nader, who
was appointed to head the Iraqi prime minister's press office. Nader worked in
the past for media outlets affiliated AAH and with the Kata’ib Hezbollah — a
Shiite militia designated by the U.S. as a terror group.”



Voice Of America: Somalia Fights Back Against Al-Shabab Attack On Education
Sector
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“The Somali government said it plans to reopen schools in territories
recently recovered from militant group al-Shabab. Education Minister Farah
Sheikh Abdulkadir says his ministry has a plan to take education to the areas
seized by the government and local forces. Somali security forces supported by
local clan militias have been dislodging al-Shabab from towns and villages in
central Somalia since August. “The Somali people have risen up in support of
their government, a sizable land has been liberated; we are going to reopen the
schools, we are going to take the curriculum there, and we are going to send
teachers there,” Abdulkadir said in an interview with VOA Somali. “The
government will utilize all of its power to provide education service to the
people who have not had regular or proper education for a long time.” He said
the government already sent school supplies to Hirshabelle State, which was a
focal point for the offensive against the militants. Abdulkadir said only 24%
of Somalis currently have opportunity to access education. “They [al-Shabab]
have taken advantage of this lack of knowledge and ignorance, and God willing;
we are going to put a lot of effort into that to change,” he said. The
minister’s pledge to revive education in areas captured from al-Shabab is not a
coincidence. It comes nearly three weeks after two consecutive al-Shabab bombs
targeted the Ministry of Education in Mogadishu, killing 121 people and
injuring more than 330 others.”



United States



NBC News: FBI, DHS, And Social Media Firms Like Meta, TikTok Aren't Adequately
Addressing Threat Of Domestic Extremists, Senate Report Says
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“An investigation by the Senate Homeland Security Committee alleges that the
FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and leading social media companies are
not adequately addressing the growing threat of domestic terrorism, especially
white supremacist and anti-government extremists. In a 128-page report obtained
by NBC News, the committee’s majority Democrats say federal law enforcement
agencies have not appropriately allocated resources to match the metastasizing
threat, and have failed to systematically track and report data on domestic
terrorism incidents, as required by federal law. “Unfortunately, our
counterterrorism agencies have not effectively tracked the data that you need
to measure this threat,” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who chairs the Senate
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said Wednesday. “If
they’re not tracking it, it’s likely they are not prioritizing our
counterterrorism resources to effectively counter this threat.” In a statement,
the FBI said it is “agile” and adjusts resources to meet the latest threats,
while DHS said that “addressing domestic violent extremism is a top priority”
for the department. A Meta spokesperson pointed to the company's most recent
Community Standards Enforcement Report, which highlights what the spokesperson
described as a low prevalence of terror and organized hate content on Facebook
and Instagram.”



Syria



The Washington Post: Two Girls Found Beheaded, Dumped In Syrian Detention
Camp, Charity Says
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“Two Egyptian girls were found dead in northeastern Syria’s al-Hol camp,
which holds relatives of suspected Islamic State fighters in northeastern
Syria, according to a major children’s charity that works in the camp. Save the
Children did not identify the cause of death of the two girls, whose ages it
gave as 12 and 15. But the Associated Press, citing the London-based war
monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and unnamed officials with the
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, reported that both girls had been
beheaded and their bodies dumped in the sewage system. The Washington Post was
unable independently to verify the reports and has contacted the SDF for
comment. “This news is utterly heartbreaking. These two girls were trapped in
the Al Hol camp through no fault of their own,” Save the Children’s interim
Syria response director, Beat Rohr, said in a statement Tuesday. “Their death
is a stark reminder that no child should grow up in these camps. We continue to
urge all countries to repatriate children stuck in North East Syria as soon as
possible.” Doctors Without Borders, which runs medical facilities at al-Hol
camp, reported this month that the facility houses more than 50,000 people,
more than half of whom are children. Detainees from Syria and Iraq are housed
together, and other foreign nationals, numbering about 11,000, are housed
separately, the group said.”



