
Latest Terrorism Monitor Articles

Brief: Security Services and ISWAP May Be Pushing Nigeria’s Shia Minority Toward Iran
Executive Summary: Ongoing pressure by Nigerian security services and Sunni militants may be pushing the country’s small Shia population toward Iran. Nigeria’s Shia, who comprise some 1.3 percent of the total population, are likely to be influenced by Iran through members of the Lebanese diaspora... MORE

Pakistan Bans Iran-Backed Zainebiyoun Brigade Amid Regional Turmoil
Executive Summary: Pakistan banned the Iran-backed Zainebiyoun Brigade on April 11, 2024, designating them as a terrorist group. The move is believed to be an effort to crack down on Iranian recruitment of disaffected Pakistani Shia, who are being used to fight in Iran’s proxy... MORE

Interest in 3D-Printed Firearms Rising Among Islamist Militants
Executive Summary: Traditionally, Islamist militants have not been quick to adopt the newest drone and 3D printing technology, but the popularization of 3D-printed firearms (3DPFs) on Islamic State platforms suggests that that is changing. If 3DPFs become more widespread, malicious actors will be able to... MORE

What Motivated Islamic State’s Mosque Attack in Muscat?
Executive Summary: Islamic State (IS) militants conducted a well-planned strike in Oman on a Shi’ite mosque on July 15, 2024. While early reports focused on the attack’s potential goal of inciting sectarian violence, it is more likely to have been meant as a warning to... MORE

How al-Sharaa’s New Syrian Regime Masks Its Islamism Behind Bureaucracy
Executive Summary: Former jihadist Ahmed al-Sharaa and a coalition of militant groups led by his Committee for the Liberation of the Levant (HTS) successfully overthrew the brutal al-Assad regime in Syria on December 8, 2024, leaving the fate of the country uncertain. While al-Sharaa has... MORE

Brief: JNIM Attacks in Benin Represented Group’s Growing Operational Strength in Periphery
Executive Summary: In late July, the Group for Supporters of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claimed responsibility for an attack in Benin outside of its traditional areas of operation. JNIM propaganda from this and another operation in the weeks that followed showed the capture of weapons... MORE

Brief: Wagner Massacre in Mali and Ukraine’s Kursk Operation Appears to Have Led to PMC’s Partial Withdrawal
Executive Summary: The loss of a large number of Wagner/Africa Corps fighters in northern Mali on July 28 and the Ukrainian offensive into Russia’s Kursk oblast that occurred a week later appears to have given the paramilitary group an excuse to return to Russia. The... MORE

Countering the High-Denomination Currency Funding Militancy in Pakistan
Executive Summary: Terrorist groups in Pakistan frequently use high-denomination currency to finance their operations. Permitting a large number of high-value notes to be in circulation makes it easy for bad actors to transfer considerable amounts of money without a digital footprint, making illicit activities easier... MORE

Jihadist Threats and Propaganda Campaigns Target Indian Elections
Executive Summary: Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), and Islamic State in Hind Province (ISHP), attempted to destabilize India during the legislative elections from April to June with threats, anti-Hindu/anti-democratic propaganda, and terrorist attacks. Most of... MORE

Iran’s Red Sea Strategy Amid the RSF–SAF Fratricidal War in Sudan
Executive Summary: Iran is supplying the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) of General Abd al-Fatah al-Burhan with drones and other weaponry in its struggle against the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by General Hamdan Daglo “Hemedti.” This has given rise to concerns that Tehran desires... MORE