Eye on Extremism - October 30, 2019

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Eye on Extremism
October 30, 2019
RE: info@counterextremism.com

As of October 30th, 2019:

The Washington Post: Islamic State Defector Inside Baghdadi’s Hideout Critical To Success Of Raid, Officials Say

“U.S. commandos zeroed in on Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s final hideout with the help of an extraordinarily well-placed informant, an Islamic State operative who facilitated the terrorist leader’s movements around Syria and even helped oversee construction work on his Syrian safe house, according to U.S. and Middle East-based officials knowledgeable about the operation. The mole’s detailed knowledge of Baghdadi’s whereabouts as well as the room-by-room layout of his sanctuary proved to be critical in the Oct. 26 raid that ended with the death of the world’s most-wanted terrorist, the officials said. The informant was present during the assault on Baghdadi’s compound in the Syrian province of Idlib, and he was exfiltrated from the region two days later with his family. The man, whose nationality had not been revealed, is expected to receive some or all of the $25 million U.S. bounty that had been placed on Baghdadi’s head, according to the officials. One official said he was a Sunni Arab who turned against the Islamic State because one of his relatives had been killed by the group. The Islamic State defector had been cultivated as an asset by the Syrian Democratic Forces, the predominantly Kurdish militia that became the ground troops for the U.S.-led campaign to destroy the terrorist group’s self-proclaimed caliphate in eastern Syria.”

The Wall Street Journal: Kurdish Fighters Withdraw From Syrian Border Area as Cease-Fire Ends, Russia Says

“The last remaining Kurdish fighters exited Syria’s northern border area as a cease-fire period ended on Tuesday, Moscow said, clearing the way for Russia and Turkey to secure the area. Under an agreement struck a week ago by Ankara and Moscow, Turkey agreed to suspend its military offensive in Kurdish-held territories for 150 hours to allow Kurdish fighters to withdraw, under Russian oversight. Light fighting had persisted throughout the week and intensified as the deadline approached on Tuesday evening. “The withdrawal of armed units from the territory where the security corridor should be created has been completed ahead of schedule,” said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, according to the official Russian news agency, TASS.”

The National: Surge In Pro-ISIS Social Media Posts As Group Uses Baghdadi's Death To Increase Support

“Security analysts have noted an surge in pro-ISIS social media posts after the death of leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi and predict a flow of new support for the group. The increased traffic comes despite the terror group failing to officially acknowledge Al Baghdadi’s demise. The Counter Extremism Project, which monitors posts by radicals, says ISIS members have been using social media to reaffirm their allegiance and pledge to continue fighting. David Ibsen, the project’s executive director, told The National that the terrorist group would use Al Baghdadi's death as an opportunity to expand its online presence. “Official ISIS news channels have been posting regular propaganda including stories of attacks by ISIS fighters around the world and photos of captured weapons,” Mr Ibsen said. “Individuals in pro-ISIS chats on Telegram have been urging patience and warning users not to believe non-ISIS media or spread rumours. “Some chatroom participants have discussed the concepts of martyrdom and perseverance, and have repledged their support to ISIS. “It is likely that there will be increased online activity, such as the creation of new Telegram channels, prior to the release of an official statement by the group.”

CNN: Baghdadi's Successor Likely To Be Iraqi Religious Scholar

“What remains of ISIS -- the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria -- is yet to acknowledge the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who died in a raid by US forces in northern Syria on Saturday. At this early stage it's not clear who will succeed him. President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's number one replacement has been terminated by American troops.” Trump added, “Most likely would have taken the top spot - Now he is also Dead!” A US official told CNN “the President was referring to ISIS spokesperson Abu Hasan al-Muhajir” -- who was described by a senior State Department official on Monday as “kind of a number two” to Baghdadi. He was killed in a different part of northern Syria than where Baghdadi died, according to the Syrian Democratic Forces. While al-Muhajir was an important figure in ISIS' propaganda effort, some analysts believe another man -- who has at least three aliases -- is Baghdadi's probable successor. Several internal ISIS documents refer to him as al-Hajj Abdullah. The US State Department's Rewards for Justice program names him as Amir Muhammad Sa'id Abdal Rahman al-Mawla, while listing an alias as “Hajji Abdallah.”

