Hi there, !
Today Mon 02/02/2026 Sun 02/01/2026 Sat 01/31/2026 Fri 01/30/2026 Thu 01/29/2026 Wed 01/28/2026 Tue 01/27/2026 Archives
Rantburg
582707 articles and 1984834 comments are archived on Rantburg.

Today: 51 articles and 126 comments as of 20:21.
Post a news link    Post your own article   
Area: WoT Background    Non-WoT    Opinion    Local News    Politix   
Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, attorney says
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 1: WoT Operations
7 16:46 SteveS [1795] 
4 15:08 NoMoreBS [1773] 
3 11:13 Mullah Richard [1811] 
1 03:52 Skidmark [1779] 
3 10:57 Skidmark [1772] 
0 [1779] 
3 11:00 Skidmark [1769] 
0 [1763] 
0 [1777] 
0 [1770] 
6 17:45 swksvolFF [1797] 
Page 2: WoT Background
14 18:37 Frank G [1831]
3 11:15 Skidmark [1759]
0 [1757]
0 [1758]
0 [1752]
0 [1769]
0 [1814]
0 [1808]
0 [1797]
1 13:09 mossomo [1799]
0 [1820]
0 [1758]
0 [1775]
1 11:20 Skidmark [1775]
0 [1778]
Page 3: Non-WoT
0 [1765]
4 18:01 Chantry [1801]
1 11:23 Skidmark [1765]
5 13:18 mossomo [1765]
1 11:37 Skidmark [1767]
5 17:22 swksvolFF [1794]
1 17:31 Skidmark [1792]
7 17:51 Skidmark [1801]
2 17:32 Skidmark [1793]
2 14:52 ed in texas [1760]
5 12:29 Skidmark [1761]
1 11:51 Skidmark [1766]
0 [1815]
Page 4: Opinion
0 [1767]
3 18:01 swksvolFF [1804]
4 06:29 Frank G [1777]
0 [1772]
2 18:34 Frank G [1797]
Page 5: Russia-Former Soviet Union
0 [1764]
1 03:25 Grom the Affective [1768]
0 [1767]
6 17:39 Skidmark [1798]
Page 6: Politix
2 06:19 Super Hose [1755]
13 17:44 Skidmark [1822]
7 11:56 Abu Uluque [1807]
Good Morning



7 Republicans join Dems to block major
government funding package as shutdown looms
Friday 01/30/2026

gale_robbins_1600
Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iranian Mossad agent details role
in internal attacks on regime during 12-day war
Cyber
TikTok deal with pro-Israel Larry Ellison
spurs exodus to Palestinian-founded app UpScrolled
Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Trump claims 'it looks like' Hamas
will disarm; Witkoff: They'll give up their AK-47s
Europe
Italian leaders react coldly to anti-Israel
rapper's planned Winter Olympics set
Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Palestinian Authority Promised Terrorists More Than $200 Million in 'Pay-To-Slay' Payments After it 'Scrapped' Program, State Department Tells Congress
Home Front: WoT
Paxton Investigates Texas Schools for Islamic Terror Ties
Officer clings to life after homicide suspect allegedly unloads gun on police during high-risk arrest

Posted by: Fred || 01/30/2026 09:17 || Comments || Link || [1773 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Gale has a serious leg issue, but she’s smiling through the pain.
Posted by: Super Hose || 01/30/2026 6:15 Comments || Top||

#2  She obviously doesn't have any concept of what a boat is used for.
Posted by: BrerRabbit || 01/30/2026 8:01 Comments || Top||

#3  More Epstein emails
Posted by: Skidmark || 01/30/2026 11:58 Comments || Top||

#4  AWFUL phenomena explained perfectly in 90 seconds !

https://x.com/Sassafrass_84/status/2017000466245132528
Posted by: NoMoreBS || 01/30/2026 15:08 Comments || Top||


Africa Horn
Dozens killed in RSF drone strike in Sudan’s South Kordofan
[SudanTribune] Dozens of civilians were killed, and others injured on Wednesday in a drone strike by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeting a gathering in the city of Dilling, South Kordofan, local sources and medical groups said.

