Eye on Extremism February 19, 2019

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Eye on Extremism - February 19, 2019
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Topic: Eye on Extremism / February 19, 2019


Voice Of America: Islamic State Fighters In Syria Holding On, Looking For Escape

“The last defenders of the Islamic State terror group's self-declared caliphate are refusing to surrender, clinging to their last sliver of land while hiding among hundreds of civilians. Commanders with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, observers and officials with the anti-IS coalition say about 300 mostly foreign fighters have so far rebuffed efforts to get them to give up an area in the eastern Syrian village of Baghuz that spans no more than a few hundred square meters. Complicating efforts to finish off the terror group's physical caliphate, they say, is the presence of up to 1,000 civilians, including IS family members, children and possible hostages, as well as ongoing concerns that more IS militants and civilians may be hidden in a network of tunnels extending from Baghuz. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has been monitoring the conflict in Syria, said on its website Monday that SDF commanders had rejected a request by the remaining IS fighters to allow them safe passage into neighboring Iraq in exchange for the release of hostages and SDF prisoners.”

The New York Times: ‘No One Survived.’ A Taliban Attack Kills 32 At Remote Afghan Post.

“Afghan border security troops were asleep inside their remote post in southern Afghanistan early Friday when a Taliban infiltrator climbed a guard tower. Moments earlier, a lone sentry had left the post to wake his replacement. As the new sentry climbed the tower, he was shot dead by the insurgent hiding inside, officials in Kandahar Province said Saturday. Then, moments later, Taliban fighters rammed a stolen police Humvee packed with explosives through the entrance of the base, they said. Once inside, the attackers shot and killed security troops who had survived the initial explosion. All 32 men posted at the base died, said Khalid Pashtun, a member of Parliament from Kandahar. “No one survived,” he said. Officials said the insurgents escaped after looting the base, in Spinboldak district, across the border from the Pakistani city of Quetta some 60 miles south, where the Taliban leadership is based. Mohammad Yousuf Yunasi, a member of the provincial council, confirmed the attack but said he had few details. He said such ambushes are possible because Taliban fighters are often better equipped than border security forces. Some, he said, have night-vision goggles. “This is the main reason the police suffer high casualties,” Mr. Yunasi said.”

The New York Times: The English Voice Of ISIS Comes Out Of The Shadows

“More than four years ago, the Federal Bureau of Investigation appealed to the public to help identify the narrator in one of the Islamic State’s best-known videos, showing captured Syrian soldiers digging their own graves and then being shot in the head. Speaking fluent English with a North American accent, the man would go on to narrate countless other videos and radio broadcasts by the Islamic State, serving as the terrorist group’s faceless evangelist to Americans and other English speakers seeking to learn about its toxic ideology. Now a 35-year-old Canadian citizen, who studied at a college in Toronto and once worked in information technology at a company contracted by IBM, says he is the anonymous narrator. That man, Mohammed Khalifa, captured in Syria last month by an American-backed militia, spoke in his first interview about being the voice of the 2014 video, known as “Flames of War.” He described himself as a rank-and-file employee of the Islamic State’s Ministry of Media, the unit responsible for publicizing such brutal footage as the beheading of the American journalist James Foley and the burning of a Jordanian pilot. “No, I don’t regret it,” Mr. Khalifa said from a prison in northeastern Syria. “I was asked the same thing by my interrogators, and I told them the same thing.”

Fox News: How Minneapolis' Somali Community Became The Terrorist Recruitment Capital Of The US

“More men and boys from a Somali American community in Minneapolis have joined – or attempted to join – a foreign terrorist organization over the last 12 years than any other jurisdiction in the country. FBI stats show 45 Somalis left to join the ranks of either the Somalia-based Islamic insurgency al-Shabab, or the Iraq- and Syria-based ISIS combined. And as of 2018, a dozen more had been arrested with the intention of leaving to support ISIS. Both numbers are far higher than those of alleged terrorist wannabes who left or attempted to leave the country from other areas in the country where Muslim refugees have been resettled. In the case of the Somalis, it's no longer just the men. Early last year, a female was apprehended by authorities on charges of supporting providing material support to Al Qaeda and arson. So what has made the area such a hotbed for such activity? And what has been Rep. Ilhan Omar's record in addressing the issue - either before she was elected, or since?”

Politico: EU Tightens Rules To Prevent Bomb-Making As Radicals Return Home

“Europe is beefing up its rules to keep terrorists from making homemade bombs with domestic products. Europe is beefing up its rules to keep terrorists from making homemade bombs with domestic products. The rules, which should go into effect around the end of 2020, will now require businesses to report "suspicious" sales of some substances within 24 hours — and the change expands them to include online sales platforms like Amazon and eBay. Europe. "You’re never going to be able to 100 percent prevent access," said Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director at the Counter Extremism Project, an NGO. "It’s about increasing the hurdles for terrorists to get to the stuff." Schindler said the reporting system is “not foolproof, but it does work.” He cited a case in Germany where a saleswoman reported a couple’s attempt to buy large quantities of hydrogen peroxide. Investigators followed up and found weapons and huge quantities of bomb-making materials in their home. “The way forward here is a mixture of public awareness that these things are not innocent materials, plus an appropriate regulation,” he said.”

The Washington Post: Facebook ‘Intentionally And Knowingly’ Violated U.K. Privacy And Competition Rules, British Lawmakers Say

“British lawmakers on Sunday accused Facebook of having “intentionally and knowingly violated both data privacy and anti-competition laws” in the country, and they called for investigations into the social media giant’s business practices. The sharp rebuke came in a 108-page report written by members of Parliament, who in 2017 began a wide-ranging study of Facebook and the spread of malicious content online. They concluded that the United Kingdom should adopt new regulations so lawmakers can hold Facebook and its tech peers in Silicon Valley accountable for digital misdeeds. “Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like ‘digital gangsters’ in the online world,” U.K. lawmakers said in their report, “considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law.” Citing once-secret documents obtained during the investigation, U.K. leaders alleged that Facebook for years was willing to “override its users’ privacy settings” as part of a broader campaign to maximize revenue derived from such sensitive information.”