ABC News: ‘It Is Going To Become Worse’: ISIS Prisoner Predicts Attack On Europe After Al-Baghdadi Death

“The leader of the Islamic State may be dead, but the world is not a safer place according to one former ISIS member. Muhammed Hasik is an Islamic State fighter in prison in northern Iraq. In an interview with ABC News’ Senior Foreign Correspondent Ian Pannell, Hasik offered a rare and chilling insight into the mind of an ISIS operative. Offering no remorse for his actions, Hasik said that he believed an attack on mainland Europe was forthcoming, and dismissed the significance of the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “When one dies another pops up,” he warned. Hasik was born in 1994 Srebrenica, Bosnia, where he said he lost 20 family members during the devastating civil war in the 1990s. From the 1992 campaign of ethnic cleansing in eastern Bosnia to the three-year siege of Sarajevo, this was the theatre of some of the worst violence in mainland Europe since World War II. He was imprisoned there as a child with his mother and escaped to Germany at the age of 6 as a refugee. After spending a few years in the United States, he returned to Germany, where he began abusing drugs and was imprisoned for a petty crime at 19.”

Reuters: PM Hariri Resigns As Lebanon Crisis Turns Violent

“Saad al-Hariri resigned as Lebanon’s prime minister on Tuesday, declaring he had hit a “dead end” in trying to resolve a crisis unleashed by huge protests against the ruling elite and plunging the country deeper into turmoil. Hariri addressed the nation after a mob loyal to the Shi’ite Muslim Hezbollah and Amal movements attacked and destroyed a protest camp set up by anti-government demonstrators in Beirut. It was the most serious strife on the streets of Beirut since 2008, when Hezbollah fighters seized control of the capital in a brief eruption of armed conflict with Lebanese adversaries loyal to Hariri and his allies at the time. Hariri’s resignation on Tuesday points to rising political tensions that may complicate the formation of a new government capable of tackling Lebanon’s worst economic crisis since its 1975-90 civil war. The departure of Hariri, who has been traditionally backed by the West and Sunni Gulf Arab allies, raises the stakes and pushes Lebanon into an unpredictable cycle. Lebanon could end up further under the sway of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, making it even harder to attract badly-needed foreign investment.”

United States

CBS Minnesota: Feds: Brothers With Ties To Hezbollah Tried To Export Drone Tech

“Federal prosecutors say two brothers charged with conspiring to export drone parts and technology from the U.S. to Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon are “dangerous” and should remain in custody while they await trial, according to a court document filed Monday. Usama and Issam Hamade are charged with conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws. Usama Hamade is also charged with smuggling. Prosecutors say that from 2009 to 2013, the Lebanese brothers repeatedly acquired sophisticated technology for drones then illegally exported them to Hezbollah, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization. The Hamades were arrested in February 2018 in South Africa and were recently extradited to the U.S. They will appear in a federal court in Minnesota on Tuesday for a hearing to determine whether they will be released pending trial. A third defendant, Samir Ahmed Berro, remains at large.”

The New York Times: No, President Trump, It’s Not ‘Importing The Terrorism.’ It’s The Right Thing To Do.

“The abrupt withdrawal of American forces from northeastern Syria generated a rare moment of bipartisanship in Washington, though not the kind the Trump administration wanted. Reactions ranged from confusion to outrage. But agreeing on the disastrous consequences of the pullout is easier than figuring out how to manage them. That’s one reason that the House of Representatives’ broad rebuke of the president’s decision, which passed 354-60, had so many “whereas” clauses (12) explaining why the decision was alarming and so few demands for action (5), all of them relatively vague. But members of Congress have an option that would at least mitigate the damage, both to Syrian Kurds and to America’s reputation as a reliable partner: compel the Trump administration to resettle a significant number of Syrian Kurdish refugees in the United States on an expedited basis. To briefly recap why Americans should feel some responsibility: A few years ago the Islamic State was regularly using Syrian territory to direct terrorist attacks in Europe and the United States. To address that threat without deploying many thousands of American troops, and with alternatives exhausted, Washington established the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led coalition that includes a range of groups, to do the bulk of the fighting on our behalf.”

Syria

Reuters: Iran, Russia Take Aim At U.S. Military Presence Near Syrian Oilfields

“Iran and Russia on Tuesday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to maintain a military presence near oil fields in northeastern Syria, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying any exploitation of resources would be illegal. Trump’s suggestion on Sunday that Exxon Mobil Corp or another U.S. oil company operate Syrian oil fields drew rebukes from legal and energy experts. The United States will strengthen its military presence in Syria with “mechanized forces” to prevent Islamic State fighters seizing oil fields and revenue, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif addressed the issue at a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday evening after meeting with his counterparts, Russia’s Lavrov and Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu.”

The Washington Post: Dread In Northern Syria As U.S. Troops Withdraw And Cease-Fire Ends

“As the final hours of a cease-fire in northeastern Syria wound down on Tuesday, dread descended on a region once shielded by the United States. In towns and cities, families debated, and sometimes fought, over whether, and where, to run. Selling their houses to pay for the help of unpredictable smugglers was one option. Moving closer to the Iraqi border, where thousands of refugees had already crossed, and then praying the violence wouldn’t follow, was another. “How do you decide what to do? Do we wait, do we leave?” asked a young student, Marwa, in the Syrian border town of Derik. “There are no good options. None.” The end of the 150-hour cease-fire brokered by Russia threatened to reignite fighting that erupted after President Trump decided earlier this month to withdraw U.S. troops from the area and leave their Kurdish allies to fend for themselves in the face of a Turkish military offensive.”