The attack involved suicide drones and struck various parts of the city, including the main market and the headquarters of the Sudanese army’s 54th Brigade, sources said.

The strike comes two days after the Sudanese army announced it had broken a siege on Dilling by reconnecting it to North Kordofan State to the east. The breakthrough followed intense battles between the army and its allies against the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu.

More at the link
Posted by: badanov || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1779 views] Top|| File under:


Warsheekh is a strategic site where Turkey is expected to establish a satellite military base

Text:

#ALERT: After losing town after town to Al-Shabaab for nearly a year, with no sustained counteroffensive in sight, Somali government forces suddenly mobilise in Jabad Godane near Warsheekh.

Why here. Why now.

Warsheekh is not just any coastal town. It is a strategic site where Turkey is expected to establish a satellite military base, according to sources familiar with the plans.

While large parts of Somalia continue to fall to militants, the only serious fighting appears to be where Turkish strategic interests are at stake.

This raises an uncomfortable question:
Is Mogadishu defending Somalia, or securing Ankara’s priorities?


Text:

#ALERT: Heavy Fighting Reported Between Somali Forces and Al Shabaab in Jabad godane.

Heavy fighting has been reported over the past 24 hours between al Shabaab militants and Somali government forces in Jabad Godane, an area near the coastal town of Warsheekh in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region, about 60 km northeast of the capital Mogadishu, residents and security sources said on Thursday.

More to read at the link
Posted by: badanov || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1769 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  Eventually, something will have to be done about Turkey.
Posted by: Grom the Affective || 01/30/2026 3:19 Comments || Top||

#2  3 to 5+ hours roasting time at 325°F / 165°C
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 01/30/2026 7:49 Comments || Top||

#3  So, a small base subordinate to a larger command, ala FOB, or a space launch facility.
Posted by: Skidmark || 01/30/2026 11:00 Comments || Top||


Africa North
Niger forces seize arms, arrest nine in desert chase near Bilma

Text:

Niger forces seize arms, arrest nine in desert chase near Bilma

By Zagazola Makama

Joint patrols of Niger’s National Guard and Gendarmerie have intercepted a suspicious vehicle in the desert near Bilma, seizing weapons and communications equipment and arresting nine suspects.

Zagazola report that the operation followed intelligence indicating that a vehicle had left Agadem on the night of Jan. 25–26 under suspicious circumstances.

“Surveillance was intensified along the Zoobaba–Bilma axis, and on Jan. 26 at about 4:30 p.m., the patrol engaged the vehicle after a brief chase and exchange of gunfire,” a source said.
Niger
More at read at the link
Posted by: badanov || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1763 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Five suspected militants were neutralized during last night's attack against the Niamey International Airport

Text:

Images show at least five suspected militants were neutralized during last night's attack against the Niamey International Airport, this confirms that the attack was conducted by jihadists however it's still not clear whether it was IS-Sahel or JNIM, as neither group has claimed it so far.
More:

Even more:


Translated Text:

🔴 Exclusive Report

Niamey Airport Attack Carried Out by Al-Qaeda to Destroy "Moscow Shipment"

According to exclusive and reliable sources, today's early morning attack targeting Niamey International Airport, the capital of Niger, was not random but specifically aimed at a strategic "uranium" shipment that was being prepared for transfer to #Russia—a shipment that #France had previously objected to and claimed as property of the "Orano" company.

Documents confirm: Authorities had prior knowledge since January 16 of "commandos" affiliated with Al-Qaeda (JNIM) hiding in the airport neighborhood, in a precise repeat of the #Bamako 2024 attack scenario.

Details on the Sky News Arabia website:


Translated Text;

Niger 🇳🇪 | On the night of January 28 to 29, just before midnight, a large-scale terrorist attack using drones, mortars, and motorbike-borne terrorists took place on the airport area of BA 101 southeast of Niamey.