United States

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Doubles Down On Failed Counterterror Policy

“President Trump’s counterterrorism strategy has amounted to doubling down on past failure. He has promised a full withdrawal of troops from Syria and a partial withdrawal from Afghanistan, the better to focus on directly attacking terror cells. That narrow definition of counterterrorism misses the real threat: the Salafi-jihadi movement, which continues to gain strength across the globe. Salafi-jihadi groups—including al Qaeda, Islamic State, Boko Haram and al-Shabaab—are no longer the terror factions we recognize. While terrorism is a tactic they deploy effectively and consistently, no straightforward counterterrorism policy will defeat them. Their aim is first to rule the Sunni world, and then, in Osama bin Laden’s words, to “send a call to all the people of the world to . . . embrace Islam.” They have used lessons from past failures to transform their strategy and tactics. Al Qaeda now avoids declaring an “emirate,” because the word triggers the West, provoking military interventions al Qaeda can’t win. The term also raises local expectations that the group will provide services as if it were a state. By 2011 many Salafi-jihadi groups had learned to think locally. Local jihad—practiced in the Middle East and other parts of Africa and Asia—encompasses the community’s interests or grievances, with the added advantage that Western states, preoccupied with global jihad, ignore their activities.”

The New York Times: Chinese And Iranian Hackers Renew Their Attacks On U.S. Companies

“Businesses and government agencies in the United States have been targeted in aggressive attacks by Iranian and Chinese hackers who security experts believe have been energized by President Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal last year and his trade conflicts with China. Recent Iranian attacks on American banks, businesses and government agencies have been more extensive than previously reported. Dozens of corporations and multiple United States agencies have been hit, according to seven people briefed on the episodes who were not authorized to discuss them publicly. The attacks, attributed to Iran by analysts at the National Security Agency and the private security firm FireEye, prompted an emergency order by the Department of Homeland Security during the government shutdown last month. The Iranian attacks coincide with a renewed Chinese offensive geared toward stealing trade and military secrets from American military contractors and technology companies, according to nine intelligence officials, private security researchers and lawyers familiar with the attacks who discussed them on the condition of anonymity because of confidentiality agreements.”

Fox News: Alabama-Born ISIS Wife Who Reportedly Told Americans To Kill Themselves Now Begging To Come Home

“An Alabama woman who reportedly posted a tweet encouraging Americans to kill themselves -- after being “brainwashed” into joining ISIS years ago -- is now begging for officials to let her back into the U.S. The plea from Hoda Muthana, 24, comes following her recent escape from ISIS and capture by Kurdish forces. She is being held in a refugee camp in northeast Syria and told The Guardian in an interview that her last four years with the terrorist group have been a traumatizing experience where “we starved and we literally ate grass.” “I would tell them please forgive me for being so ignorant, and I was really young and ignorant and I was 19 when I decided to leave,” she told the newspaper when asked if she had a message for American officials. “I believe that America gives second chances. I want to return and I’ll never come back to the Middle East. America can take my passport and I wouldn’t mind,” she added, noting that she has not been in contact with anyone from the State Department. Muthana first made headlines in 2015 after it emerged that she left her family in Birmingham, Alabama to join the bloodthirsty terrorist group.”

The Guardian: Agonising Hunt By US Father For Children Trapped In ISIS Enclave

“In late March 2015, Bashiurul Shikder made an urgent call home to ask about his wife and children. The 37-year-old American had just completed a pilgrimage to Mecca and his repeated messages to his wife in Florida had gone unanswered for over a week. Come home, his family told him. They’re in hospital. A short while later came the truth: “They finally told me, ‘they’re gone’,” said Shikder. “She’d taken them to Isis.” In the anguished following days and the four long years since, Shikder’s search for his children, Yusuf, then seven, and Zahra, then three, has been a bitter journey, which he has kept to himself until now. As the ground held by Islamic State shrank, Shikder desperately followed his family’s retreat to the last enclave of the final town held by the group – a battered pocket of an eastern Syrian town named Baghuz. There, amid the rubble of an intensive air campaign to oust the remnants of Isis and reclaim the last patch of the so-called caliphate after a withering five-year war, Yusuf and Zahra are believed to be alive, along with just a few hundred fighters and family members. The two American children are now without a mother – she was killed in Baghuz three weeks ago – and, according to two Isis-affiliated women who fled Baghuz in the past week, they have been taken in by British jihadists, who do not plan on leaving.”

CBS Los Angeles: Terrorist Photo Shows Downtown La Skyscraper As Target, Lapd Investigating

“Police and federal agents are investigating a photo posted online by an ISIS-supporting group that showed an explosion at a downtown Los Angeles high-rise. The photoshopped image shows a blast at the top of the AON Center, located at 707 Wilshire Blvd., with a man in a uniform with his face hidden, carrying an ISIS flag. The 62-story AON Center is the third-largest building in Los Angeles. LAPD said it was aware of the image circulating on social media. Police encouraged residents to report anything suspicions by calling 877-284-7328.”

Syria

CNN: Commander of US-backed forces fighting ISIS asks US to keep troops in Syria

“The commander of the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces is asking the US and its coalition partners to provide air support and keep up to 1,500 troops in Syria as part of an effort to stabilize the country. "I feel that American forces must remain inside of Syria," General Mazloum told reporters, speaking through an interpreter, "we don't want them to leave Syria ... but in the end, it is an American decision." "The withdrawal of American forces in the middle of the fight is something unfortunate," he added. The SDF commander made his comments during a visit to Northern Syria by Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of US Central Command, which oversees all US military operations in the region. Mazloum told reporters that Votel is "working" on his proposal for an enduring coalition presence but Votel later emphasized to reporters that all US ground units are coming out of Syria in accordance with President Donald Trump's orders.”

The Washington Post: ‘Taking Their Last Breath’: IS Hides Among Syrian Civilians

“From a self-proclaimed caliphate that once spread across much of Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State group has been knocked back to a speck of land on the countries’ shared border. In that tiny patch on the banks of the Euphrates River, hundreds of militants are hiding among civilians under the shadow of a small hill — encircled by forces waiting to declare the territorial defeat of the extremist group. A spokesman for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighting the militants said Sunday that the group is preventing civilians from leaving the area, closing a corridor from which nearly 40,000 residents have managed to escape since December. “They are taking their last breath,” said Dino, an SDF fighter deployed at a base near the front line in the village of Baghouz, about 2 kilometers (1¼ miles) from the militants’ last spot. An Associated Press team visited the base Sunday, escorted by the SDF, driving past mostly one-story rural houses that were destroyed, a reminder of the cost of the battle. Occasional airstrikes and artillery rounds by the U.S.-led coalition supporting the SDF, meant to clear land mines for the advance, could be seen in the distance.”