CNN: Trump Says Likely Successor To ISIS Leader Baghdadi Killed By US Forces

“President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that “American troops” have “terminated” ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's “likely” replacement. “Just confirmed that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's number one replacement has been terminated by American troops. Most likely would have taken the top spot - Now he is also Dead!” Trump tweeted. A US official told CNN that “the President was referring to ISIS spokesperson Abu Hasan al-Muhajir.” A senior State Department official told reporters Monday that al-Muhajir was killed by US forces in Aleppo province near Jarablus. “He was killed very close to the northeast, very close to the Euphrates River, near Jarablus,” the official said. “He was killed by US forces.” The official described al-Muhajir as both a spokesperson and “kind of a number two” to Baghdadi. Mazloum Abdi, the general commander of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), also said Monday that al-Muhajir was killed in a coordinated operation between the US military and SDF intelligence officers near Jarablus in northern Syria. The White House and the national security council did not say whether it is accurate that “American troops” were responsible for the death. The Pentagon said it had nothing to provide beyond the President's tweet.”

Reuters: Islamic State Silent On Baghdadi Death As It Searches For Successor

“Islamic State supporters have responded with silence and disbelief days after the death of their leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, suggesting a breakdown in the command structure of the Sunni militant group trying to agree on a successor. There has been no official statement or mourning on Baghdadi on Islamic State’s (IS) official Telegram channel since U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday his killing at the hands of special operations forces in northwestern Syria. Its Amaq news agency Telegram has been continuing business as usual, posting since Sunday more than 30 claims of attacks in Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq praising its fighters. There has also been less chatter among jihadist supporters on social media compared to the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011 and other militant leaders. Analysts said the remains of Islamic State’s leadership were in a state of shock probably trying to keep the group together and agree on a successor before confirming Baghdadi’s killing. “There is probably right now chaos inside what is left of the leadership. Key aides have been killed and documents destroyed,” said Hisham al-Hashimi, an Iraqi expert on militant groups.”

The Washington Post: Worried About An Islamic State Comeback? Here’s Why That’s Unlikely.

“When President Trump withdrew U.S. forces from northern Syria, enabling Turkey to invade, many observers were outraged that in doing so he abandoned the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — a key ally in the fight against the Islamic State (often referred to as ISIS), and in the chaos some ISIS prisoners escaped. Many Americans, including leaders not normally critical of the president, worried that a U.S. withdrawal would give the Islamic State a chance to rise again. For instance, former secretary of defense Jim Mattis warned, “If we don’t keep the pressure on, then ISIS will resurge.” Trump tried to placate some critics by allowing a remnant of U.S. forces to remain in Syria, ostensibly to protect Kurdish-held oil. Then the United States struck a blow against ISIS when Special Operations forces killed its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — eliminating a key leader at a critical time. The Islamic State may make modest gains with the United States gone — but as the Baghdadi raid reveals, the U.S.-led counterterrorism campaign will not end and a full comeback is unlikely. I’ll explain below. Al-Qaeda in Iraq, which went through a series of names before proclaiming itself the Islamic State, emerged to fill the void after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq toppled Saddam Hussein without planning for the aftermath.”

New York Post: Bursting At The Seams: Inside An Overcrowded ISIS Lockup In Syria

“Days after ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi blew himself up in the face of storming US special forces, these suspected jihadists held by Kurdish forces filled a detention facility housing 5,000 prisoners in northeastern Syria. A team from Agence France-Presse were granted access to the lockup in the city of Hasakeh, where the prisoners in orange jumpsuits were crammed into the foul-smelling room that was bursting at the seams. “They have absolutely no contact with the outside world,” said the prison warden, who gave his name as Serhat and asked that the exact location of the jail be withheld. As a Turkish offensive launched against the Kurds wreaked chaos in the area, just how solid the doors of the poorly fortified jails will be is a question that keeps the world on edge. Kurdish sources say about 12,000 ISIS extremists from 54 countries, including Syria, Iraq, the UK and Germany, are being held in Kurdish-run prisons in northern Syria. Some of the prisoners were wounded during the fighting that led to the defeat of the so-called ISIS caliphate at the hands of the Kurdish-led fighters of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces earlier this year.”