Kurdistan 24: ISIS Threat Continues To Exist Due To ‘The Ideology’, Says
Ex-Coalition Official
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“The ongoing ISIS threats both in Syria and Iraq are due to the existence of
“the ideology”, a top official from the international coalition against the
terror group told Kurdistan 24 on Wednesday. The remarks by the former
spokesperson for the anti-ISIS Operation Inherent Resolve Myles B. Caggins III
came during an interview on the sidelines of the Middle East Peace and Security
Forum 2022 held at the American University of Kurdistan (AUK) in the Kurdistan
Region's Duhok province. “ISIS continues to exist because of the ideology.
There are people who believe in what ISIS believes in. And they are willing to
fight for those beliefs,” Caggins III told Kurdistan 24 in response to a
question regarding the persistent threats from the group despite the military
defeat it suffered in 2017. The former coalition official said that the Iraqi
and Kurdish security forces have defeated the ability of the terror group to
launch major attacks, limiting their activities to only “small attacks”.
Caggins III concluded his assignment in September 2020. The terror group’s
self-proclaimed caliphate was brought down by the Kurdish and Iraqi forces with
the support of the international coalition against ISIS. Despite its
territorial defeat, ISIS still launches low-level insurgency against security
and civilian targets across the country, including the disputed territories.
The third annual conference officially began on Tuesday on the AUK campus,
where parallel workshops were held.”



Iran



Associated Press: Gunmen Attack Bazaar In Southwest Iran, Kill 5, State Media
Says
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“Gunmen opened fire in a bazaar in the southwestern Iranian city of Izeh on
Wednesday, killing at least five people, including a young girl, and wounding
civilians and security forces, state TV reported. It was not immediately clear
what motivated the attack or if it was linked to the nationwide protests that
have convulsed Iran over the past two months. Another 10 people, including
security forces, were wounded in the shooting, according to state TV. Valiollah
Hayati, deputy governor of the Khuzestan province, where the city is located,
told state TV that a young girl and a woman were among those killed. State TV
said that groups of several dozens of protesters had gathered in different
parts of Izeh late Wednesday, chanting anti-government slogans and hurling
rocks at police, who fired tear gas to disperse them. State-linked media also
reported that someone set fire to a Shiite religious seminary. Violent clashes
have erupted around some of the protests as security forces have clamped down
on dissent. Iran has also seen several recent attacks blamed on separatists and
religious extremists, including a shooting at a major Shiite shrine last month
that killed more than a dozen people and was claimed by the Islamic State
group.”



Turkey



Voice Of America: Political Repercussions Grow Over Turkey Bombing
<[link removed]>



“The political and diplomatic fallout is growing after Sunday's bombing in
Istanbul. Turkey blames Kurdish militants backed by the United States for the
attack, which comes months before elections. Mourners have not stopped laying
flowers at the scene of Sunday’s fatal bomb attack on Istanbul's most famous
shopping street. While the country comes to terms with the bombing, the
political repercussions are growing. After detaining the alleged bomber,
Turkish security forces claim the attack was carried out by the Kurdish
militant group the PKK, a charge the group denies. Devlet Bahceli, leader of
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's parliamentary coalition partner, the MHP,
called Tuesday for the closure of Turkey's legal Kurdish party, the HDP.
Bahceli said the coalition does not want to see separatists in the parliament.
He said its members cannot stand seeing terrorists and cannot tolerate “for
even a second” the HDP. The HDP is already facing closure with many of its
parliamentary deputies already in jail over links to the PKK, convictions the
European Court of Human rights has condemned as politically motivated. In a
statement, the jailed former HDP leader, Selahattin Demirtas, warned the
government could use Sunday’s bombing as a pretext to launch a new offensive
into Syria against Kurdish forces of the YPG. Turkey's Interior Minister
Suleyman Soylu has claimed the alleged Sunday bomber confessed to being trained
by the YPG, a group Ankara claims is affiliated with Kurdish militants of the
PKK.”