🔹 Air defense systems were quickly deployed to counter the attack (📽 in comments). Significant damage was reported across several areas of the airport (mainly in the south toward civilian zones). Calm was restored to the area around 2 a.m.

🔸 Two civilian aircraft from Belgium and Algeria had to be diverted to other airports.

⚠️ Even though the terrorists' intentions remain unclear, Diori Hamani Airport and BA 101 house several strategic sites. We can point to the Headquarters of the Unified Force fighting terrorism in the Sahel, the barracks housing the Russian 🇷🇺 mercenaries of the Africa Corps, but above all the hangars where the Nigerian army's drones are stored—not to mention the thousand tons of "Yellow Cake ☢️," this uranium concentrate whose convoy was supposed to head to Lomé (Togo 🇹🇬) but remains stuck in Niamey.

🔹 Nearly 300 Italian 🇮🇹 troops are also based at the airport.

🔸 Regarding the stored drones, the Nigerien government recently acquired Turkish drones, including Aksungur drones estimated at 12 billion FCFA each.

⚫️ The firefight exchanges between the terrorists and the FDS and Russian mercenaries lasted nearly an hour. Several terrorists were neutralized, and others fled, abandoning their weapons and means of transport (📽️ in comments). Several individuals were apprehended by the FDS (📷 below). The military toll is unknown at this time.

ℹ️ In recent days, rumors of an attack had been swelling, and security measures had been strengthened around the airport.

❓ As for the terrorists, even though JNIM has already claimed an attack on Bamako Airport on September 17, 2024, the logistics and coordination required for the Niamey attack point suspicions toward involvement by the EIGS.
EIGS must be an acronym from the French for one of the series of names of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. Most recently calling itself Islamic State – Sahel Province (ISSP), previously known as Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS), and from 2019-2022 a subdivision of the Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP) (when it was also called ISWAP-Greater Sahara), originally it was the Fulani part of Al Mourabitoun that split off in 2015 in Niger and the surrounding area.
Posted by: badanov || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1777 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Africa Subsaharan
Borno troops repel Boko Haram attack in Hawul, one killed

Text:

Borno troops repel Boko Haram attack in Hawul, one killed

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have successfully repelled simultaneous attacks by ISWAP terrorists on Jihuhi and Harang villages in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State, leaving one person dead.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that on Jan. 27 at about 1630 hours, the terrorists invaded the villages, firing indiscriminately and setting several houses ablaze.

The attack fatally injured Adamu Inusa, also known as Daddy, 35, a member of the Hunters Group in Hawul.

More to read at the link
Posted by: badanov || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1770 views] Top|| File under: Boko Haram (ISIS)


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Two terrorists planning a railway bombing were eliminated in Dagestan
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] FSB officers prevented terrorist attacks in Dagestan, which were being planned by supporters of an international terrorist organization banned in Russia. This was reported on January 29 by the FSB Public Relations Center (PRC).

Law enforcement officials conducted the operation in collaboration with the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Two suspects, both residents of Dagestan, were killed during the arrest.

It was established that the suspects contacted a terrorist recruiter via Telegram, took an oath, and declared their readiness to commit a terrorist attack. Following their handler's instructions, they selected targets, including a religious site and a section of the Makhachkala-Derbent railway line on the North Caucasus Railway. The suspects then conducted reconnaissance and constructed an improvised explosive device.
Sounds like an ISIS pledge…
During the arrest of the attempted terrorist attack near the Ullubiyevo railway station in the Karabudakhkent district, the perpetrators offered armed resistance and were killed by return fire.
Good.
No law enforcement officers or civilians were injured.

Law enforcement officers discovered firearms, ammunition, and an improvised explosive device at the scene, which was defused by bomb disposal experts. Extremist literature and symbols of an international terrorist organization were found at the suspects' residences.


