Latest Articles about Terrorism
Jund al-Aqsa: The Disappearance of a ‘Third-Way’ Faction in Syria’s Conflict
Long-simmering tensions between Jund al-Aqsa, Ahrar al-Sham and several smaller rebel groups erupted into outright fighting across Syria’s Hama and Idlib provinces at the beginning of October, culminating in the death of a revered Ahrar al-Sham commander known as al-Dabous. An ensuing truce, mediated by... MORE
Karachi’s Security Crackdown a Boost for Pakistan’s Islamists
Political violence and gang wars in Karachi have remained a critical issue for the Pakistani authorities over the years. The situation even became an agenda item in the country’s National Action Plan on counter-terrorism, an initiative that received unanimous approval in parliament following the 2014... MORE
Strategic Assessment: Central Asia’s Political Ground Continues to Shift
The following political landscape piece is a part of Eurasia Daily Monitor’s special quarterly series of strategic assessments of developments across Eurasia. These pieces examine recent important developments and trends in the region, particularly since this past summer, and anticipate where those trend lines may... MORE
Ramadhan Kioko: A Look at the Pickpocket Turned Al-Shabaab Militant
About eight years ago, a time of peak al-Shabaab recruitment in Kenya, Ramadhan Kioko, then a notorious pick-pocket, vanished from the streets of Majengo, a slum in the city of Nairobi. This marked the beginning of Kioko’s transition from petty thief to hardened al-Shabaab militant.... MORE
From University Professor to the Islamic State’s Chief of Public Education: A Profile of Dr. Iman Mustafa Al-Bugha
After her 15-year old daughter ran away from home to join the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, Dr. Iman Mustafa al-Bugha, the Syrian scholar and renowned university professor, seized on the opportunity to carve out a role for herself within the ranks of the jihadist... MORE
Village Mullah Turned Emir of the Afghan Taliban: An In-Depth Portrait of Haibatullah Akhundzada
Following the announcement of Mullah Muhammad Omar’s death in July 2015, the defunct Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s reign rested with his powerful deputy, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, amid internal conflict and contestation over leadership. Although he had been leading the Afghan Taliban as de facto... MORE
Strategic Assessment: Russian Policy in the North Caucasus Remains in Flux
The following political landscape piece is a part of Eurasia Daily Monitor’s special quarterly series of strategic assessments of developments across Eurasia. These pieces examine recent important developments and trends in the region, particularly since this past summer, and anticipate where those trend lines may... MORE
Do Turkey’s Counter-Extremism Efforts Offer Lessons for the West?
Turkey’s 900 kilometer shared border with Iraq and Syria has increasingly made it a target for terrorists in both countries. With the internationalization of the Syrian civil war, Turkey has become a particular target for Islamic State (IS). In order to maintain its own security... MORE
Why al-Nusra’s ‘Break’ With al-Qaeda Poses a Problem for the West
In July, the leader of Syrian Islamist militant group Jabhat al-Nusra, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, announced his faction had changed its name to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS) and was amicably splitting from al-Qaeda (Hurriyet Daily News, July 29). The move is genuine, insofar as al-Qaeda has... MORE
‘Surgical Strikes’ Mark Change in India’s Stance on Cross-Border Attacks
On September 29, India announced it had carried out “surgical strikes” on terrorist “launch pads” in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK), in an operation aimed at “neutralizing terrorists” and preempting their infiltration beyond the Line of Control (LoC). According to Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh, India’s director... MORE