“Unidentified attackers fired eight rockets at a Turkish military base in
northern Iraq on Wednesday, two of which landed inside, the Counter-Terrorism
Group, a security organisation in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, said.
Turkey confirmed that the attack took place and vowed to retaliate. ‘From time
to time, there are some attacks (on Turkish bases), and we are retaliating
against these attacks and necessary measures are taken,’ Defence Minister
Hulusi Akar told reporters in Ankara. A Turkish security source said earlier
the attack had caused no damage and there were no casualties. An Iraqi security
source who declined to be identified said an Iraqi contractor in the base had
been wounded."











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Eye on Extremism


February 1, 2023



Reuters: Eight Rockets Fired At Turkish Base In Iraq - Kurdish Security Group
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“Unidentified attackers fired eight rockets at a Turkish military base in
northern Iraq on Wednesday, two of which landed inside, the Counter-Terrorism
Group, a security organisation in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, said.
Turkey confirmed that the attack took place and vowed to retaliate. ‘From time
to time, there are some attacks (on Turkish bases), and we are retaliating
against these attacks and necessary measures are taken,’ Defence Minister
Hulusi Akar told reporters in Ankara. A Turkish security source said earlier
the attack had caused no damage and there were no casualties. An Iraqi security
source who declined to be identified said an Iraqi contractor in the base had
been wounded.”



Associated Press: Pakistan Bombing Raises Fears Over Security Breach, 100 Dead
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“Pakistani authorities scrambled on Tuesday to determine how a suicide bomber
was able to carry out one of the country’s deadliest militant attacks in years,
unleashing an explosion in a crowded mosque inside a highly secured police
compound in the city of Peshawar. The death toll from the blast climbed to 100.
Monday morning’s bombing, which left at least 225 wounded, raised alarm among
officials over a major security breach at a time when the Pakistani Taliban,
the main anti-government militant group, has stepped up attacks, particularly
targeting the police and the military. In a televised speech to parliament
Tuesday, Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif accused the Pakistani Taliban,
known by the acronym TTP, of carrying out the attack, saying they were
operating from neighboring Afghan territory and demanding the Afghan Taliban
take action against them. A TTP commander earlier claimed responsibility, but a
spokesman for the group later distanced the TTP from the carnage, saying it was
not its policy to attack mosques. More than 300 worshippers were praying in the
Sunni mosque, with more approaching, when the bomber set off his explosives
vest, officials said. The blast blew off part of the roof, and what was left
caved in, injuring many more, according to Zafar Khan, a police officer.”



United States



Associated Press: Detroit-Area Man Convicted Of Aiding Islamic State In Syria
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“A Detroit-area man who was captured on a Syrian battlefield in 2018 has been
convicted on charges of providing support to the Islamic State group and
attending one of the group’s training camps, prosecutors said. A federal jury
convicted Ibraheem Izzy Musaibli, 32, on Monday of charges of providing and
attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group, conspiring
to provide material support to the group, and attending an Islamic State
training camp. The Dearborn, Michigan, man faces a maximum 50-year prison
sentence at his sentencing, which is set for May 11, federal prosecutors said.
Musaibli’s lawyer, John Shea, declined to comment on Monday’s verdict, The
Detroit News reported.”



Syria



AFP: Syrians Fear IS Resurgence As Kurdish-Led Forces Sweep Raqa
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“From his rooftop in the Syrian city of Raqa, Youssef Nasser watches
nervously as hundreds of heavily armed Kurdish-led fighters sweep the streets
of what was once the de facto capital of the Islamic State group. The fighters
are on guard against another guerrilla-style ambush after six of their comrades
were killed in an IS attack in December on a local security complex that aimed
to free hundreds of fellow jihadists from a prison there. As the fighters go
house to house, their blaring loudspeakers warning Raqa's people to stay put,
67-year-old Nasser said he hopes for "stability and security" in his home city
which is still recovering from the horrors of IS rule. The Kurdish-led Syrian
Democratic Forces, with support from the United States, in 2017 routed IS from
Raqa, which the group had used to spread their reign of terror, perpetrating
mass executions, including decapitations, and other crimes.”



Pakistan



Outlook: Pakistan: 100 Killed, Over 200 Injured In Suicide Bombing At Mosque
In Pakistan's Peshawar
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“…"As an ally of the Afghan Taliban, the TTP also fought the US-backed Afghan
government prior to the latter’s defeat in August 2021. The TTP was founded in
late 2007 by a group of Pakistani militants who had previously fought in
Afghanistan alongside both the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and the group has
maintained close ties to both organizations since," notes the think tank
Counter Extremism Project (CEP). The US NCTC notes, "TTP historically
maintained close ties to senior al-Qa‘ida leaders, including al-Qa‘ida’s former
head of operations for Pakistan."”



Yemen



AFP: Three Al-Qaida Suspects Killed In Yemen Drone Strike: Officials
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“Three alleged al-Qaida militants were killed in a suspected U.S. drone
strike in Yemen on Monday, local government officials said. The attack was
carried out on a car in Marib province, the scene of heavy fighting in 2021 in
Yemen's long-running civil war, the officials said. "Three al-Qaida members
were killed in a strike by a drone that is believed to be American," a
government official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "The three were in a
car in Wadi Obeida when they were targeted by the suspected U.S. strike that
killed them immediately." A second Marib government official confirmed the
strike on al-Qaida militants and the death toll. There was no immediate comment
from Washington. The United States considers al-Qaida's Yemen branch — al-Qaida
in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) — among the most dangerous branches of the
global jihadist network.”