Posted by: badanov || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1772 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  "witchcraft department"?
Posted by: Frank G || 01/30/2026 7:07 Comments || Top||

#2  Good point, Frank. I missed that.
Posted by: trailing wife || 01/30/2026 10:11 Comments || Top||

#3  "Let the magic happen!"
Posted by: Skidmark || 01/30/2026 10:57 Comments || Top||


Fifth Column
Federal agents are now moving through the interior of Minnesota performing door knock checks while being largely ignored by agitators
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Courtesy of Skidmark:
Tom Homan Talks of Minneapolis ‘Drawdown' As Two Agents Who Shot Alex Pretti Placed on Leave
[FoxNewsRadio] Typical of ANY cops - shooting = Leave

Wikipedia: Skirmish at Joncherey
At around 6:00 a.m. on 2 August 1914, Lieutenant Albert Mayer and his small cavalry patrol illegally crossed the French border. They did not meet resistance, as the French had moved their troops back 10 km (6.2 mi) from the border, to avoid provoking the Germans and to show good faith in their attempts to avoid war.
Posted by: Fred || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1779 views] Top|| File under: Migrants/Illegal Immigrants

#1  Huh, door knock checks.
Posted by: Skidmark || 01/30/2026 3:52 Comments || Top||


Journalist Andy Ngo: I Got Inside the Signal Chats Used by Far-Left Extremists in Minnesota‐Here's What I Saw ALSO: ICE started a protester data base, 1st 16 arrested
Editor-at-Large for the Post Millennial, Mr. Ngo knows his stuff.
[NgoComment] Inside the paranoia consuming the far-left encrypted chatrooms that are organizing the mass mobilization against the U.S. government.

The mass mobilization agitation now unfolding in Minneapolis and St. Paul by far-left, open-border extremists bears the hallmarks of a coordinated and professional operation designed to obstruct federal law enforcement. None of this should come as a surprise. These tactics are an evolution of methods tested during the deadly 2020 BLM—Antifa riots, which were centered largely in the Twin Cities.

In recent weeks, numerous Antifa-linked revolutionary anarchist collectives have promoted organizing guides that explicitly instruct extremists on how to carry out obstructionist campaigns. These materials consistently recommend the encrypted messaging app Signal as the primary tool for coordination. Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two militant leftist activists shot dead this month, may have been part of these groups.

What are militants saying to one another inside these chats?

Given the above, this is delicious:
Tom Homan Just Announced Major Action Against Anti-ICE Protesters in Minneapolis
Jeff Charles

Recall that President Obama awarded him a medal of some sort for his work deporting illegals, back in the day, and savour the irony.
[Townhall] Border czar Tom Homan announced on Tuesday that the government is creating a database of leftist anti-ICE protesters who impede the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

During an appearance on Fox News, Homan acknowledged that people have the right to protest the administration’s policies. "But when you cross the line...if you interfere, impede, or assault a police officer, you will be prosecuted," he said. "One thing I’m pushing for right now...we’re going to make them famous. We’re going to put their face on TV. We’re going to let their employers in their neighborhoods, in their schools, know who these people are."



Homan framed the move as a response to activists who dox ICE agents on the internet. Even before Homan made his remarks, federal immigration authorities in Minneapolis started developing an "intel collection" system that resembles such a database.

Federal officers have been "collecting personal information about protesters and agitators" in the city, according to CNN
...formerly the Cable News Network, now who know what it might stand for...
. In a memo to agents, ICE directed them to "capture all images, license plates, identifications, and general information on hotels, agitators, protesters, etc., so we can capture it all in one consolidated form."

Agents can enter an individual’s information into the system even if they have not arrested them. The Brennan Center for Justice noted that ICE already "can trawl the internet for people holding anti-ICE views," "track the locations where protesters and activists gather," and employ facial recognition and other tools to build "detailed dossiers on people who are not suspected of any crime."

First bunch arrested:
Feds Arrest 16 in Minneapolis Including 'Bananas and Rice' Woman
[Townhall] The federal government has arrested 16 people for allegedly assaulting or impeding federal officers, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday.

Those arrested allegedly assaulted, resisted, or impeded federal officers, the attorney general posted on social media.