The New York Times: American Volunteers Fighting ISIS In Syria Worry About A U.S. Pullout

“A mortar blast shook the rooftop where Hunter Pugh stood watch over the last stretch of Syria controlled by the Islamic State, and he scanned the winter dawn, trying to decide whether it had been outgoing fire or an attack zeroing in on his post. The answer came from a second mortar round hitting even closer. Then a third and fourth. But before he could scramble for cover, a missile from an unseen American fighter jet shot over his head and slammed into a distant courtyard, reducing the ISIS mortar team to an exclamation point of dust and smoke. Once again, the might of the American-led military coalition had come to his rescue. Mr. Pugh is not an American soldier. He is a 25-year-old cook from Pennsylvania who traded his spatula for a Kalashnikov eight months ago and went to Syria to fight ISIS as a volunteer for a Kurdish militia, as hundreds of civilians from Western nations have done in recent years. Through the grinding battle to reclaim northeastern Syria from militant control, the volunteers and the militias they joined have received crucial protection and support from the United States military. But the Trump administration is now considering a swift withdrawal from Syria — and American volunteers like Mr. Pugh are worried about where that will leave them.”

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Ally Against Islamic State Urges Trump To Leave Troops In Syria

“The Kurdish commander leading the fight against Islamic State in Syria urged the U.S. to reconsider its decision to withdraw all its forces and instead leave a small contingent in the country. Gen. Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which has seized all but the last remnants of Islamic State-held territory, said on Monday that the U.S., France and Britain should aim to leave as many as 1,500 troops from at least double that now. Such a residual force, Gen. Abdi said, could safeguard Kurdish forces from Turkey and help eliminate Islamic State militants, who are increasingly retreating underground. Turkey views the Kurdish YPG militia—a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces—as a threat. “I feel that American forces must remain sided with us,” he told reporters. “We don’t want them to leave Syria, but in the end it is an American decision.” Some Islamic State militants over the weekend sought to negotiate a deal for safe passage from their last remaining territory, as they held civilians hostage. Since President Trump in December ordered all of the more than 2,000 American troops out of Syria, many observers have speculated that the SDF, feeling betrayed by the U.S., would seek to ally itself with the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s regime or with Moscow.”

The Washington Post: A Desperate Struggle For Survival Inside The Last Corner Of The Islamic State

“At the end, the Islamic State is little more than a hamlet of tents, pitched in panic between U.S. bombing raids. Inside, there has been chaos, witnesses say. Families have fled. Militants are hoarding food. Some fighters have turned their guns on each other. As U.S.-backed forces surround the last square mile of Islamic State territory, preparing for a final assault on the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz, people who have escaped describe a desperate scrabble for survival in the dying days of the statelet. In more than a dozen interviews at screening points outside the village and at the al-Hol displacement camp, those who fled recounted the end of the self-proclaimed caliphate in graphic, often harrowing, detail. Wives and children of the Islamic State fighters looked confused and exhausted. Yazidi women and their families, who had been enslaved by the militants, were in shock. One said she had walked “out of hell.” They described how they had retreated in recent weeks from city to town and then into rural villages as the bombs kept falling and their Islamic State shrank. By the time they reached the villages of Sousa and then Shaafa, near Baghouz close to the Iraqi border, they had given up unpacking their suitcases, several women said.”

The Washington Post: Their Parents Joined ISIS. They Were Raised In The Caliphate. Can They Come Home?

“The children’s voices crackled through the phone and into Fatiha’s gray-walled living room. “When are we going to Grandma’s?” one implored in the background, and then into the phone: “Are you coming to get us?” In the hallway, six coat hooks were fixed in a row at child’s height. A backpack hung on each one. Up a steep stairway, sheets with characters from Pixar’s “Cars” were carefully tucked into bunk beds, awaiting the children’s return. But Fatiha, a Belgian whose grandparents emigrated from Morocco, didn’t know when her six grandchildren — who range in age from 10 months to 7 years — would be back. They are among the hundreds of children born to European citizens who went to fight for the Islamic State. Now that the caliphate has collapsed, and the planned U.S. withdrawal has compounded regional instability, grandparents across Europe are pushing to save children who in some cases they’ve seen only in photos, looking up at them from the dusty desert floor. “We’re waiting for them, everything is ready for them,” Fatiha, 46, said in an interview at her home outside Antwerp, in a bucolic village where backyards give way to hayfields.”

Al Jazeera: Twin Bombings Kill At Least 15 People In Syria's Idlib City

“A double bomb attack on Monday in Syria's northwestern city of Idlib killed at least 15 people, including four children, a war monitor reported. Dozens of others were wounded. The first blast was caused by an explosive device planted under a car in Qusour neighbourhood during rush hour, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A motorcycle bomb then detonated after ambulances arrived at the scene of the first blast, said the group, which relies on a network of sources based in Syria for its information. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack which the Syrian Observatory said also wounded at least 50 others. The Local Coordination Committees and the Syrian Civil Defence, a group of first responders, also reported casualties. The city has been hit by a series of bombings in recent months that have killed or wounded scores of people. The Observatory and Civil Defence earlier reported government shelling of rebel-held towns south of Idlib, saying several people were wounded. Idlib, the last major part of Syria still outside the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government, is dominated by an alliance led by Syria's former al-Qaeda affiliate, Hay'et Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).”

The Guardian: The Collapse Of ISIS Will Inflame The Regional Power Struggle

“The collapse of the Isis caliphate’s last stronghold in Syria is sending shockwaves across the region, changing the calculations of the major powers as they jockey for advantage. Triumphalism in Washington, Moscow and Damascus risks obscuring the human cost of a “victory” that may quickly prove transitory. Of immediate concern is the fate of civilians, mainly women and children, displaced from formerly Isis-controlled areas where many were held against their will. The independent International Rescue Committee says up to 4,000 people are fleeing towards the al-Hawl refugee camp in north-east Syria. “Most have suffered four years under the horrors of Isis and are now arriving at al-Hawl extremely hungry and dehydrated. Many have also incurred life-changing wounds. There are numerous reports of violence against women and girls and families being separated on the journey,” the IRC said. Also of urgent concern is what will be done with captured Isis jihadists. So-called “foreign fighters” and their supporters may seek to return to their countries of origin, confronting Britain and other governments with awkward choices. But fears are growing that large numbers of Syrian Isis fighters may move to Idlib Province in north-west Syria, the last big populated area not controlled by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.”

The Jerusalem Post: What Comes After ISIS? The Day After Daesh

“Five years after Islamic State blitzkrieged through the Middle East, the group’s territorial caliphate is in its final hours. But a recent Israeli intelligence assessment has warned that those Islamic State terrorists who are still alive might return to the West to carry out terror attacks. At the height of its power, ISIS controlled nearly half of Syria and large parts of Iraq, and had some 10 million people living under its rule, including thousands of foreign fighters who left their home countries to join the group. In June 2014, the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, gave his infamous speech at Mosul’s Great Mosque, officially declaring himself caliph over the group. At the group’s peak, it controlled “provinces” in dozens of countries around the world, including across Africa’s Sahel, Southeast Asia including the Philippines, and in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. But after some 13,300 air strikes conducted by the US-led coalition, the group has been reduced to less than seven square kilometers in Syria, and thousands of its fighters have been killed or arrested. It is believed that with the group’s territorial caliphate defeat, it will return to being a guerrilla terrorist group operating out of the Syrian desert bordering Iraq, as well as in its provinces, conducting attacks against security forces and civilians.”