Fox News: Inside The ISIS Prison Camp 'Little Caliphate' Breeding The Next Generation Of Jihadis

“It is a country unto itself, and nobody knows what to do with it. In a barren prison camp in northern Syria – tens of thousands of ISIS members are running what feels like a mini caliphate – abiding by the rules of the extremist terror group, and abiding by a brutal system of Islamic justice, which goes largely unchecked, and keeps the ISIS ideology alive. Held captive by the Kurdish SDF, they are angry, desperate to escape and, the guards say, a ticking time bomb. These people, mainly women and children, were mostly caught after the fall of the caliphate – fleeing from the final bastion in the town of Baghouz. The camp commander tells us they are the most fervent, the ones who were there till the end, and who still believe that the terror empire will rise again. There are 71,000 people inside the Al Hawl camp including around 10,000 foreigners. English, French, Belgium, Russian, Chinese and more – their countries have refused to take them back, saying they are dangerous and would carry out attacks – the camp commander agrees, saying they’re beyond reform. One of the controversial issues is what to do with the children of ISIS. They attend religious schools inside the camp so are being brainwashed, but others argue they are innocent.”

Politico: 5 Reasons ISIS Is Hanging On

“Perhaps one of the last thoughts to occur to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, before he ignited the suicide vest he’d strapped to his frail but portly frame, was that surely someone in his own organization had betrayed him. How else to explain how Delta Force commandos, and one enterprising Belgian Malinois, were now on the ground chasing after him in his unlikely hideaway in Idlib province? He’d have been right to sniff treachery in the ranks. As it happens, he wasn’t just done in by one ISIS turncoat; he was done in by several. One, according to the Guardian, was a Syrian smuggler who’d transported Baghdadi’s children and in-laws across the border from Iraq, sometimes via Turkey. Another was that smuggler’s wife. Still another was one of Baghdadi’s own nephews. But the most important defector, as Reuters reported, was Baghdadi’s aide de camp, Ismael al-Ethawi, a veteran of ISIS who joined back when it was still known as al Qaeda in Iraq. All told, the most notorious terrorist in the world was, by the end of his days, running an incredibly leaky ship. That might give the impression that the state of the Islamic State, as of October 2019, is in mortal decline.”

Iran

Associated Press: Protests In Iraq And Lebanon Pose A Challenge To Iran

“The day after anti-government protests erupted in Iraq, Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani flew into Baghdad late at night and took a helicopter to the heavily fortified Green Zone, where he surprised a group of top security officials by chairing a meeting in place of the prime minister. The arrival of Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force and the architect of its regional security apparatus, signaled Tehran’s concern over the protests, which had erupted across the capital and in Iraq’s Shiite heartland, and included calls for Iran to stop meddling in the country.”

FP: Iran’s IRGC Has Long Kept Khamenei In Power

“In an Oct. 2 speech to the top commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asked them to be ready for “big events.” In characteristically vague language, Khamenei was issuing a warning to his domestic opponents, President Hassan Rouhani, and the country’s foreign foes. His choice of speaking to the IRGC bosses was anything but coincidental. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Khamenei ascending to the top job. His reign began on slippery ground. But he was quick to reach a bargain with the IRGC, which had up to that point looked at him suspiciously. The 80-year-old Khamenei is now looking for the second generation of the IRGC to safeguard the regime after he is gone. But giving a carte blanche to the generals—risk-taking by nature and these days more concerned with proxy wars in the region than the fate of ordinary Iranians—has a big chance of backfiring.”

VOA: US Decision Imminent On Renewing Waivers For International Work On Iran's Nuclear Sites

“The Trump administration faces a self-imposed Tuesday deadline to decide whether to extend waivers allowing other world powers to work with Iran on civilian nuclear projects without facing U.S. sanctions. Speaking at an Oct. 16 Senate hearing, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said the Iran nuclear waivers renewed by the State Department for 90 days on July 30 expire on Oct. 29. He said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would have to make a decision by then on canceling the five waivers or renewing any of them for an additional period. The five waivers enable European powers, Russia and China to deploy personnel to four Iranian nuclear sites to work with their Iranian counterparts in ensuring that the sites do not engage in activities that could be diverted to making nuclear weapons. Washington and its allies long have accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapons capability, while Tehran has said its nuclear program is civilian and peaceful.”

Express: Iran Furious With Trump As US Blamed For ISIS Rise: 'Get Out Of Middle East!'

“Iranian politician and former intelligence officer Ali Rabiei wrote an article on Sunday that claimed al-Baghdadi's death at the hands of US troops does not mean the fight against ISIS is over, just as killing former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden didn't bring terrorism to an end. He said: “Baghdadi's death is the end of a symbol of injective-destructive terrorism: injecting a lethal ideology into the hearts of human societies and destroying the image of Islam in the eyes of the public. “However, just as bin Laden's death didn't root out terror, Baghdadi's death won't be the end of Daeshism (ISIS) either.” His reasoning for this argument however, will have sparked outrage from Trump who has boasted this week of Washington's successful raid in Syria. Rabiei said that the Islamist extremism bred by ISIS is thriving “through American policies and regional petrodollars...it is the terror nurturing swamps that need to be drained”. The Iranian official argued that the US has depicted “invasion and cruel sanctions” as part of its struggle against terrorism, while in fact terrorism in the Middle East and Northern Africa is caused by “military-intelligence policies, plundering oil and supporting tyranny.”

