Iraq
Revealed: the Islamic State ‘cabinet’, from finance minister to suicide bomb deployer
Author Archives: Lisa Lundquist
Palestinian Territories
Palestinian officials claimed that the death toll from Israeli strikes in Gaza has passed 100, with some 700 people wounded. Hamas said it was prepared for a battle of “many long weeks” and vowed to keep fighting. The UN Secretary General called for a ceasefire, warning that the conflict could spread to the entire region, […]
Israel
Prime Minister Netanyahu said he would not give in to international pressure to halt Israel’s offensive against militants in Gaza, and refused to rule out the possibility of a ground operation. He claimed that Israeli forces have attacked over 1,000 targets, many of them linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, in the four-day offensive and […]
Kenya
A group of 60 armed men raided the village of Pandanguo in Lamu, torching a school and several houses, harassing women and children, and stealing valuables, before disappearing into the forest. Residents are fleeing Lamu county and schools have been closed due to security fears following recent attacks that killed at least 80 people. National […]
Tunisia
Police and Salafists clashed in Kef. Following the Hizb ut-Tahrir party’s June conference on “Establishment of the Caliphate and Removal of Colonialism,” Prime Minister Jomaa accused the group of calling for violence and failing to respect the values of the republic. Citizens had demanded action against Hizb ut-Tahrir after its leader branded a leading Tunisian […]
Libya
In Benghazi, gunmen kidnapped Mahmoud Obeidi, a son of Major General Suleiman Obeidi, who has been linked to Operation Dignity; another of Obeidi’s sons was kidnapped last year and is still missing. A civilian who tried to rescue girls from a hijacking was killed in Benghazi on July 9, as was a soldier. In Derna, […]
Egypt
Two people were killed and three were wounded in clashes between residents and Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Cairo’s Matariya district. Hundreds of pro-Brotherhood supporters of former president Morsi also clashed with police in Alexandria and Giza. Authorities briefly opened the Rafah border crossing yesterday to allow in Palestinians injured by Israeli airstrikes to enter Egypt […]
Singapore
Singapore Islamic group launches centre to help counter extremist ideologies
Nigeria
Recent attacks on more than seven villages in Kaduna state by suspected “Fulani herdsmen” have killed at least 160 people and displaced over 24,000. The military claimed that during “mopping up operations” in Balmo forest it has discovered underground Boko Haram armories containing weapons, explosives, and military uniforms.
Philippines
Australian extremist cleric Musa Cerantonio was arrested in Cebu with a female companion, several days after he had boasted that he had arrived in Syria to support the Islamic State. The Philippines military said it is checking to see if the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters is receiving financial support from the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.
Afghanistan
Pakistan Claims Win Against Militants Along Afghan Border, but Enemy Slips Away
Europe
UN asks Europe to take Syrian refugees as region saturated
Pakistan
Crime spree helps Pakistani Taliban squirrel away cash before raids begin
Al Qaeda
Dabiq: the smiling face trying to sell Iraq-Syria ‘caliphate’
Syria
The Islamic State has been using weapons captured in Iraq to expand its offensive in Kurdish areas in the north, aiming to take over the entire Kobani region. In Deir Izzour, the IS arrested a number of drug users; allowed residents of Khasham to return to their homes if they “repented” and turned in one […]
Lebanon
A military judge issued an arrest warrant for B.M., a defector from the Syrian army suspected of membership in the Islamic State who allegedly was recruiting fellow Syrians for suicide attacks against the Assad regime. The suspect, who was arrested on the Beirut-Bekaa highway, had fought with the Islamic Farouq Brigades in Syria. Demonstrators carrying […]
Afghanistan
Karzai agrees to UN proposal for the audit of 3.5 million votes
Afghanistan
Afghan aid is dropping, but how fast is too fast?
Sweden
‘Malmö has not become safer for Jews’: rabbi
Al Qaeda
Turkey faces threat from returning jihadists
Iraq
Fallujah key to defeating Islamic State in Iraq
Israel
The Israeli military claimed to have hit over 750 targets in Gaza so far on the third day of its offensive, including 320 Hamas targets such as underground tunnel networks and rocket launching sites last night. Of the 250 missiles and mortars launched from Gaza towards Israel in recent days, the Iron Dome interceptor has […]
Palestinian Territories
Palestinian officials said Israeli strikes in Gaza that began on July 8 have killed at least 77 Palestinians so far. Militants in Gaza continued to launch missiles into Israel; both Islamic Jihad and Hamas’ Al Qassem Brigades have claimed attacks. President Abbas has denounced the Israeli attacks, and has not criticized Hamas for launching missiles […]
Iraq
Bruised Iraqi army leans on Shi’ite militias, volunteers
Turkey
A Shiite mosque in Istanbul was vandalized twice in two days. Following a July 7 agreement by Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden to develop an “action plan” to prevent jihadists from returning to Europe, Turkish authorities have begun talking to families of jihadists and investigating aid organizations that allegedly […]
Islamic State
Islamic State militants on offensive against Kurds in northern Syria near Turkish border
United Kingdom
Prime Minister Cameron said new laws to help track Internet and telephone records will be implemented next week as part of emergency measures due to the “grave” terrorist threat to national security posed by extremists in Iraq and Syria. The new laws restore powers that were invalidated by a European Court of Justice ruling last […]
United States
Defense Secretary Hagel said the Islamic State poses a threat to the US as well as to Europe and other US allies in the Middle East. The Treasury Department today sanctioned a Lebanon-based Hezbollah technology procurement network with subsidiaries in China and the United Arab Emirates, and yesterday sanctioned a U.A.E.-based petroleum products company and […]
United States
Hagel suggests Islamic State militants pose threat to US homeland
Al Nusrah Front
Lebanese jihadis pledging allegiance to the Islamic State