The Hill: ISIS Militants Refuse Surrender, Attempt To Negotiate Exit

“Hundreds of militants fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are refusing to surrender in the Syrian village of Baghouz despite being surrounded by U.S.-aligned Syrian forces. The Associated Press reports that militants in the village are surrounded by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) but are refusing to surrender and are requesting passage to the rebel-held Idlib province in the northwestern part of the country. Hundreds of civilians, including families of ISIS militants, remain in the village, complicating the SDF's final push into Baghouz, according to the AP. Negotiations between the ISIS forces and SDF troops are ongoing, the AP reports. The SDF's top commander says that Baghouz is one of the few remaining ISIS-held areas stopping the coalition of anti-ISIS militant groups from declaring total victory against the terrorist organization. “In a very short time, not longer than a few days, we will officially announce the end of IS’s existence,” he said, according to The Express Tribune. President Trump declared victory against ISIS last year, writing on Twitter in December that his administration had “defeated ISIS in Syria” and would therefore beginning pulling U.S. troops out of the country.”

Iran

Voice Of America: Saudi Minister: Iran Harboring Al-Qaida's 'Board Of Directors'

“Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of harboring what it said was “the board of directors of al-Qaida” and rejected charges Riyadh was behind last week's suicide car bombing that killed against 27 personnel of the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir made the remarks Monday during a visit to Iran's neighbor Pakistan. Iranian authorities allege Wednesday's deadly bombing against IRGCin the border province of Sistan-Balochistan was “planned and carried out from inside Pakistan” with support of the intelligence agencies of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Iran also threatened to take unilateral military punitive action against the perpetrators if Pakistan failed to do so. The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistan's ambassador on Sunday to protest the attack. “Iran has been harboring virtually the board of directors of al-Qaida, including Osama bin Laden's son since the events of 9/11,” Saudi Foreign Minister Al-Jubeir told a joint news conference in Islamabad along with his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi. He declared Iran as “the world's chief sponsor of terrorism.” Al-Jubeir added: “Iran has been facilitating the transport of terrorists across its territory and so the last country in the world to accuse others of supporting terrorism is Iran.”

Gulf News: Jubeir Slams Iran For Blaming Riyadh In Attack

“A senior Saudi diplomat on Monday assailed Iran for initially blaming the kingdom for last week’s attack that killed 27 members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard. The allegations by Iran, a “chief sponsor of terrorism,” sought to divert the attention of the Iranian people from the country’s own troubles, said Adel Al Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs. The comments came as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman was concluding a two-day visit to Pakistan. Al Jubeir, the kingdom’s former foreign minister, is part of the prince’s entourage. Pakistani President Arif Alvi on Monday conferred the country’s highest civil award on the Saudi crown prince.”

Iraq

Voice Of America: After Helping Defeat Islamic State, Shiite Militias Grow Powerful

“The capital of Iraq is known for its cultural center and book market. Now, Baghdad has a new place for visitors: a war museum. It honors the thousands of mainly Shiite militiamen who died fighting the Islamic State group. The museum also shows the Iran-backed militias’ growing importance in the country. Their political and military power rose sharply after they helped the government defeat IS. Now they are accused of trying to build their own state within Iraq. The museum is housed inside one of Baghdad’s historic buildings. It shows rocket launchers, drones and other weapons from the four-year fight with IS. Visitors can look through the items taken from the front lines, as well as personal items fighters left behind on the battlefield. One recent visitor to the museum was a 55-year-old teacher named Umm Hassanin al-Oukeily. She expressed feeling very thankful for the militia. “I feel that Iraq exists because of them,” she said. They are like the beating heart of Iraq, she added. The militia are mainly Shiite groups with close ties to Iran. They also include some Christian, Yazidi and Sunni groups. Together they are known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or “Hashed al-Shaabi” in Arabic. They appeared following a call in June 2014 by Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.”

Xinhua: 4 IS Militants Killed In Airstrike In Eastern Iraq

“Four Islamic State (IS) militants were killed Saturday in an airstrike in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a provincial security official said. Acting on intelligence reports, Iraqi helicopter gunships pounded an IS hideout near the town of Abu Saida, some 95 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing four of the extremist militants, Alaa al-Saadi from Diyala's Operations Command told Xinhua. The bombardment came as the security forces were conducting search operation to hunt down IS remnants in Hawdh al-Waqf agricultural area, which is a cluster of villages near Diyala River, al-Saadi said. The security situation in Iraq has been dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017. However, groups and individuals of extremist militants melted or regrouped in urban and rugged areas, carrying out attacks against the security forces and civilians.”

Afghanistan

The New York Times: Cancellation Of Pakistan Trip Revives Debate Over Taliban’s Ability To Travel

“The Taliban have called off meetings in Pakistan, including a first audience with a national leader since their regime was ousted from power in Afghanistan in 2001, after the Afghan government protested to the United Nations Security Council that leaders of the insurgent group were violating travel restrictions under international sanctions. A spokesman for the Taliban said on Sunday that representatives of the group had been forced to postpone a trip to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, to meet with Prime Minister Imran Khan and to continue peace talks with American diplomats because of the travel restrictions. A letter submitted to the United Nations on Friday by Nazifullah Salarzai, Afghanistan’s deputy representative to the body, said the Taliban’s trip to Pakistan — and particularly the meeting with Mr. Khan — would amount to “the official recognition and legitimization of an armed group that poses a serious threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan and whose members are sanctioned by provisions of the U.N. Security Council.” Afghan and Taliban officials said the Afghan government complaint was most likely only part of the reason for cancellation, particularly since some of the Taliban delegation members have long been living in Pakistan anyway, but it has renewed a debate around the ability of insurgent leaders to travel freely in recent years.”

Radio Free Europe: Afghanistan Protests Pakistan Invitation To Taliban

“Afghanistan has expressed concerns to the UN Security Council about a planned visit by Taliban negotiators to Pakistan, asserting that the militant group’s members traveling to Islamabad are under UN sanctions and that Kabul should have been consulted prior to any such meeting. Taliban negotiators on February 14 announced they will meet U.S. representatives in Pakistan on February 18 as part of ongoing Afghan peace talks and that they will also meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to hold “comprehensive discussions about Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.” In a letter to the Security Council seen by RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal, the Afghan UN mission wrote that the Taliban-Pakistan meeting “constitutes a violation of the national sovereignty of Afghanistan.” “These engagements, which are taking place under the pretext of support for peace efforts in Afghanistan, are void of any degree of coordination and consultation with the government of Afghanistan,” it said. The letter said that an invitation by Khan for a Taliban delegation to travel to Pakistan for talks “amounts to the official recognition and legitimization of an armed-group that poses a serious threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan, and whose members are sanctioned by provisions of the UN Security Council's 1988 Committee’s Sanctions Regime.”