Iraq

NBC News: 18 Killed In Attack On Protesters In Iraq's Karbala

“Iraqi security forces wearing masks and black plainclothes opened fire at protesters in the Shiite holy city of Karbala on Tuesday, killing 18 people and wounding hundreds, security officials said, in one of the deadliest single attacks since the country was engulfed by protests this month. The attack, which happened overnight, came as Iraqis took to the streets for a fifth consecutive day, protesting their government's corruption, lack of services and other grievances. The protests, leaderless and largely spontaneous, have been met with bullets and tear gas from the first day. At least 72 protesters — not including the latest fatalities in Karbala — have been killed since anti-government protests resumed across Iraq on Friday, after 149 were killed during an earlier wave of protests this month. Security officials said Tuesday's attack happened in Karbala's Education Square, about 1.2 miles from the Imam Hussein Shrine, where protesters had set up tents for their sit-in. All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.”

Bloomberg: Al-Baghdadi’s Death Will Bring Iraq No Deliverance

“By rights, the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi should have been met with celebrations in the land of his birth. After all, Iraq has endured more suffering than any other nation — and bears more scars — from the depredations of Islamic State. Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi should have been the one to share with his countrymen the news from Barisha, Syria, that the monster of their worst nightmares is no more. Instead, at al-Baghdadi’s death, Abdul-Mahdi was hunkered down in his palace while his countrymen called, in ever larger numbers, for his ouster. The city from which Islamic State’s leader took his nom du guerre was convulsed in yet another night of violence, as security forces and Iran-backed militias cracked down on Iraqis protesting against corruption and misrule. When Baghdad should have been celebrating the ignominious end of the false caliph, authorities were announcing a curfew. Al-Baghdadi would have derived some comfort in the last few days among the living from the turmoil engulfing his homeland. After the calm that briefly followed the extirpation of Islamic State at the end of 2017, Iraq was once again experiencing conditions most propitious for the terrorist organization’s regeneration under his successor.”

Afghanistan

The New York Times: Afghan Government Demands Cease-Fire Before Any Taliban Talks

“The Afghan government said on Tuesday that it would not take part in negotiations with Taliban unless a cease-fire had first held for at least a month, a demand that is likely to face resistance from the insurgents and complicate the revival of peace efforts that were upended by President Trump. Hamdullah Mohib, the Afghan president’s national security adviser, told a news conference in the capital, Kabul, that the government saw a cease-fire as a test of whether the leaders negotiating on behalf of the Taliban still had the power to order an end to fighting, something that rising levels of violence during the group’s talks with the United States had led it to doubt. “In our previous peace plan, we had no preconditions,” Mr. Mohib said. “But in the past year a lot has happened, and we have come to the conclusion that the Taliban are not united and they don’t have control of the fighting. If we are going to give the Taliban the privilege of peace negotiations, they need to prove how much control they have over their commanders and fighters.” The Taliban have long refused to meet the Afghan government for direct negotiations even without preconditions, saying they would agree only to government representation in broader Afghan negotiations after the United States has announced the withdrawal of its troops from the country.”

Xinhua: Drone Strikes Kill 5, Injures 4 IS Insurgents In Afghanistan Eastern Nangarhar Province

“Five militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group have been confirmed dead as unmanned planes target the hardliner outfit's hideouts in Haska Mina and Mohmandara districts of the eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday, said a provincial government statement released here Wednesday. Four more militants, according to the statement sustained injuries. Without providing more details, the statement added that the security forces would continue to target the insurgents elsewhere in the country. The hardliner IS group that is active in parts of Nangarhar and the neighboring Kunar and Nuristan provinces have yet to make comment.”

Pakistan

France 24: Gunmen Kill Five Migrant Workers In Kashmir As EU Lawmakers Visit

“Unidentified gunmen shot dead five migrant labourers in Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday, police said, in the bloodiest incident since New Delhi moved to strip the region of its autonomy. The killings in southern Kulgam district, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) south of the main city Srinagar, came as India allowed a group of mostly far-right European Union parliamentarians to visit the region where tensions have soared since New Delhi began a clampdown on August 5. A police official told AFP an unknown number of gunmen, believed to be rebels, barged into an accommodation rented by the six labourers late Tuesday and shot one of them dead on the spot. They later took five others out of the residence and shot them with automatic rifles some distance from the building, killing four and wounding one. “He is critical and undergoing treatment at a hospital,” a local police official said of the wounded labourer, speaking on condition of anonymity. Another top police official said the victims were from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, and that additional government forces were rushed to the area to track the attackers.”

