Al-Qaeda’s Sahel Affiliate Targets Togo
On 11 May, the al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for Supporters of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) attacked a Togolese military checkpoint. The attack, which claimed eight Togolese soldiers, was JNIM’s first known attack…
Somalia: Behind Al-Shabaab’s Success in Recruiting Children
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somalia’s newly elected president, is facing many problems in his country, including a drought that threatens millions with famine, political divisions hampering unity, and a rise in…
Murder of Paraguayan Prosecutor in Colombia Suggests Transnational Criminal Cooperation
Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci was recently murdered on the Island of Barú while on honeymoon with his wife. The young prosecutor, who specialized in organized crime, had a reputation for…
The Philippines Gaining Upper Hand Against Abu Sayyaf
According to the accompanying excerpted articles, the Philippines government may be weakening Abu Sayyaf across the region. According to Philippine daily sunstar.com, there was concern that Abu Sayyaf would seek…
Degrading Environmental Conditions in Iraq Providing Cover for Terrorism
Over a three-week span in April and May, the Iraqi news agency Shafaq News reported at least three separate attacks in which ISIS fighters took advantage of dust storms to…
Algeria Sees Threat from Morocco as Western Sahara Conflict Threatens To Reignite
The long-frozen dispute over the Western Sahara, in which Morocco claims sovereignty over the territory and Algeria supports the Polisario Front’s independence aspirations, continues to thaw amidst sporadic military activity.…
National Armed Strike in Colombia Demonstrates Strength of Gulf Clan
In November 2021, Colombian security forces arrested Dairo Antonio Úsuga, otherwise known as “Otoniel,” the leader of the Gulf Clan and the most wanted drug trafficker in the country. Colombian…
A Complex Link Between Coups and Jihadism in West Africa
The accompanying excerpted article from the non-profit scholarly publication The Conversation: Africa examines the possible connections between coups and the presence of Islamic terrorists in African states. There have been…
Uganda and Rwanda Target Militants in Congo
The first accompanying e xcerpt from the R wanda-centric media outlet taarifa.rw discusses the continued counterterrorism collaboration of Rwanda’s neighbors, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The…
Mozambique Struggles with Post-Conflict Recovery in War Torn Cabo Delgado
On 4 February, the international affairs focused Brazilian publication portalrbn.com published the excerpted article on northern Mozambique’s transition from active military conflict to post-conflict reconstruction. According to the article, many…