Xinhua: Taliban Firing Kills 2 Civilians, Wounds 5 In N. Afghanistan

“At least two civilians lost their lives and five others sustained injuries after the Taliban militants opened fire on a police vehicle in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province on Sunday, a local official said. The official, who declined to be identified, said the Taliban fighters targeted a police van in a bazaar in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of Baghlan province at around noon, killing two civilians and wounding five others. One of the injured in the firing is a police constable, the source added. Meantime, Abdul Khalil Narmgoi, the director of hospital in Baghlan-e-Markazi district, confirmed with Xinhua that two dead bodies and five injured persons had been taken to hospital.”

Pakistan

The New York Times: Kashmir Militants Kill Again As Trouble Grows Between India And Pakistan

“Militants in Kashmir struck again on Monday, killing an Indian Army major and at least three other soldiers just days after orchestrating a devastating bombing that left dozens of Indian security forces dead. Fears are now rising that Kashmir, a disputed region that lies between India and its regional rival, Pakistan, could be sliding into an especially deadly phase again. Diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan are breaking down; Kashmiri students are being rounded up and attacked; other young people have been charged with sedition for criticizing the Indian Army; and Indians are lashing out at Pakistani civilians, including Bollywood actors. The recent violence in Kashmir — a majority Muslim region that is mostly controlled by India, a predominantly Hindu nation — has uncapped a wave of jingoism that is sweeping across India. The orange, white and green national flag is going up everywhere, and many people say they want revenge. Pakistan has a long history of supporting militant groups in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir. India has accused Pakistan of orchestrating the recent violence and vowed to retaliate. But India has few good military options, analysts say — and the public seems to sense this.”

The Washington Post: Militants Kill 6 Pakistani Troops In Southwest Near Iran

“Pakistani police say militants in two attacks on security forces killed six paramilitary troops in the southwestern Baluchistan bordering Iran. Local police officer Hidayat Ullah said Monday that four troops were killed Sunday when gunmen opened fire on security forces in the town of Turbat. Two troops were killed in the southwestern town of Loralai a day earlier. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on militants and the Islamic State group, which emerged as a major force behind violence in the region in recent years. Sunday’s two attacks on Pakistani troops came days after an attack on Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard killed 27. Iran claims that attack was “planned and carried out from inside Pakistan.” Pakistan rejected the charge and condemned the violence in Iran and offered cooperation.”

Yemen

The Guardian: Yemen And Houthi Rebels Agree To Withdrawal Deal

“Yemen’s government and Houthi rebels have agreed on the first phase of a withdrawal from the key city of Hodeidah, in a deal the UN described as important progress. The redeployment from Hodeidah is a critical part of a ceasefire agreed in Sweden in December that calls on the government and Houthis to move forces away from ports. The fragile truce deal marks the first step toward ending a devastating war that has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine. After two days of talks in Hodeidah, the government and Houthis finalised a deal on the first phase of the pullback and also agreed in principle on the second phase, a UN statement said. The talks were led by a Danish general, Michael Lollesgaard, as chair of a redeployment coordination committee (RCC) that includes the government and the Houthis. “After lengthy but constructive discussions facilitated by the RCC chair, the parties reached an agreement on phase one of the mutual redeployment of forces,” said the UN statement.”

Asharq Al-Awsat: Houthis Hold Pro-Iran Rallies In Yemen

“The Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen staged over the weekend pro-Tehran rallies in Sanaa and other regions under their control in a move that was widely condemned by the legitimate government. The rallies were held in wake of the Warsaw conference last week that warned of and condemned Iran’s malicious policies in the region. The Houthis sought to stage the protests in Tehran’s defense under the claim of rejecting the normalization of ties with Israel. In reality, the demonstrations sought to manipulate the Palestinian cause for Iranian goals. The militias forced the people to join the movement, threatening to accuse them of cooperating with Israel should they refuse. The legitimate government slammed the rallies, saying that the Houthis were exploiting the Palestinian cause for their interests.”

Lebanon

Fox News: Hezbollah Leader Blasts Trump Over Fight Against IS

“The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group is blasting President Donald Trump ahead of his expected declaration of victory against the Islamic State group in Syria. Hassan Nasrallah said Saturday that had it not been for the U.S., Syrian government forces, supported by Hezbollah fighters on the ground, would have defeated the extremists a long time ago. Syrian forces captured all areas west of the Euphrates River from IS by late 2017, while on the eastern side U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters are expected to conclude their battle against IS in the coming days. Nasrallah said the victory declaration against IS will be made by “the biggest hypocrite in the world. American President Donald Trump.” Trump said the White House will make an announcement about the fight against IS on Saturday.”

The Arab Weekly: Hezbollah Is A Dominant Force In Lebanon’s New Cabinet

“In January, Lebanon agreed to a new cabinet after nine months of political stalemate. The long-awaited government restructured the balance of power in ways that did not reflect the results of parliamentary elections in May 2018. Much of this has to do with the compromise that led to the election of Michel Aoun as president in 2017, which gave undue influence to Hezbollah and its allies. Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil recently stated that, had it not been for Hezbollah, Aoun — his father-in-law — would not have become president. That revelation shows just how closely Bassil’s Free Patriotic Movement is aligned with Hezbollah, even at the expense of other partners, including Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who backed Aoun. Hariri went against the wishes of his followers when he nominated Aoun as president and Geagea offered his support, drawing fierce backlash. Lebanon’s new cabinet is deeply unbalanced, with 18 of its 30 ministers affiliated with the Hezbollah camp. This raised concerns over the country’s future and stability, especially as the so-called Axis of Resistance — Iran, Hezbollah and Syria — claims victory in Syria.”

Egypt

Asharq Al-Awsat: Egypt: Seven Militants Killed, 15 Soldiers Dead Or Wounded In North Sinai

“Egypt's army said Saturday seven suspected militants were “eliminated” and 15 soldiers killed or wounded in an attack in the Sinai Peninsula, where troops are fighting the ISIS terrorist group. Security forces responded to the attack on a checkpoint in restive North Sinai with an “exchange of fire”, army spokesman Tamer el-Refai said in a statement. “An officer and 14 non-commissioned soldiers were killed or wounded,” he added, without giving a precise number for the dead. Medical sources in North Sinai told AFP that 11 soldiers were killed in the attack. “Combing operations and the pursuit and elimination of the terrorist elements in the area where the incident took place is ongoing,” Refai added. The security sources said operations were taking place under aerial cover. Since the army's overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed in attacks by extremist groups. Civilians have also been targeted in militant attacks, particularly members of Egypt's minority Coptic Christian community. Egypt's army launched an offensive a year ago dubbed “Sinai 2018” on the orders of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, after a militant attack in North Sinai killed more than 300 people at a mosque.”