One notable arrest was the “bananas and rice” woman, Nasra Ahmed. The arrests follow an immigration blitz in Minneapolis that has targeted violent illegal immigrants. Ahmed had previously claimed that she was attacked by federal agents.


…Gillian Etherington
Joshua Doyle
Kirubele Adbebe
Margaret Sager
Ilan Wilson-Soler
Nasra Ahmed
Alice Valentine
Matrim Charlebois

Posted by: Ensemble || 01/30/2026 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1797 views] Top|| File under: Antifa/BLM

#1 

Encryption will always be quickly compromised when shared in groups. The Dark and Gray Hat worlds are indicating AI has broken RSA-2024, and some are suggesting AI can do AES decryption in a day or 2.

BTW:
An interesting personal process I saw used some years ago. Had 2 individuals sharing one dollar bills 1/2's and using the serial numbers as the e-code.
Posted by: NN2N1 || 01/30/2026 5:59 Comments || Top||

#2  Nice ICE.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 01/30/2026 6:48 Comments || Top||

#3  We're making a list, checking it twice.
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.
Palantir is coming to town!
Posted by: SteveS || 01/30/2026 8:42 Comments || Top||

#4 
Posted by: trailing wife || 01/30/2026 13:23 Comments || Top||

#5  Yeah
I'm not gonna QUICK do anything.
Even from a nom I know and love.
Posted by: Skidmark || 01/30/2026 17:24 Comments || Top||

#6  Basically, a page stating the site owners/operators' names and that login/passwords have been recorded and forwarded.

It is a sign as simple, yet as important, as Bathroom Out of Order.

Say....anyone hear anything from Mahmoud the Weasel recently?
Posted by: swksvolFF || 01/30/2026 17:45 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Trump claims ‘it looks like’ Hamas will disarm; Witkoff: They’ll give up their AK-47s
[IsraelTimes] Claim comes hours after senior member of terror group insisted otherwise; 15 Palestinian bodies held by Israel transferred to Gaza after return of last hostage’s remains

US President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and whatever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th and 47th President of the United States...
claimed Thursday that "it looks like" Hamas
..the braying voice of Islamic Resistance®,...
is "going to disarm," despite a senior Hamas official insisting otherwise hours earlier.

Trump did not provide any proof for the claim, which he made during a cabinet meeting.

Chiming in, his special envoy Steve Witkoff also insisted that Hamas will demilitarize. "They will because they have no choice. They’re going to give up their AK-47s."

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said Wednesday that Hamas will also be urged to cede its weapons via an international buy-back program, providing new details regarding the program Washington plans to advance to disarm the terror group.

Waltz’s remarks confirmed The Times of Israel’s reporting from recent months about plans to institute a "buy-back" program where participants would be given funds or jobs and amnesty if they agree to hand over their weapons.

It is part of a broader decommissioning initiative that the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
ceasefire mediators are pushing that would see Hamas gradually hand over its arms, starting with its heavy weaponry, Arab diplomats have told The Times of Israel. Israel is unlikely to accept this gradual process that prioritizes heavy weaponry over light weaponry, given that the latter category has also been used by Hamas to maintain its grip on Gaza.

Trump, during the cabinet meeting, touted the assistance Hamas provided in locating the bodies of the last deceased hostages still held in Gaza — help that Israel has yet to confirm. Israel recovered the body of Ran Gvili, the last hostage held in Gaza, earlier this week.

"Hamas was a big factor in getting all of the hostages back. They found the dead hostages," Trump said. "Between Israel and Hamas working together, they got them back."

With Gvili’s return, the International Committee of the Red Thingy on Thursday transferred the bodies of 15 Paleostinians held by Israel to the Gaza health ministry.

The handover took place at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, The Times of Israel learned.

The ratio of Paleostinian bodies handed over for every hostage body returned during the Gaza ceasefire has been 15:1.

"This marked the completion of a months-long operation that led to family reunifications and supported the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," said the ICRC in a statement. "The operation began in October, with the release and return of 20 living hostages and 1,808 Paleostinian detainees."

