Executive Summary: Prominent Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS) commander Higo al-Maghribi was killed in Mali on May 29. He was primarily known for helping lead the Tongo Tongo ambush in 2017, the deadliest attack on U.S. forces in Africa since the 1993 “Battle of... MORE

Executive Summary: Nawapi “Khatan” Abdulsaid was an Abu Sayyaf militant infamous for his pro-Islamic State outlook and role in the militant group’s piracy operations. While he was reportedly killed in battle in July 2017, the Philippine military has announced that this was a mistake. Abdulsaid... MORE

Executive Summary: The Head of Islamic State (IS) in India Haris Farooqi was arrested on March 19 in Assam, India. Farooqi’s capture cost IS one of its most capable organizers and recruiters in the region and could aid the government in identifying and eliminating the... MORE

Executive Summary: Once thought a vestige of the past, Eastern European mercenaries have returned to Africa under the leadership of Romanian Horațiu Potra. Potra runs a private military company (PMC) composed of other Romanian former members of the French Foreign Legion. Both Potra and his... MORE

Executive Summary: Abdul Hamid Khorasani is an opportunistic Taliban military commander from Afghanistan’s Panjshir Province. An ethnic Tajik popular in his home province, Khorasani had previously voiced opposition to the Pashtu-dominated Taliban. Protected by his association with the Haqqani network, Khorasani has been able to... MORE

Executive Summary: Bao Youxiang is the architect of the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the armed wing of the United Wa State Party (UWSP). Bao has led the group since 1995 and has successfully modernized both the local economy and the ethnic Wa militia—the largest... MORE