Haaretz: ISIS Claims Responsibility For Attack That Killed 15 Egyptian Military Personnel

“Fifteen Egyptian military personnel were killed or wounded in a clash on Saturday in North Sinai in which seven militants were also killed, the Egyptian military said. The breakdown of military casualties was not immediately clear. However, two security sources told Reuters that some of the injuries were serious. The Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack on its news agency AMAQ. It said it killed at least 15 Egyptian troops, revising an earlier figure of 20 killed south of the provincial capital of Arish after clashes with “various kinds of weapons.” The group did not provide evidence for its claim. Security forces launched a campaign a year ago against Islamist militants focused on Egypt's Sinai peninsula, and say they have killed several hundred militants since then. “Combing operations and the pursuit and elimination of the terrorist elements in the area where the incident took place is ongoing,” the military spokesman said in a statement. The security sources said operations were taking place under aerial cover. Since 2013, Islamist militants have repeatedly targeted security checkpoints and Egypt's Christian minority.

The National: Munich Security Summit: Sisi Calls For Action Over Online Extremism

“Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called for global action against extremism promoted online and spread over digital platforms, claiming that inaction was swelling the ranks of terrorist groups. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Mr El Sisi said security and stability in countries such as his own was threatened by viral recruitment and plotting. “As far back 2014 we called on the world to tackle the use of advanced technology to recruit terrorists and bring harm to the world by spreading extremist and Islamist narratives,” he said. “People are lured into the extremist narrative to bring killing to the world. We need measures at the international level but we have not found listening ears to our request.” The former army head described how tens of millions of Egyptians took to the streets against a “theocratic regime” that was established as the institutions of state faltered. He talked of how a restoration of the importance of co-existence was at the heart of his presidency. “We have seen the impact of religious extremism our countries and Europe,” he said. “I am the president who is bringing reform to the religious metric by speaking to the biggest institution in Egypt and telling them that not doing so will bring suffering to the Muslim world.”

Libya

News 24: 14 Tunisian Workers Kidnapped In Libya

“Militiamen have kidnapped a group of Tunisian workers near the Libyan capital and are demanding the release of a comrade held in Tunisia, a rights activist said on Saturday. A diplomatic source and Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Accord said 14 workers had been taken hostage. “The foreign ministry is following the case of the Tunisian citizens... kidnapped by armed Libyan elements near Zawiya”, Tunisia's foreign ministry said on its Facebook page. Rights activist Mustapha Abdelkebir said the armed group behind Thursday's kidnapping was demanding the release of one of its members held in Tunisia. “The minister has spoken to his Libyan counterpart to insist on the protection of the detainees, accelerate their release and ensure that they return safe and sound”, Tunisia's foreign ministry said. The GNA's interior ministry said it had set up a “crisis cell” in Zawiya to establish “the necessary measures and contacts to guarantee the security of these kidnapped (Tunisians) and (to ensure) their release without conditions”. Libya has been mired in chaos since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising, as two rival administrations and numerous militias grapple for power.”

Nigeria

Al Jazeera: Eight Killed In Boko Haram Attack In Nigeria

“Boko Haram fighters have killed eight people in an attack in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri, a leader of a civilian task force said. Two residents were shot dead and two suicide bombers blew themselves up in Friday's attack on Maiduguri's Jiddari Polo neighbourhood. The incident comes a day after the group overran a military base north of Maiduguri on Thursday, stealing an armoured vehicle and torching buildings in the attack. “Several soldiers” went missing in the Thursday's attack, two military sources said on condition of anonymity. “We recovered a total of eight bodies of residents killed in the Boko Haram attack,” Haram Abba Aji-Kalli of the Civilian Joint Task Force told the AFP news agency. The attack took place hours before Nigeria's electoral commission announced it was postponing Saturday's presidential and parliamentary elections by a week. The delay has been condemned by President Muhammadu Buhari, who is standing for a second term, and his main rival and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. A day earlier, at least four people were killed when the rebel group struck a convoy belonging to the governor of northeast Nigeria's Borno state, of which Maiduguri is the capital.”

The Punch Nigeria: Boko Haram: 35,000 Flee Nigeria For Cameroon

“No fewer than 35,000 Nigerians have fled to Cameroon to become refugees in recent weeks following the escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, Médecins Sans Frontières has claimed. MSF, also called Doctors Without Borders, in a statement said the latest migration followed an increase in violence around Rann in Borno State. According to the statement, many of the Nigerian refugees in the Cameroonian village of Goura urgently need food, shelter and water. The MSF said it had launched an emergency response to take care of the refugees. The statement quoted MSF’s deputy programme manager for emergencies Dr Silas Moussa as saying, “They (refugees) left on foot very early in the morning — women, children and elderly people. “When they fled, they had to leave elderly and sick relatives behind. They brought along what possessions they could, but in Goura they have nothing to drink and nowhere to sleep. They have been left to fend for themselves.” The statement added, “The refugees have been staying in a large, informal camp in Goura since late January. Most are sleeping in the open, even though it is sandstorm season and the temperature drops sharply at night.”

Somalia

Voice Of America: Amisom Unveils Plan To Flush Al-Shabab From Somalia Hideouts

“Top military commanders of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said Saturday that they had agreed to launch new, targeted military operations against al-Shabab militants in Somalia. According to AMISOM, the new activities will be implemented in three phases in an effort to flush the terrorists from their hideouts in the region. Speaking at the end of a five-day meeting of military commanders in Mogadishu, Simon Mulongo, the deputy special representative of the chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, explained the approach. “The activities will consist of comprehensive operations in support of the Somalia Transition Plan and will include stability operations targeting al-Shabab hideouts and enhancing protection of population centers,” said Mulongo. Somali military officials said the planned military operations are part of the country's Transition Plan, which includes implementing a conditions-based AMISOM troop withdrawal, handing over of priority locations in Mogadishu to the Somali Security Forces, degrading al-Shabab and securing key supply routes.”

