Latest Terrorism Monitor Articles
U.S. Troops to Combat al-Shabaab in Kenya Amid Mandera County’s Security Crisis
Kenya’s battle against al-Shabaab will receive a boost from U.S. forces after President Joseph R. Biden approved the deployment of special operation troops to the country. The soldiers are expected to join forces with Kenyan forces in countering al-Qaeda’s affiliate in East Africa, al-Shabaab, which... MORE
New Europol Report Warns of Lone Actors and Analyzes Decrease in Terrorism in 2020
In late June, Abdirahman Jibril A, a 24-year-old Somali migrant legally residing in Germany, walked barefoot into a Woolworth shop in the center of Würzburg, Bavaria asking for the kitchenware department. Once there, he took a large kitchen knife and started attacking people. When he... MORE
Briefs
Myanmar Insurgency Matures as Fighting Against the Tatmadaw Intensifies Jacob Zenn The roughly half-year long low-level insurgency against Myanmar’s ruling Tatmadaw, as the armed forces is called, continues to brew, with the COVID-19 Delta variant’s spread throughout Southeast Asia adding a new layer of complexity... MORE
Iranian-Backed Iraqi Militias Deter Turkish Intervention in Sinjar
In February, indications of an incoming Turkish military operation targeting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Sinjar, northern Iraq led to a flurry of Iranian-backed militia activity targeting Turkey. Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), one of the most prominent Iranian-aligned militias in... MORE
Indian Counter-Insurgency Operations and COVID-19 Limit Maoist Insurgency
Introduction Once considered the biggest internal security challenge for the Indian state, Maoist militants, also known as Naxalites, have witnessed a steady decline over the last decade. The insurgency covered almost all central and eastern Indian states and is often referred to as the “Red... MORE
Pakistan Braces for U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan through Extra-Regional Partnerships
While the United States is expected to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan well before its September 11 deadline, the countries bordering the violence-plagued nation are enhancing their capacity to combat a potential new wave of terrorism. The chaos emanating from Afghanistan poses a large security... MORE
Briefs
Suicide Bombing in Congo Indicates Growing Influence of Islamic State Affiliate Jacob Zenn On June 29, Islamic State in Central Africa Province (ISCAP) claimed its first ever suicide bombing at a bar in Beni, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (France24, June 30). This represented... MORE
Iraqi Prime Minister Walks Tightrope Between Shia Militias and the United States
One of the most critical issues in Iraq currently is the relationship between its Shia-led government and Iranian-backed Shia militias. This issue has been important for U.S. military strategy in the Middle East. The only two military actions ordered by President Joe Biden thus far... MORE
No End in Sight for Insecurity and Banditry in Northwestern Nigeria
For half a decade, northwestern Nigeria has been facing serious insecurity, ranging from armed group violence to kidnappings and banditry, which has affected most of the population living in Zamafara, Katsina and Sokoto states. According to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Maradi, Niger... MORE
Myanmar Militant Opposition Divided in Fight Against Tatmadaw
On June 22, soldiers backed by armored vehicles clashed with fighters of the recently-formed People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city. This was the first time that the PDF has engaged the Tatmadaw, as the Myanmar military is known, in a major... MORE