The ICRC noted that it continued to facilitate the return of bodies, including 27 of the 28 slain hostages and 360 dead Paleostinians.

"Since October 2023, the ICRC has helped facilitate the return of 195 hostages, including 35 who were deceased, and 3,472 Paleostinian detainees," added the ICRC.

"We feel relieved to have helped reunite families with their loved ones. For families whose loved ones did not return alive, we hope they can now grieve fully," said Julien Lerisson, head of the ICRC delegation in Israel and the Paleostinian territories.

"The opening of the Rafah Crossing plays a significant role in addressing the urgent needs of the population," Lerisson continued. "The ability to bring in larger quantities of specialized equipment — essential for reconstruction work and for locating and identifying remains in a dignified manner — is crucial in this regard."

Rafah is expected to be reopened next week for pedestrians, after Israel confirmed earlier this week that it had agreed to do so.

STRIKE IN CENTRAL GAZA
Also Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed carrying out an Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
in the Maghazi camp area of central Gaza, saying it targeted a Hamas operative who planned to attack troops stationed in the Strip’s south.

The strike took place on the Hamas side of the ceasefire line, and according to Paleostinian media, it killed at least two people.

According to the military, the operative was planning an imminent attack against troops in southern Gaza.

"The terrorist posed an immediate threat to IDF troops and was therefore targeted in a precise strike to remove the threat," the army said.

The IDF said it took steps to mitigate civilian harm in the strike, including by using a precision munition, aerial surveillance and other intelligence.

Israel warns Hamas may soon formally cede Gaza to technocrats, but maintain actual power
[IsraelTimes] Disarmament seen as unlikely without years-long military campaign, security official says, adding that terror group’s civil servants and police force could take a year to replace.


IDF says it killed terror operative in Gaza who crossed ceasefire line

[IsraelTimes] A Palestinian terror operative who crossed the Gaza ceasefire line in the Strip’s south earlier today was killed by troops, the military says.

According to the IDF, the operative crossed the Yellow Line and approached troops of the 7th Armored Brigade “in a manner that posed an immediate threat.”

The troops then opened fire and “eliminated the terrorist to remove the threat,” the IDF says.

Since the start of the ceasefire in October 2025, the IDF has said it has killed dozens of terror operatives and other “suspects” who have crossed the Yellow Line — demarcating the military’s withdrawal in the Strip — and approached troops. Such incidents have taken place on a near-daily basis.
Posted by: trailing wife || 01/30/2026 2026-01-30 02:11 || Comments || Link || [1811 views] Top|| File under: Hamas

#1  Bitte gehen Sie duschen.
Posted by: Grom the Affective || 01/30/2026 3:16 Comments || Top||

#2  Keeping their IED's tho?
Posted by: Mercutio || 01/30/2026 9:40 Comments || Top||

#3  They'll keep their AK-74s and the newer AK-12s, however.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 01/30/2026 11:13 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran rounds up thousands in mass arrest campaign after crushing unrest, sources say
[IsraelTimes] Plainclothes forces raid homes across country, put detainees in secret lockups, campaign aimed at deterring any return to street protests, activists say

Plainclothes Iranian security forces have rounded up thousands of people in a campaign of mass arrests and intimidation to deter further protests after crushing the bloodiest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, sources told Rooters.

Modest protests that began last month in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over economic hardship unleashed long-suppressed wider grievances and swiftly escalated into the gravest existential threat to Iran’s Shi’ite theocracy in nearly five decades, with protesters commonly calling for ruling holy mans to step down.

Authorities cut internet access and stifled the unrest with overwhelming force that killed thousands, according to rights groups. Tehran blames alleged "armed terrorists" linked to Israel and the United States for the violence.

Within days, plainclothes security forces launched a campaign of widespread arrests accompanied by an intensified street presence based around checkpoints, according to five activists who spoke on condition of anonymity from inside Iran.

They said detainees had been placed in secret lockups.

