
Briefs

A Profile of Abdul Ghani ‘Ghneiwa’ Al-Kikli—The Leader of Tripoli’s Abu Salim Central Security Force
Almost six months into the conflict initiated in April by Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) against the UN-backed Government of the National Accord (GNA) to win control of Tripoli, the military situation in western Libya remains in a stalemate (See Terrorism Monitor, April 5).... MORE

The GNA’s Muscle in Southern Libya: Southern Protection Force Leader Hassan Moussa Keley
Recently, fierce fighting has been raging in southern Libya for control over crucial oasis towns that serve as important nodes in trans-Saharan traffic—both licit and illicit—that moves into and out of Libya, and which are located close to significant oil resources. August has seen fierce... MORE

An In-Depth Look at Hani Bin Burayk: The UAE’s New Master of Aden
In August, Hani Bin Burayk, the Salafist cleric and militia commander from southern Yemen, called for the full mobilization of his troops in order to take control of the city of Aden, the seat of the internationally recognized government of Yemen since the Houthis pushed... MORE

Power and Rebellion in Chad: A Profile of Rebel Leader Mahamat Nouri Allatchi
At 72 years of age, Chad’s General Mahamat Nouri Allatchi has survived numerous battles, headed a series of rebel movements, and evaded repercussions for being a close associate of one of Africa’s worst mass murderers. Now, however, this veteran soldier and politician is facing prosecution... MORE

Umm Umara—Al-Qaeda and Islamic State’s Mysterious Poetess and Jihadist Parenting Advisor
Background The editor and occasional contributor to the al-Qaeda affiliated magazine The Daughter of Islam, Umm Umara al-Muhajirah, is carving out a new, female role within the terrorist movement through literature and art, since the launch of her magazine in September 2017. Umm Umara was... MORE

General Ali Kanna: The GNA’s Last and Best Hope in Southern Libya
Libyan National Army (LNA) forces loyal to the House of Representatives (HoR) government under the command of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar have been waging a concerted campaign to seize, hold, and control the oil resource-rich Fezzan province in Libya’s south-central region in order to prevent... MORE

Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar: Provocateur of Kashmir’s Enduring Terrorist Movement
On June 12, motorcycle-borne militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district killed five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Kashmir-based Al-Umar-Mujahideen (AuM), a largely inactive terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for the attack (Daily Excelsior, June 13). These fatal shootings and grenade attacks targeting Indian... MORE

“An Average Young Tunisian”: A Profile of Aymen al-Samiri, Mastermind of the June 27 Tunis Double-Attack
Introduction From June 27 to July 3, Tunisia saw a series of chaotic events, as the country’s capital was struck by two nearly simultaneous suicide bombings, followed by a massive government manhunt for those behind the attacks. Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed defined these five... MORE

Death of Islamic State East Asia Leader Abu Dar Puts Philippine Militant Leadership in Flux
On June 28, a pair of suicide bombers (Rappler, June 29) struck a Philippine outpost, killing five and wounding nine. It was the third suicide bombing in a year, in a country that had so far not had any, raising fears of increased Islamic State... MORE

Haftar’s Right Hand Man in Libya: General Abd al-Razaq al-Nadhuri
The Libyan National Army (LNA) forces loyal to Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar are stalled amidst fierce fighting in their campaign to oust the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) from Tripoli (Sky News Arabia [Abu Dhabi), June 22; Anadolu Agency [Ankara], June 27). Haftar commands... MORE