Latest Articles about Military/Security
Shaykh Ahmad Umar Takes the Helm of Al-Shabaab
On September 1, a U.S. airstrike in Dahay Tubaako, a remote area in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, killed Ahmad Abdi Godane (a.k.a. Mukhtar Abu Zubayr), the main leader and most prominent ideological figure within the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. Godane’s death, along with that of... MORE
Boko Haram’s Man in Cameroon: Alhaji Abdalla
Since Boko Haram kidnapped seven members of the French Moulin-Fournier family in February 2013, its first major operation in Cameroon, the militant group’s operations in Cameroon have steadily increased. Throughout 2014, Boko Haram attempted to seize control of the four most important border points connecting... MORE
A Look at the Life of Iran’s Legendary IRGC Commander – Qasem Soleimani
In the eyes of his supports and foes alike, Qasem Soleimani is a man larger than life. In the West, Soleimani, the commander of the elite Quds forces of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, is viewed as the fearsome evil genius behind most Iranian intelligence and... MORE
The Rise of Azerbaijani Fighters in Syria – A Profile of Muhammad al-Azeri
As fighting for the northern Syrian town of Kobane raged in early October, videos of Islamic State militants speaking the Azerbaijani language began appearing on YouTube (RFE/RL, October 14). These video clips were followed by reports about Azerbaijani nationals found among dead Islamic State fighters... MORE
Why Do Jamaat Leaders Die so Often in North Caucasus Special Operations?
Rarely a week passes in Dagestan without the authorities launching a new special operation against militants. Some weeks, several special operations take place across the republic. In most instances, these law enforcement actions are based upon information received from Russian moles planted in the ranks... MORE
Putin Approves Draft Strategy for Countering Extremism in Russia to 2025
On November 20, President Vladimir Putin convened a meeting of the Russian Security Council to discuss and approve a draft Strategy for Countering Extremism in the Russian Federation Through 2025. This new security document offers additional indications that countering “color revolutions” has moved center stage... MORE
Why Is Karachaevo-Cherkessia Quiet and Kabardino-Balkaria Not?
On November 18, Russian and regional analysts in Karachaevo-Cherkessia discussed the striking difference between two neighboring and quite similar republics, Karachaevo-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria. While Kabardino-Balkaria has seen the rise of a militant insurgency in recent years, Karachaevo-Cherkessia has managed to remain fairly quiet, even though... MORE
Looming Annexations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russia’s Growing Appetite for Territorial Expansion
On November 20, Russian-occupied South Ossetia’s (Tskhinvali region) separatist regime declared that it is negotiating a new “comprehensive agreement on integration” with Russia, which will raise the relationship between the two sides to a “qualitatively new level,” especially in the military sphere (regnum.ru, November 20).... MORE
With Ukraine Going Strong, Putin Becomes Lost in Fog of Hybrid War
Last weekend (November 21), Ukraine marked the first anniversary of the EuroMaidan—the public protests in Kyiv that lasted through the hard winter of discontent and brought down the corrupt regime of Viktor Yanukovych on February 21. As its war for state survival continues to rage,... MORE
Spain Grapples with Growing Islamic State Threat
A recent report by the UN Security Council estimated that 15,000 people from over 80 countries have so far travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside the Islamic State organization and other extremist groups, “including… [from] countries that have not previously faced challenges relating... MORE