Yemen

Asharq Al-Awsat: Yemen’s Defense Minister Survives Houthi Attack In Marib, 2 Soldiers Killed

“Yemeni Defense Minister Mohammed al-Maqdashi survived on Tuesday an attack by Houthi militias on his convoy in Marib province that left two soldiers, including his personal driver, dead. Yemeni official military sources said that Maqdashi’s convoy was attacked following a meeting he held with military commanders at a complex of buildings used as the ministry's interim headquarters in Marib. The sources said the minister’s adviser, General Mansour Thawabah, was injured and transferred to a local hospital for treatment. On Tuesday, there were conflicting reports on the source of the explosion that targeted Maqdashi’s convoy. Local sources said the attack was caused by a Houthi rocket or an explosive device.”

Saudi Arabia

Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Renews Praise For US Counter-Terrorism Efforts

“The Saudi cabinet reiterated on Tuesday the Kingdom’s praise for the United States’ counter-terrorism efforts in wake of its raid that led to the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh. The ministers underlined the ongoing efforts by the government and its allies, starting with the US, in combating terrorism and extremist ideology. King Salman briefed the gatherers on the discussions he held with visiting Swiss President Ueli Maurer. He also briefed them on the talks he held in Riyadh on Tuesday with King Abdullah II of Jordan. King Salman also briefed them on the message he received from Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah. The ministers hailed King Salman for sponsoring the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative, which kicked off in Riyadh on Tuesday. The three-day event, organized by the Public Investment Fund, is attracting the world’s leading businessmen, investors and policy-makers who will explore future economic opportunities.”

Lebanon

VOA: Hezbollah Supporters Break Up Lebanon Protest Camp

“Hundreds of Lebanese supporters of the militant Hezbollah group, some wielding sticks, attacked a protest camp set up by anti-government demonstrators in central Beirut, burning some of its tents and dismantling others Tuesday. The violence came shortly after dozens of other Hezbollah supporters, also wielding sticks, attacked a roadblock set up by the protesters on a main thoroughfare in the capital. The violence comes on the 13th day of Lebanon's anti-government protests, which have been an unprecedented expression of anger that's united millions of Lebanese against what demonstrators say is a corrupt and inefficient political class in power for decades since the 1975-1990 civil war. But in recent days, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah grew critical of the protests, claiming they have been backed and financed by foreign powers and rival political groups. He called on his supporters to leave the rallies, and urged the protesters on Friday to remove the roadblocks. The mass rallies have paralyzed a country already grappling with a severe fiscal crisis.”

The National: Amal And Hezbollah Supporters Overrun Beirut Protesters

“A group of men shouting Hezbollah and Amal Movement slogans attacked protesters and overrun a sit-in blocking a major highway before chasing the demonstrators down the hill to Martyrs' Square and destroying the 13 day-old sit-in. The group of a few hundred men charged and attacked protesters on the ring-road that connects east and west Beirut before breaking through and running down towards Martyrs' Square where they pulled down tents, smashed chairs and tore down stages at the centre of the national protest against the government. As their numbers swelled, the army was deployed to push them out of downtown but hundreds headed down the road towards the prime minister's office at Riad Al Solh where a few hundred protesters were still gathered. “It’s like a war zone,” Mohammed Serhan, a political activist with the National Bloc, a small secular party, said minutes before hundreds of Hezbollah and Amal supporters charged at protestors on a highway that connects the city centre to the rest of the capital. Police tried to keep the men back, firing teargas and engaging with batons. Most of the protesters appeared to have fled. The army chased the men up the road from Downtown to Riad al Solh.”

Middle East

Daily Beast: What Baghdadi’s Death Means For Al Qaeda—And Why It Matters

“With ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed one day and the group’s official spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir the next, there’s a giant hole in the pseudo-Caliphate structure of the so-called Islamic State. The group must now, by its strict religious tenets, find a new (supposed) descendant of the Prophet Muhammed to fill the role of Caliph. But the deaths of those two are equally consequential for al-Qaeda, the bitter rival of ISIS for leadership of global jihad.”

Egypt

Asharq Al-Awsat: Egypt Says 13 Militants Killed In Arish

“Thirteen suspected militants were killed in a raid on Tuesday in the Egyptian Mediterranean coastal city of el-Arish' el-Obour neighborhood, officials announced. They said police found weapons and explosives in the hideout, and forensic teams are now identifying the bodies. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to talk to reporters. Egypt has battled an insurgency led by an ISIS affiliate for years in Sinai, which occasionally spills over to the mainland. Separately, officials said a police conscript has been killed in a militant attack in the restive northern part of the Sinai Peninsula. They said the attack, which took place late on Monday in the town Sheikh Zuweid, also wounded three other policemen who were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.”