Pakistan



Associated Press: Ambush, Army Raid Leave 6 Police, 2 Troops Dead In Pakistan
<[link removed]>



“Armed militants on Wednesday ambushed a routine police patrol in
northwestern Pakistan, killing all six policemen in the vehicle, while a
shootout with gunmen elsewhere in the volatile region killed two soldiers,
officials said. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the ambush in
northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan and has
seen frequent attacks on security forces. The militant group — formally known
as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP — is separate but allied with the Afghan
Taliban. The attackers who ambushed the police in the Dadewala area of the
Lakki Marwat district escaped on motorcycles, according to police officer Rab
Nawaz Khan. He said an investigation was underway. A TTP spokesman, Mohammad
Khurasani, said the police patrol was ambushed while on the way to carry out a
raid in the area. The militants snatched police weapons before fleeing the
scene, he said. Also in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, two
soldiers were killed in a shootout with militants. The gunbattle erupted during
an overnight raid in the Hilal Khel area in Bajur. A militant was also killed,
according to a military statement. The military said troops seized arms and
ammunition from the militant killed in the raid. The army said he had been
involved in past attacks on security forces.”



Middle East



The Times Of Israel: Israeli Arab Teen Indicted For Affiliation With Islamic
State, Plans To Make Bombs
<[link removed]>



“Prosecutors on Wednesday filed an indictment against an Arab teen from
northern Israel over his alleged affiliation with the Islamic State terror
group, the Justice Ministry said. According to the charge sheet, over the past
two years, the 16-year-old was in contact with several members of the jihadist
group via the Telegram messaging application and other social media sites. The
indictment, citing the teen’s interrogation by the Shin Bet security agency,
said in 2020 he was interested in swearing allegiance to IS and potentially
joining its ranks abroad. In 2021, the teen swore allegiance to the group, and
continued being in contact with members, who provided him with instructions to
build explosive devices and makeshift weapons, the indictment read. The teen
also attempted to convince several of his friends to join IS as well, however,
they declined, according to the indictment. As he is a minor, the suspect’s
name and other identifying details, such as when he was arrested, were barred
from publication. The prosecution has asked to keep the suspect held until the
end of legal proceedings. Last month, six Arab men were arrested for alleged
affiliation with IS and plans to commit terror attacks. The men, from Nazareth
in northern Israel, were accused of planning to attack a Muslim school, a busy
bus stop, a police station and a park where Jewish Israelis often visit.”



i24 News: Analysis: 2022 Terror Wave Continues With No End In Sight
<[link removed]>



“Country records highest number of casualties at hands of Palestinian
terrorists since 2008 Israel recorded a grim milestone this week as the number
of Israeli civilians and security forces killed by Palestinian militants this
year reached 29 - the highest number of casualties since 2008. The latest
attack came on Tuesday, seeing three Israeli civilians murdered at the hand of
a Palestinian terrorist near the West Bank settlement of Ariel. The deadly wave
of attacks began back in March with a series of deadly shootings, stabbings,
and car-ramming attacks deep inside Israel - in cities like Be'er Sheva,
Jerusalem, Hadera, and Bnei Brak. Between mid-March and early May, 19 people
were killed in Israel and the West Bank, prompting the Israeli military to
launch Operation “Break the Wave” to crack down on Palestinian terrorism,
conducting nightly arrests and raids on suspected terrorists. Yet, the
operation had only limited results so far, and the wave of murderous attacks
against Israelis shows no signs of stopping. A shooting attack in the heart of
Tel Aviv in April that killed three civilians hit close to home for many, a
soft target for thousands of revelers in one of the most popular spots in the
country. In May, three Israelis were killed and four wounded in a brutal axe
attack on Israel's independence day.”



Nigeria



Sahara Reporters: Nigerian Army Kills Notorious Terrorist, Kachalla Gudau And
His Trusted Lieutenant In Kaduna
<[link removed]>



“Gudau was killed by troops on Sunday at a place called Kankomi in Kaduna.
Kachalla Gudau, leader of a gang of bandits notorious for killing and
abductions, has been killed by the Nigerian Army. The terrorist is allegedly
responsible for many kidnappings and killings in the Chikun, Kachia, and Kajuru
local government areas of Kaduna State. According to the state government,
Gudau was killed by troops on Sunday at a place called Kankomi in Kaduna.
Samuel Aruwan, the state internal security and home affairs in commissioner,
said Gudau was killed during a gun battle with soldiers. He said, “The remains
of the notorious bandit – who is said to have links with other notorious
kingpins across the North-West and North-Central states – were retrieved in the
Kankomi Forest where he bled to death. “Credible sources reported that after
his remains were retrieved, a large number of bandits under his command buried
him in a location said to be around Kaku Forest situated in Kaso general area
of Chikun LGA. “The identity of another of the neutralised bandits whose
remains were found by the troops, has been confirmed as ‘Rigimamme’ one of
Gudau’s trusted criminal aides. “Gudau played leading roles in the joint
kidnappings of students and expatriates in Kajuru, Chikun and Kachia councils,
aside from the murder of kidnapped citizens and victims who resisted abduction.
“Added to these nefarious activities, Gudau was engaged in coordinated attacks
on herder settlements, disposing them of livestock, which made him the illegal
possessor of large herds of cattle.”