Africa

Voice Of America: Cameroon Yet To Build Planned Rehab Centers For Ex-Boko Haram Fighters

“In Cameroon, many Boko Haram fighters have surrendered in recent months. But Cameroon lacks facilities to rehabilitate them. Soldiers of the Multi National Joint Task Force fighting the Boko Haram insurgency, sing at their base in Mora on Cameroon's northern border with Nigeria as they train for eventual operations against the terrorist group. At the same base, there are 87 Boko Haram fighters in custody. The fighters were captured a year ago, when they decided to lay down their weapons and be pardoned and rehabilitated as the government of Cameroon had promised. Governor Midjiyawa Bakari of Cameroon's Far North region said the former fighters will remain at the base until a rehabilitation center is constructed for them. He said they have acquired a 13 hectare land that and are waiting for the central government in Yaounde to provide funds so that they can develop it. He said Boko Haram fighters that are still reluctant to come out of the bushes or fear that they may be arrested by the Cameroon military and detained should have confidence in the government. He said anyone who comes back will be socially and economically reintegrated and treated as Cameroonians who were simply deceived but have realized that they were wrong and are returning to develop their country.”

Sahara Reporter: Breaking: Nine Killed, 15 Injured As Bomb Explosion Rocks Maiduguri

“Nine persons were killed, including a suicide bomber, while 15 others sustained injuries, when suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched an attack in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Saturday morning. According to residents, the attackers stormed Polo Jidari area in Jere Local Government Area (LGA) of Maiduguri at about 5am, shooting sporadically killing 8 persons and 15 other sustain injuries. They started hearing gunshots during the Muslim early morning prayer, before a bomber exploded his IED vest. Lawan Babuji, a resident of Njidumari area of Polo, Maiduguri, said members of the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) were affected, as he fled his home earlier on Saturday. “There was pandemonium in Polo, when these evil perpetrators started killing people. One of our active JTF members was among the people who lost their lives,” Lawan told SaharaReporters. Another resident, Babagana Kuda, said: “It was surprising how they were able to beat the soldiers. We lost eight persons and 15 people were injured. As you can see, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole just left some minutes ago.” Officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) have evacuated some victims to the State Specialist Hospital for immediate attention.”

United Kingdom

The Washington Post: UK Lawmakers Slam Facebook, Recommend Stiffer Regulation

“British lawmakers issued a scathing report Monday that accused Facebook of intentionally violating privacy and anti-competition laws in the U.K., and called for greater oversight of social media companies. The report on fake news and disinformation on social media sites followed an 18-month investigation by Parliament’s influential media committee. The committee recommended that social media sites should have to follow a mandatory code of ethics overseen by an independent regulator to better control harmful or illegal content. The report called out Facebook in particular, saying that the site’s structure seems to be designed to “conceal knowledge of and responsibility for specific decisions.” “It is evident that Facebook intentionally and knowingly violated both data privacy and anti-competition laws,” the report states. It also accuses CEO Mark Zuckerberg of showing contempt for the U.K. Parliament by declining numerous invitations to appear before the committee.”

CAPX: Shamima Begum Must Return Home And Face British Justice

“Shamima Begum was an innocent schoolgirl, aged 15, when she voluntarily left the comfort of her home in Bethnal Green and travelled to Syria. She is no longer that innocent schoolgirl, she has at the very least provided succour to the enemies of this country. In her Times interview, she shows a depraved indifference to the suffering meted out by her Islamist colleagues. Should we take her back? We should. This is not weakness this is Britain standing strong from a security and a moral perspective. Begum, and any other returning foreign fighters, should not be disavowed, but should be put through our justice system. They are our problem and we need to own it.”

CNN: British ISIS Bride Who Wants To Return To UK Gives Birth To Boy

“A British teenager who left the UK to join ISIS in 2015 and now hopes to return home, has given birth, her family's lawyer said Sunday. Shamima Begum, who was 15 at the time, left London's Gatwick Airport with two of her classmates and traveled to Syria. Mohammed Akunjee said in a statement that Shamima Begum, now 19, had given birth to a boy and that both are believed to be in “good health.” Speaking to Sky News from the camp and hours after giving birth, Begum said she was aware of ISIS beheadings and other brutality before she left to join the group, and was “OK” with it. “Yeah I knew about those things and I was OK with it. I started becoming religious just before I left. From what I heard, Islamically that is all allowed so I was OK with it,” Begum told Sky News. However Begum, who married an ISIS fighter, she was only a housewife during her time in Syria: “I never did anything dangerous, I never made propaganda, I never encouraged people to come to Syria,” she said. London schoolgirls Shamima Begum, Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase boarded a Turkish Airlines plane from London's Gatwick Airport to Istanbul on February 17, 2015. Begum added that people should have sympathy towards her because she “didn't know” what she was getting into, but says she doesn't regret her decision.”

France

Al Jazeera: After ISIL, French Women Held In Syria Say They're Ready For Home

“Detained after fleeing the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL also known as ISIS) group's crumbling Syrian holdout, two women from France say they are ready to go home - if they are judged fairly. Behind the fence of a camp in Kurdish-held territory in Syria, the detainees wore long black face veils that only showed their eyes, and were accompanied by three children. They were supervised closely by Kurdish fighters. Around 500 foreign women have been trucked into the Al-Hol camp in recent months, after being picked up by US-backed forces near villages they have taken one by one from the jihadists. From the outset, the French women warned AFP they would not give any personal details in order to protect their families back home. But the most talkative, a 29-year-old from the region of Lyon in France, had a message to get out. “We're not animals. We're human beings... We have a heart, we have a soul,” she said, her blue eyes staring straight ahead. Kurdish-led forces have now hemmed the last ISIL fighters into less than half a kilometre square of territory in the village of Baghouz, and say their only choice is surrender.”

Germany

Reuters: German Islamic State Fighters In Syria Have Right To Return Home: Government Spokesman

“German citizens who have fought with the Islamic State militant group in Syria have a fundamental right to return to Germany, a spokesman for the interior ministry said on Monday. At a regular news conference, the chief government spokesman added that Germany was in close consultation with the United States as well as with Britain and France with regard to European citizens there. “All German citizens, including those who are suspected of having been involved with the Islamic State have a fundamental right” to be in Germany, the interior ministry spokesman said.”

BBC News: Newcastle Man Charged For German Terror Attempt Incitement

“A Newcastle man has been charged with inciting a terrorist attack in Germany. Fatah Mohammed Abullah, 33, is accused of inciting someone to drive a car into a crowd, attack people with a meat cleaver and use explosives to kill. His charge follows a joint investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing North East and the Bundeskriminalamt in Germany. Mr Abdullah, who is from the Arthur's Hill area, is due to appear before Westminster magistrates on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for the UK police force said an alleged attack was thwarted by investigators. Mr Abudllah has been charged under section 59 of the Terrorism Act.”