Nigeria

TRT World: Boko Haram Displaced Suffer After Nigeria Closes Aid Groups

“Falmata Ibrahim is at a loss on how to feed her family as she sits by the makeshift shelter they have called home since fleeing Boko Haram five years ago. Like hundreds of thousands of others displaced by the decade-long insurgency, she has relied on monthly support worth around $50 dollars from international aid groups to get by. But that lifeline was cut when the Nigerian army shuttered the offices of humanitarian organisation Action Against Hunger (ACF) in the region some six weeks ago. "I don't know how I will survive with my children," she said at the camp in which she lives in the city of Maiduguri. Without warning in September the military moved in and closed down the offices of ACF and a second NGO Mercy Corps in northeast Nigeria. Soldiers surrounded their compounds in trucks and demanded staff leave the premises.”

Africa

CGTN: Al-Shabaab Militants Raid Kenyan Police Station

“Al-Shabaab militia attacked a police station in Kenya’s northeastern region of Wajir on Tuesday night killing two of their members who were in custody at the facility. According to National Police Spokesman Charles Owino, the terrorists attacked the station located 13 kilometers from Somalia border with heavy artillery including rocket-propelled grenades (RGPs). An unidentified civilian, a woman, was also wounded in the attack. Police say her condition was unknown by Wednesday morning. It is not yet confirmed whether the militants suffered fatalities or injuries. Kenya Defense Forces soldiers who had camped nearby were deployed in the area in a bid to restore calm.”

United Kingdom

CNBC: Facebook Reaches Agreement With UK Regulator Over Cambridge Analytica Data Scandal

“Facebook reached an agreement with the U.K. data regulator on Wednesday over an investigation into the misuse of Facebook users’ personal data in political campaigns. As part of the agreement, Facebook agreed to pay a fine of £500,000 ($643,000) and made no admission of liability. The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office issued the fine in October 2018, accusing Facebook of “serious breaches” of data protection law related to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. The U.K. said Facebook enabled third-party developers to harvest the data of 87 million people worldwide without their knowledge, including 1 million users in the U.K. Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed the data and used it, in part, to target ads for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.”

France

Daily Sabah: France Mosque Attack Fuels Safety Concerns Among Muslims

“Monday's mosque attack by an 84-year-old man with links to France's main far-right party fueled safety concerns in Europe's largest Muslim community while underscoring the growing far-right threat in the country. Local authorities said the attack in the southwestern city of Bayonne started when a man tried to set the door of the mosque on fire. He was surprised by the two elderly victims who were preparing for afternoon prayers and shot them. He then set a vehicle alight while leaving the scene. The attack in Bayonne in a neighborhood described by its residents as peaceful, shocked Muslims, prompting firm condemnation. Abdallah Zekri of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) said Monday there was “a great deal of concern” among France's Muslims. He said attacks such as the one in Bayonne were “not surprising given the climate of stigmatization of Islam and Muslims.” The suspect, identified as Claude Sinke, was a candidate in the 2015 departmental elections for France's far-right National Rally party, then known as the National Front. Interior Ministry election results from 2015 show that a Claude Sinke ran unsuccessfully in his community of Seignanx.”

Germany

BBC News: Germany: 'President Assad Officials' Charged With Torture In Syria

“One of them, Anwar R., is suspected of being involved in the torture of at least 4,000 people in 2011-12. This resulted in the deaths of 58 people. The other suspect, Eyad A, is charged with torture in at least 30 cases. Key evidence was gathered after a UN exhibition in 2015, which depicted the corpses of torture victims in Syria under President Bashar al-Assad. The trial of the two men, who were arrested in Berlin and Rhineland-Palatinate state in February, is expected to start in the western city of Koblenz early next year. German federal prosecutors say the two men had been members of Syria's General Intelligence Directorate (GID) in the Damascus area.”

Europe

CNBC: EU Tells Facebook, Google And Twitter To Take More Action On Fake News

“One year ago, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter signed on to the EU’s “code of practice on disinformation,” a voluntary agreement that lays out steps to fight fake news on their platforms. In a joint statement published Tuesday alongside progress reports from the companies, the EU said the impact of the “self-regulatory measures” remains unclear. “Large-scale automated propaganda and disinformation persist and there is more work to be done under all areas of the Code,” EU Commissioners Vera Jourova, Julian King and Mariya Gabriel said the joint statement. “We cannot accept this as a new normal.”