Somalia



All Africa: Somalia: Over 600 Civilians Killed In Somali Terror Attacks Since
January - UN Official <[link removed]>



“At least 613 civilians have been killed and 948 injured in Somalia since
January this year, a senior United Nations (UN) official said Monday. Volker
Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, decried the sharp rise in
civilian casualties in Somalia, due largely to attacks by the al-Shabab group
which he said has exacerbated the already grim human rights and humanitarian
situation for the people of Somalia. “This year has brought an abrupt halt to a
general decline in deaths and injuries documented since 2017. I am deeply
concerned that more Somalis continue to lose their lives on a daily basis,”
Turk said in a statement. According to the UN, most of the casualties have been
due to improvised explosive devices, at least 94 percent of which were
attributed to al-Shabab. Other casualties have resulted from al-Shabab suicide
bombings. Turk called on all parties to the conflict to uphold their
obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure that civilians are
protected.”



Africa



Sahara Reporters: Breaking: ISWAP Says It Attacked Red Cross Office In Borno,
Burnt Over 20 Vehicles, Took Others Away
<[link removed]>



“As part of the statement, the terror group also posted pictures of its
attack on the Red Cross compound. The Islamic State's West Africa Province
(ISWAP) militant has reportedly attacked the compound of the International
Committee of the Red Cross in Mongunu, Borno state. Borno is in northeastern
Nigeria and is the epicentre of insurgency in the country. In a statement
sighted by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the terrorist group said it burnt over
20 official vehicles of the Red Cross and reportedly drove some away after the
attack that took place last Thursday. As part of the statement, the terror
group also posted pictures of its attack on the Red Cross compound. The attack
it was gathered happened at about 1 am last Thursday. In October 2018, the
terror jihadists, a faction of Boko Haram, executed Hauwa Leman, an aid worker
with the ICRC. In September 2018, the insurgent group killed Saifura Ahmed, one
of the three humanitarian workers abducted in Rann, Kala Balge local government
area of Borno state. Leman, a 24-year-old midwife and student of health
education at the University of Maiduguri, was in the group that was abducted.
ISWAP, in a short statement, then said: “We have kept our word exactly as we
said, by killing another humanitarian worker, Hauwa Leman, who is working with
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that were abducted during a
raid on a military facility in Rann, Kala Balge in March 2018.”



Germany



AFP: German Far-Right Extremist On Trial Over Deadly 1991 Fire At Refugee
Centre
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“A far-right extremist has gone on trial in Germany over a deadly arson
attack on a refugee asylum centre more than 30 years ago. The 51-year-old man —
identified only as Peter S. — is accused of deliberately starting the blaze in
the town of Saarlouis in 1991. He faces charges of murder, attempted murder,
and arson resulting in death. He denies the allegations. The fatal fire at the
refugee centre in September 1991 has remained unsolved for decades. Samuel
Yeboah, a 27-year-old asylum seeker from Ghana, died from his injuries after
petrol was poured down the stairs of the building. The 20 other refugees
staying at the centre managed to escape, although two people suffered broken
bones after jumping out of the windows. Peter S. was initially questioned by
investigators, but no charges were brought for lack of evidence. The
investigation was relaunched two years ago, and he was arrested in April.
According to prosecutors, the suspect had participated in a number of far-right
rallies in Germany, was motivated by “racist beliefs,” and had “accepted that
residents could be killed or injured” in the fire. The suspect has a “deep
contempt and enormous hostility” towards refugees, prosecutor general Sophie
Gössl told the court in Koblenz. Defence lawyers say the suspect has distanced
himself from such ideologies since 2007.”



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