"They are arresting everyone," one of the activists said. "No one knows where they are being taken or where they are being held. With these arrests and threats, they are trying to inject fear into society."

Similar accounts were given to Rooters by lawyers, medics, witnesses, and two Iranian officials speaking on condition of anonymity
... for fear of being murdered...
to avoid retribution by security services.

They said the roundups appeared aimed at preventing any serious revival of protests by spreading fear just as the holy manal establishment faces rising external pressure.

Uncertainty over the possibility of military action against the Islamic Theocratic Republic has lingered since US President Donald Trump
...Never got invited to a P.Diddy party...
said last week that an "armada" was heading toward the country but that he hoped he would not have to use it.

On Wednesday, however, he doubled down on his threats by demanding Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
negotiate curbs on its nuclear program, warning that any future US attack would be "far worse" than one day of Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s last June on three nuclear sites at the end of Israel’s 12-day war with Iran.

Multiple Western and Middle Eastern sources told Rooters this week that Trump is weighing options against Iran that include targeted strikes on security forces and leaders to inspire protesters, although Israeli and Arab officials said air power alone would not topple the holy manal establishment.

PEOPLE ROUNDED UP FOR PROTESTING IN PREVIOUS YEARS
One of the activists said security forces were detaining not only people accused of involvement in the latest unrest but also those arrested during protests in previous years, "even if they had not participated this time, plus members of their families."

The latest corpse count compiled by the US-based HRANA rights group stands at 6,373 — 5,993 protesters, 214 security personnel, 113 children under 18, and 53 bystanders. Arrests stand at 42,486, according to HRANA.

Judiciary officials have warned that "those committing sabotage, burning public property, and involved in armed festivities with security forces" could face death sentence
...the barbaric practice of sentencing a murderer to be punished for as long as his/her/its victim is dead...
s.

The UN human rights
...which are often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless...
office told Rooters on Thursday it understood that the number of detainees was very high and they were at risk of torture and unfair trials. Mai Soto, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, said the thousands of detainees included doctors and healthcare workers.

UNOFFICIAL DETENTION CENTERS, THOUSANDS OF ARRESTS
Two Iranian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity
... for fear of being murdered...
, confirmed to Rooters that thousands of arrests had been carried out in the past few days.

They said many detainees were being held in unofficial detention sites, "including warehouses and other improvised locations," and the judiciary was acting quickly to process cases.

Iranian authorities declined to comment publicly on the number of arrests, or say where the detainees were being held. Authorities said on January 21 that 3,117 were killed in the unrest, including 2,427 civilians and security personnel.

Amnesty International reported on January 23 that "sweeping arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, bans on gatherings and attacks to silence families of victims mark the suffocating militarization imposed in Iran by the Islamic Theocratic Republic’s authorities in the aftermath of protest massacres."

Arrests are continuing across the sprawling country, from small towns to the capital, witnesses and activists said.

"They arrested my brother and my cousin a few days ago," said a resident of northwestern Iran who asked not to be named.

"They stormed our home in plainclothes, searched the entire house, and took all the laptops and mobile phones. They warned us that if we make this public, they will arrest all of us."

FAMILIES FRANTIC OVER MISSING YOUNG PEOPLE
More than 60 percent of Iran’s 92 million people are under the age of 30. Although the latest protests were snuffed out, holy manal rulers will eventually risk more demonstrations if the heavy repression persists, according to rights activists.

Three Iranian lawyers told Rooters that dozens of families had approached them in recent days seeking help for relatives who were tossed into the calaboose.

"Many families are coming to us asking for legal assistance for their detained children," one lawyer said. "Some of those arrested are under 18 — boys and girls."

Human rights groups have long said Iranian security organs use informal detention sites during periods of serious unrest, holding detainees without access to lawyers or family members for extended periods.

Five doctors told Rooters that protesters maimed during protests had been removed from hospitals by security forces and dozens of doctors had been summoned by authorities or warned against helping injured demonstrators.

Prison authorities denied holding maimed protesters.