Europe

The Washington Post: European Leaders Hit At Trump’s Demands That They Take Back Ex-ISIS Citizens From Syria

“European leaders expressed skepticism Monday about their willingness to cooperate with a request by President Trump to bring home citizens who went to fight with the Islamic State, underlining a security dilemma as the U.S. military prepares to pull out of Syria following the collapse of the group’s self-declared caliphate. Many European nations have been content to leave citizens who may sympathize with the Islamic State in Syria, gambling that their societies will be safer if radicalized citizens are kept far from their borders. But the Kurdish fighters who have kept many of the former caliphate residents under lock and key worry that with the U.S. pullout, they may need to shift resources elsewhere, disbanding camps and allowing the residents to disperse. Trump over the weekend threatened E.U. allies on Twitter that if they did not repatriate their citizens, the United States would simply let them go, warning that Europe could face a surge in terrorist attacks as a result.”

The Washington Post: European Leaders Hit At Trump’s Demands That They Take Back Ex-ISIS Citizens From Syria

“European leaders expressed skepticism Monday about their willingness to cooperate with a request by President Trump to bring home citizens who went to fight with the Islamic State, underlining a security dilemma as the U.S. military prepares to pull out of Syria following the collapse of the group’s self-declared caliphate. Many European nations have been content to leave citizens who may sympathize with the Islamic State in Syria, gambling that their societies will be safer if radicalized citizens are kept far from their borders. But the Kurdish fighters who have kept many of the former caliphate residents under lock and key worry that with the U.S. pullout, they may need to shift resources elsewhere, disbanding camps and allowing the residents to disperse. Trump over the weekend threatened E.U. allies on Twitter that if they did not repatriate their citizens, the United States would simply let them go, warning that Europe could face a surge in terrorist attacks as a result. But his tactic sparked anger at a Monday gathering of E.U. foreign ministers, where leaders said that they would make no plans under threat from Washington and that counterterrorism policy shouldn’t be made by tweet.”

Technology

Vice News: Fascist Forge, The Newest Online Breeding Ground For Neo-Nazi Terror Cells, Has Been Taken Down

“Fascist Forge, the newest online breeding ground for neo-Nazi terror cells, has been taken down. The forum was founded in April of 2018 with the explicit goal of creating a networking site for some of the most extreme and violent players in the far-right. The takedown comes after recent media attention—an in-depth post by independent far-right researcher Subcomandante X, a VICE investigation, a write-up by the ADL, and a recent story focusing on the site’s British radicalization efforts. On February 11, one day before the site was put into clientHold status, the Counter Extremism Project wrote a post directly naming DreamHost as “the site’s registrar and name server.”

The New York Times: YouTube Unleashed A Conspiracy Theory Boom. Can It Be Contained?

“Last month, the YouTube star Shane Dawson uploaded his new project: a 104-minute documentary, “Conspiracy Theories With Shane Dawson.” In the video, set to a spooky instrumental soundtrack, Mr. Dawson unspooled a series of far-fetched hypotheses. Among them: that iPhones secretly record their owners’ every utterance; that popular children’s TV shows contain subliminal messages urging children to commit suicide; that the recent string of deadly wildfires in California was set on purpose, either by homeowners looking to collect insurance money or by the military using a type of high-powered laser called a “directed energy weapon.” None of this was fact-based, of course, and some of the theories seemed more like jokey urban legends than serious accusations. Still, his fans ate it up. The video has gotten more than 30 million views, a hit even by Mr. Dawson’s standards. A follow-up has drawn more than 20 million views and started a public feud with Chuck E. Cheese’s, the restaurant chain, which was forced to deny claims that it recycles customers’ uneaten pizza slices into new pizzas.”

Terror Financing

Elaph: Iraq: New Measures To Counter Terrorist Financing And Money Laundering

“The Iraqi authorities announced new measures on Monday to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The Iraqi General Customs Authority announced the latest instructions and controls for authorizing funds, upon entering and exiting {the country} through the Iraqi border, issued by the Anti-Money Laundering and Terror Financing Council at the Central Bank of Iraq. It noted that each person entering or leaving Iraq must declare, upon request from the General Customs Authority representative, funds, currencies or tradeable financial instruments being moved into or out of Iraq. {Specifically}, the Authority said in a press statement on Monday that every traveler to or from Iraqi territory must declare funds exceeding $10k or its equivalent in foreign currencies.”

ISIS

Voice Of Iraq: Iraq: ISIS Targets Traders Of Truffles

“Suddenly the local truffles plant, known locally as "Al-Jumma", is associated with ISIS. The vanquished terror group has exploited recent campaigns to harvest the plant in some Iraqi regions, to convey the message that it still exists. More than 10 young men were kidnapped by the organization in recent weeks, while searching for "Al-Jumma" in areas restricted for security reasons. The youth were adventurers seeking to harvest the largest quantity of this {lucrative} fungal plant. The kidnappings have exposed areas of vulnerable security. The organization exploits the presence of the residents of the towns that fought against it, to avenge them during their pursuits of the plant. ISIS also fears the uncovering of its fugitives and tunnels by those searching for Al-Jumma. Iraqi security forces have consistently warned of further advancement into desert areas, and in some areas, they have also warned those seeking the desert plant not to advance any further.”

Muslim Brotherhood

Seventh Day: Disputes Inside Muslim Brotherhood Over Funds And Positions

“Egypt's Dar Al-Iftaa Monitoring Observatory of Radical Fatwas (religious rulings) stated that an inner dispute recently flared up within the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood organization in Turkey. This internal rift indicates that the group has moved from a state of coherence and unity to one of disintegration and collapse, in the wake of mounting international pressure following the exposure of the truth about the organization, Dar Al-Iftaa explained. The {spokesman for the} distinguished Egyptian institute added that the fugitive leaders of the group, who are residing in sympathizer-countries such as Turkey and Qatar, have lately been encountering more and more clashes and divisiveness. Dar Al-Iftaa attributed these disputes to the battle over funds and status whereas each senior figure of the Muslim Brotherhood is seeking to recruit as many young people as possible into his own ranks.”

Houthi

Albawabh News: Drugs Are A Major Iranian Means To Finance Houthis

“The residents of Yemen face numerous risks, the worst of which lies in the eastern part of the country. That is where Iran's patsies, carrying drugs from Tehran, extend into the Yemeni cities. Drugs have become a major Iranian tool to finance its proxy group in Yemen, the Houthi militias. Several leaders of the Iran-backed insurgents have compiled massive wealth in a short period of time through trafficking and trading in narcotics. Over the past three years, the Houthi-affiliated drug dealers have intensified their activities in the major Yemeni cities, which have become an open market for narcotics based on the forces of supply and demand.”