Associated Press: Argentina’s Grossi Chosen To Head UN Nuclear Agency

“Argentine diplomat Rafael Mariano Grossi was chosen Tuesday to head the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, succeeding the late Yukiya Amano. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors selected Grossi as its new director general. The appointment still requires the formal approval of the IAEA’s general conference, in which all of the nuclear watchdog’s 171 member countries are represented. Grossi, 58, became Argentina’s ambassador to the Vienna-based agency in 2013 and was previously the IAEA’s chief of cabinet under Amano. He said after his election that “the work of the agency is of the essence for international peace and security.” Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie has described him as “a career diplomat with more than 35 years of professional experience in the field of nonproliferation and disarmament.” The IAEA said that Grossi beat Cornel Feruta of Romania by a 24-10 margin in Tuesday’s vote at a closed session of the board of governors.”

El País: Prosecutors Harden Position On Bringing Spanish ISIS Women Home

“Spain’s High Court, the Audencia Nacional, is hardening its position on what to do about the women who traveled to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), as the government delays its decision on whether to repatriate them to Spain. Speaking last Thursday at the Elcano Forum on Global Terrorism, Miguel Ángel Carballo, deputy chief public prosecutor at the High Court, said that “these women have a great ability to indoctrinate others, especially minors,” irrespective of whether they traveled to Syria as the wives of ISIS fighters or to join ISIS ranks. The four women – Spaniards Lubna Miludi, Yolanda Martínez Cobos, Luna Fernández Grande and Moroccan-born Loubna Fares – left Spain for Syria, and are now being held in the Al Hol and Al Roj camps in northeastern Syria, along with a total of 17 biological and adopted children. All of the women claim they followed their husbands to the conflict zone without realizing what they were getting into. A further 248 people – including 30 women – are estimated to have left Spain for Syria to fight for ISIS."

The Local: Swiss Police Target Islamist Extremists In Raids Across The Country

“Swiss police carried out raids in several regions of the country Tuesday targeting people suspected of ties to Islamist extremists, prosecutors said. Around 100 police officers took part in the raids in the cantons of Zurich, Bern and Schaffhausen, conducting a total of 11 house searches, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said in a statement. The operation targeted 11 individuals, including five juveniles who will face proceedings headed by a special office for juvenile prosecutions, the statement said. OAG meanwhile said it had launched criminal proceedings against the six adults over suspicions that they violated Swiss law banning support of and membership in Islamic terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State group. One of the six was a returned foreign fighter who had been convicted previously of violating Switzerland's anti-terror legislation. The OAG said it had requested that he and one other individual be held in pre-trial detention and remain in custody until a final verdict is issued. It was not clear how many of the 11 targetted suspects had been detained. Tuesday's operation comes less than a week after the OAG filed criminal indictments against two other men accused of supporting and participating in the Islamic State group, including recruiting fighters to the terror organisation.”

The Jerusalem Post: Europe Still Doing Nothing To Deal With Its Isis Members In Syria

“The Syrian Democratic Forces hold up to 10,000 ISIS fighters. More than 1,000 of these are foreign fighters and hundreds of them are from Europe. However European countries don’t want their ISIS citizens back. They hope Syria will continue to be a dumping ground for extremists, and that the SDF will continue to serve as Europe’s Middle Eastern jailor. The SDF was never trained or expected to be a long-term jailor, or manager of detention facilities. But since the US-led Coalition of 70 countries never coordinated what to do with the ISIS prisoners that fell into its hands, the prisoners were sent to be held by the SDF. As US President Donald Trump has indicated, the US doesn’t want to waste more money on more Guantanamo-style facilities. Europe doesn’t want its citizens either. With a few exceptions, such as Kosovo, most wealthy European countries don’t want responsibility. Trump was livid in his press conference on Sunday, taking to task European countries for the “tremendous disappointment” they have been. Unlike Russia, Syria’s regime, Iraq, the SDF and other countries who actually did things to help fight ISIS, the countries in Europe where 5,000 ISIS fighters came from, have done little to address the problem their citizens present in Syria.”

Southeast Asia

The Straits Times: Southeast Asia Expects Long Fight Against ISIS Influence

“South-east Asian countries fighting the influence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the region have lauded the killing of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, but said security forces were preparing for a long battle to thwart the militant group's ideology. The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, home to some of Asia's most organised Islamist militants, said on Monday that they were prepared for retaliation by ISIS loyalists, including “lone wolf” attacks by locals radicalised by the group's powerful online propaganda. Baghdadi killed himself in a tunnel in north-west Syria by detonating a suicide vest as United States forces closed in, according to US President Donald Trump. Though his death will unsettle ISIS, it remains capable and dangerous, said Mr Delfin Lorenzana, Defence Secretary of the Philippines, where the group's influence has taken a hold among unschooled Muslim youth in its troubled Mindanao region. “This is a blow to the organisation, considering Baghdadi's stature as a leader. But this is just a momentary setback, considering the depth and reach of the organisation worldwide,” he said. “Somebody will take his place.”