Latest Articles about Terrorism
Insurgent Activity Increases in the Northwestern Caucasus
In 2010, the western part of the North Caucasus, comprised of the territories of Karachaevo-Cherkessia, Adygea and the adjacent Black Sea littoral, gave little sign that it was following the pattern of events in the rest of the North Caucasus. In this part of the... MORE
Merger of Islamist Groups Challenges Somali Government’s Pledge to Retake Mogadishu
Speaking to parliament on November 20, 2010, Somali Prime Minister Muhammad Abdullahi Muhammad vowed to clear the streets of Mogadishu of al-Shabaab fighters during his first 100 days in office if the MPs approved his cabinet. [1] No less than 92 MPs, including Hawo Abdullahi,... MORE
Makati City Bombing Brings Abu Sayyaf Terrorism to Manila
The bus bombing in Makati City (Metro Manila) that killed five passengers and wounded 13 others on January 25 has forced the Philippines to reevaluate the terrorist threat in that country. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) believed that Metro Manila was secure, but... MORE
Russian Government Displays Little Innovation in Improving Security Situation
On February 7, the leader of the North Caucasian insurgency, Doku Umarov, claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing attack at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport on January 24, which killed 36 people and wounded over 100. In an unusually politicized and polemic video address posted on the... MORE
Sudden Death of Ethnic Minority Champion in Dagestan Raises Suspicions
On February 5, it came to light that Magomed Gamzatov, the outspoken leader of the Didoi (aka Tsez) minority in Dagestan, died under suspicious circumstances. The Didoi people and Gamzatov made headlines in Russia in December 2010, when they requested protection from the Georgian government... MORE
Muqtada al-Sadr and Iran Use “Soft Power” to Pursue Objectives in Iraq
The return of Muqtada al-Sadr to Iraq after more than three years of self-imposed exile and his unexpected January 21 departure for Iran only two weeks later have provoked speculation over the security implications of his activities in Iraq and his precise relations with Iran... MORE
Five Policemen Shot to Death in Kabardino-Balkaria
Insurgency-related violence –and, apparently, simple criminal violence– continued in the North Caucasus this week, particularly in the republics Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan.In Kabardino-Balkaria, four gunmen charged into a café in the town of Chegem on February 2 and shot a group of traffic policemen who were... MORE
Rebel Attacks in Kabardino-Balkaria Skyrocket
Amid reports by the Russian government that militant activity in Kabardino-Balkaria has increased four to five times (www.rosbalt.ru/2010/11/29/794929.html) –more than anywhere else in the North Caucasus region– local authorities are trying to belittle the role of rebel fighters against the backdrop of economic plans for... MORE
Russia’s Grand Vision for the Development of North Caucasus Remains Unrealistic
On January 26, the Russian government gave a presentation of the North Caucasus ski resorts project at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It was aimed at attracting much needed foreign investment to the enterprise, which the government hopes will solve this volatile region’s... MORE
A Profile of Maulana Sadiq Noor: A Central Player in the North Waziristan Taliban
While Hafiz Gul Bahadur Wazir occupies the central leadership position of the Taliban in North Waziristan, Maulana Sadiq Noor is credited for building the North Waziristan Taliban and instigating the group to wage jihad against the Pakistani security forces prior to the September 2006 North... MORE