Latest Briefs

Tumbo Pacho: FARC Breakaway Faction Leader Killed in Colombia

Executive Summary: Tumbo Pacho, better known as "Camilo," a hitman and mid-level commander in the FARC’s Dagoberto Ramos dissident faction, was found murdered in southwestern Colombia, likely a revenge killing linked to rivalries among FARC breakaway groups. Camilo’s death underscores the persistent, violent competition among... MORE

Abdiweli M. Yusuf: Islamic State Financer Captured in Somalia

Executive Summary: Puntland security forces captured Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the Islamic State–Somalia (IS–Somalia) finance chief, on July 25. While IS–Somalia remains a small force, the removal of key leaders such as Yusuf signals mounting pressure on IS’s financial and operational capacity, potentially weakening the group’s... MORE

Sultani Makenga: The M23 Movement’s Mysterious Leader in the DRC

Executive Summary: General Sultani Makenga has led the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for many years. Makenga currently stands at the height of his power, having seized the eastern DRC’s two main population centers, Goma and Bukavu, in early... MORE

Yudi Lukito Kurniawan: AQAP-Trained Indonesian Terrorist Arrested

Executive Summary: Indonesia captured former Jemaah Islamiya (JI) jihadist Yudi Lukito Kurniawan (YLK) in August 2024. YLK trained with JI veterans and Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters for many years, but failed to attack the Singaporean exchange in 2015, after which time he remained at... MORE