Latest Terrorism Monitor Articles
Brief: ISWAP Suicide Truck Bombers Target Nigerian Supercamps in Northeast
Executive Summary Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) aims to break its ongoing stalemate with Nigerian forces by deploying suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (SVBIEDs). This represents the first time in five years that ISWAP has used SVBIEDs, with at least four bombings occurring... MORE
Brief: Surrender of Another Abu Sayyaf Militant Signals Philippines’ Continued Counter-Terrorism Success
Executive Summary The continuing string of Abu Sayyaf militants surrendering themselves in the Philippines suggests an ongoing collapse in jihadist morale. Effective reintegration programs combined with counter-insurgency successes against Abu Sayyaf will allow the Philippines to focus on other militant groups, like the communist National... MORE
India’s Manipur State Addresses Violence Stemming from Myanmar Ahead of State Elections
Executive Summary Officials of India's restive Manipur State are attempting to ensure that voting for the country’s lower house on April 19 remains peaceful. Sectarian strife in Manipur has been exacerbated by the influx of refugees from neighboring Myanmar. Manipur is a highly complicated region,... MORE
Focus on High-Value Military Targets Emphasizes the TJP’s Link to the TTP
Executive Summary The Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan's (TJP) assaults on high-profile military targets reflect a similar attack pattern to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP), providing additional evidence to the argument that the former is intended to be a front group for the latter. This has contributed to a... MORE
Kyrgyzstan’s Repatriation of Foreign Fighters’ Wives and Children from Syrian Camps Marks the End of an Era
Executive Summary Kyrgyzstan recently finished repatriating women and children who were detained in Syria and Iraq for having been connected with men who fought with al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS). This has been hailed as the end to Central Asia's struggle with large-scale jihadism, but... MORE
Brief: East Africa More Likely Than West Africa to Emerge as Jihadist Foreign Fighter Hotspot
Executive Summary: A flood of foreign fighters to IS provinces in Africa is unlikely, but East Africa is more primed than West Africa to see an inflow of jihadists from around the world due to cultural differences and the harsh environment of the Sahel. After... MORE
Brief: Nigerian Bandits and Former Shekau Faction Likely Behind Recent Abductions
Executive Summary Nigeria struggles to provide security to its population, though efforts like the use of artificial intelligence to track militant movement patterns may aid the government in the future. On March 7, bandits in Nigeria's Kaduna State abducted an estimated 280 students from a... MORE
Jabhat Ansar al-Mahdi Khorasan Emerges as Prominent Faction of Hafiz Gul Bahadur in Pakistan
Executive Summary The militant landscape of Pakistan is becoming more complex due to the emergence of several new, small, and highly capable militant groups. They are largely connected to two umbrella organizations, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Hafiz Gul Bahadur (HGB). While HGB includes many... MORE
Terror Financing Tricks in Bangladesh: Self-Donations, Expatriate Remittances, and Robbery
Executive Summary: The issue of terror financing has become a front and center challenge in Bangladesh. Militants use "self-donations," remittances through the hundi system, robbery, and front businesses to finance their operations. This is particularly important due to the revelation of connections between Jama’atul Ansar... MORE
Indian and Manipuri Governments Reach Fraught Peace Agreement with UNLF’s Pambei Group
Executive Summary: The Indian government and the government of the restive northeastern state of Manipur signed a “peace agreement” with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), a banned ethnic Meitei organization, on November 29, 2023. While signing the peace agreement is a breakthrough for the... MORE