Nigeria



Sahara Reporters: Four Nigerian Soldiers Injured After Patrol Vehicle Drives
Over Bomb Planted By Boko Haram In Borno
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“At least four officers of the 25 Task Force Brigade of Operation Hadin Kai
have been reportedly wounded after running into an improvised explosive device
(IED) in Borno. A counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this in
a series of tweets on Tuesday. The troops were said to be on a fighting patrol
along Wajiroko-Sabon Road in the Damboa Local Government Area when their
vehicle drove over the planted IED. The IED was allegedly planted by Boko Haram
insurgents. ‘At least four soldiers were wounded after a roadside improvised
explosive device (IED) struck a convoy of troops during a fighting patrol along
Wajiroko-Sabon in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State on January 30,’
Zagazola tweeted.”



Somalia



Garowe Online: Somalia Detains Elders Over Links to Al-Shabaab
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“Somali authorities arrested six traditional elders who are accused of
signing an agreement with Al Shabaab, a group that has been causing havoc in
the country for almost 15 years. The government officials said the elders will
be charged with violation of the directive that bans close association with
Al-Shabaab, a measure that was taken to minimize interaction between members of
the community and designated groups. The elders are accused of traveling to the
areas which are directly under the control of the Al-Shabaab near Beledweyne,
where the militants have bases. According to the military, the elders agreed
with Al Shabaab to withdraw their clan forces from the ongoing offensive.”



Al Jazeera: Somalia Hosts Regional Summit To Discuss Fighting Al-Shabab
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“Somalia is hosting a summit of leaders from several neighbouring countries
in the Horn of Africa to discuss the fight against al-Shabab, as a wide-ranging
offensive against the armed group gathers pace. The meeting in the capital,
Mogadishu, drew leaders from three “brotherly neighbouring countries”, the
Somali presidency said, posting pictures of the arrival of Kenya’s William
Ruto, Djibouti’s Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Somali leader Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his counterparts are due to discuss a
coordinated military offensive against the al-Qaeda-linked group, which has
been waging a fight in the Horn of Africa nation for more than 15 years.
Security was beefed up in the city with movement restrictions and military
patrols. Commercial flights have also been suspended.”



United Kingdom



Vice: Teen Gets 11 Years For Neo-Nazi Videos That Inspired Racist Buffalo Mass
Shooting
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“…Experts have long been sounding the alarm of an international network of
propagandists attempting to radicalize and push people into action. “Harris’
arrest shows the international nature of the violent online extreme right,
especially the subset of individuals who glorify attackers such as the
Christchurch terrorist,” Joshua Fisher-Birch, an analyst on the far-right at
the Counter-Extremism Project, told VICE News. “While many of these individuals
are concerned with committing attacks in their area, they are also part of this
online community that seeks to encourage violence in other locations in the
name of white supremacism.” Fisher-Birch told VICE News there have been similar
cases of online propagandists being arrested and charged for their work trying
to inspire far-right extremists worldwide. For example, in November 2022, a
Slovakian man was sentenced to six years for his involvement in terrorism and
was, as Fisher-Birch puts it, “an important player within the international
neo-Nazi accelerationist online community and spread information helpful in
committing terrorist attacks.” Neo-Nazi terror groups like The Base and
Atomwaffen have had members belonging to cells located in North America,
Europe, Scandinavia, and Australia.”



Europe



Arab News: Italian Police Arrest 3 Tunisians Linked To Slain Berlin Terrorist
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“Three Tunisians linked to a terrorist who killed a dozen people in Germany
in 2016 have been arrested by Italian police for facilitating illegal
immigration, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The trio were arrested during
nationwide raids in Italy on more than 40 premises linked to a transnational
gang enabling illegal immigration. Two of the men were subsequently placed in
pre-trial detention, while the third was ordered into house arrest. Police tied
the three to Anis Amri, a Tunisian who plowed into Christmas market crowds in
Berlin using a truck seven years ago, killing 12 people and injuring dozens.
After going on the run following the attack, Amri was killed in a shootout with
Milan police four days later.”



Southeast Asia



Hindustan Times: NIA Charge Sheet On ISIS ‘Fundraiser’: Accused Was Delhi
Student, Money Sent Via Cryptocurrency Channels
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“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against
Mohammad Mohsin Ahmad, a second-year electrical engineering student at Jamia
Millia Islamia University, for allegedly raising funds for the banned global
terrorist organisation Islamic State (ISIS), people familiar with the
development said. Ahmad, 22, a resident of Patna, was arrested by an NIA team
from Delhi’s Batla House area in August 2022 after receiving information that
he was actively engaged in raising funds -- from within India and abroad -- for
ISIS. The people quoted above said he sent the funds to his handlers in Syria
through cryptocurrency channels. The federal anti-terror probe agency has
charged Ahmad with criminal conspiracy and under relevant sections of the
stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA, in a
charge sheet filed at Delhi’s Patiala House court on Tuesday.”



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