Violence and Security

Taliban Continues Warfare Against Candidates in Afghan Elections

December 07, 2018

The Taliban, the hardline Islamist militant group committed to jihad in Afghanistan, continued its campaign to sabotage the country’s approaching parliamentary elections, with another in a spate of lethal attacks on an Afghan lawmaker running for office.
Al-Shabaab Continues Asymmetric Jihad in Somalia

December 07, 2018

Al-Shahaab, considered by international security experts to be Africa’s most lethal terrorist group, continued its asymmetric war against the fragile Somali government with two suicide attacks against soft civilian targets in the East African state.
IS Longterm Impact in Iraq Fragments Society

December 07, 2018

Psychological trauma, family breakdown, and social marginalization of the children of Islamic State (IS) fighters in Iraq are the hallmarks of the longterm impact of the jihadist terror group after the formal military defeat of the caliphate in that country.
IS Financial Capacity Drives Resilience, Resurgence

December 07, 2018

Islamic State (IS) leaders have built systematic financial machinery to support the jihadist group’s resilience in the aftermath of military defeat in the core territories of Syria and Iraq, using massive looting, expansive intimidation and protection rackets, and internationalized criminal activities to sustain a post-military resurgence.
Report Identifies Iran, UAE as Transit States for Extremists in Africa

December 07, 2018

A new report by a UN Sanctions Monitoring Group has identified Iran and the United Arab Emirates as key transit states for criminal trade from which the Nigerian Islamist extremist group al-Shabaab is generating revenues for its jihadi war against the government of Nigeria and other governments across West Africa.
Malaysian Arrests Show Robust Transnational Islamist Networks

December 07, 2018

Malaysian counterterrorism officials arrested eight European, American, and Middle Eastern nationals associated with an Islamic teaching center in the country on evidence of links to a Yemen-based terrorist group operating jihadi teaching centers in Southeast Asia.
Taliban “Emirate” Signals Islamism’s Durability

December 07, 2018

After almost two decades of US war against Islamist terrorism in Afghanistan, the jihadist Taliban control approximately 60 percent of the country in the so-called Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and continue fighting for full control, while also collaborating with al-Qaeda in the broader effort to expand sharia rule across Southwest Asia.
British Official Warns of Ongoing IS Activity in Syria, Iraq

December 07, 2018

Britain’s Secretary of State for Defence has declared that the Islamic State (IS) remains a clear and present danger to UK and international security, as the British Royal Air Force carries out daily strikes against IS cells that remain active and resilient in Syria and Iraq.
Dissident’s Murder Raises Red Flags About Saudi Reforms

December 05, 2018

The death inside the Istanbul Consulate of Saudi Arabia of internationally renown Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who has criticized the liberalizing reforms of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, raises red flags about the state of the Saudi theocracy.
US Strategy Highlights Need for Longterm Counterterror Measures

December 05, 2018

The US administration’s new National Strategy for Counterterrorism indicates the distinctive terrorist threat posed by radical Islamist groups requires a long timeline and both military and non-military tools for securing the American homeland.