Families of five detainees said the lack of information about their whereabouts itself had become a form of punishment.

"We don’t know where they are, whether they are still alive, or when we’ll see them," said an Iranian man whose daughter was rounded up. "They took my child as if they were arresting a terrorist."

Posted by: trailing wife || 01/30/2026 2026-01-30 02:47 || Comments || Link || [1795 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  Huh, doorknock checks.
Posted by: Skidmark || 01/30/2026 3:50 Comments || Top||

#2  Iranian security forces have rounded up thousands of people in a campaign of mass arrests

And holding them at government buildings, military bases and the like for utilization as human shields during the potential upcoming festivities.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 01/30/2026 7:12 Comments || Top||

#3  Yea and the distinctive actions never came..

Or will come too late to do any good.
Posted by: Seeking Cure For Ignorance || 01/30/2026 8:56 Comments || Top||

#4  Really? Ive only heard good things about Iran...
Posted by: Regular joe || 01/30/2026 13:08 Comments || Top||

#5  7th Century medicine was good enough so who needs trained medical doctors. (/s)
Posted by: magpie || 01/30/2026 14:30 Comments || Top||

#6  ^I'm sure both IRGC and ayatollahs have full complete of MD working solely for them. And, if push come to shove, they can always get advanced treatment in EUrope.
Posted by: Grom the Affective || 01/30/2026 16:44 Comments || Top||

#7  Ive only heard good things about Iran...

They used to be famous for their towels, taffy, and those curly-toed slippers. Or am I confusing the Turks and the Persians?
Posted by: SteveS || 01/30/2026 16:46 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
23[untagged]
5Govt of Iran
4Antifa/BLM
3Hamas
3Islamic State
2Houthis
2Nut Jobs
2Sublime Porte
1Boko Haram (ISIS)
1Migrants/Illegal Immigrants
1Muslim Brotherhood
1[untagged]
1Palestinian Authority
1Govt of Syria/HTS
1Commies

Bookmark
E-Mail Me

The Classics
The O Club
Rantburg Store
The Bloids
The Never-ending Story
Thugburg
Gulf War I
The Way We Were
Bio

Merry-Go-Blog











On Sale now!


A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
Click here for more information

Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Fri 2026-01-30
  Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, attorney says
Thu 2026-01-29
  Battlefield 'voice of God' sonic weapon used in warzones unleashed on Minneapolis protesters
Wed 2026-01-28
  IDF says 3 Hezbollah operatives killed in separate strikes in south Lebanon
Tue 2026-01-27
  Last Oct 7th Hostage recovered.
Mon 2026-01-26
  'Barely made it out alive': James O'Keefe attacked in Minneapolis and gets threatened, 'You have 1 hour to leave or you're dead'
Sun 2026-01-25
   Khamenei has gone into hiding ahead of possible US attack, opposition-affiliated news site reports
Sat 2026-01-24
  JNIM claims to have taken control of an IS-Sahel headquarters in Tin-Akoff, northeast Burkina Faso
Fri 2026-01-23
  Belgian police say 6 injured, 2 critical, in knife attack at Kurdish rally in Antwerp
Thu 2026-01-22
  Over 150 Nigerian Christians Kidnapped by Islamic Militants During Sunday Services
Wed 2026-01-21
  Armed militias fire heavy machine guns through Tehran streets in deadly night attacks
Tue 2026-01-20
  Clashes erupted today on the border between North Kordofan and Khartoum
Mon 2026-01-19
  Border guards nab couriers carrying NIS 12 million in cash at Jordan border crossing
Sun 2026-01-18
  Rojava declares 'general mobilization' in light of 'existential war' launched by Damascus
Sat 2026-01-17
  Death toll in Iran protests over 3,000, rights group says
Fri 2026-01-16
  Hamas says senior officer killed in Gaza strike, accuses Israel of breaching ceasefire


Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
216.73.216.168
Help keep the Burg running! Paypal:
WoT Background (15)    Non-WoT (13)    Opinion (5)    Local News (4)    Politix (3)