Africa Subsaharan |
Senate seeks military base in Adamawa amid renewed Boko Haram attacks - |
2025-05-23 |
[BUSINESSDAY.NG] In response to escalating insecurity in Adamawa and across the North-East, the Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to establish a military base in Hong Local Government Area. This call follows a motion moved by Senator Aminu Abbas (PDP-Adamawa) and jointly sponsored by all senators representing the region. The motion, titled ''Resurgence of Boko Haram ![]() Activities in Hong and Gombi Local Government Areas, Adamawa and other North-East States'', highlights a troubling spike in attacks by the holy warrior group. The Senate, while commending the efforts of security agencies, stressed the need for additional military reinforcement. ''We need a full-fledged military base in Hong to support existing personnel and repel further attacks,'' Abbas argued during Wednesday's plenary. |
Link |
Africa Subsaharan |
Boko Haram Intensifies Attacks in Cameroon Amid Resurgence in Lake Chad Region |
2025-05-23 |
[HUMANGLEMEDIA] A Cameroon ...a long, narrow country that fills the space between Nigeria and Chad on the northeast, CAR to the southeast. Prior to incursions by Boko Haram nothing ever happened there... ian soldier was killed and three others were maimed during a two-night attack by Boko Haram ![]() hard boyz from 19 to 20 May. The assault occurred in Kerawa, a locality on the border with Nigeria, within the Kolofata sub-division of the Mayo-Sava division in the Far North region. A member of the local vigilante committee said the assailants, who came from Nigeria, targeted a Cameroonian military post. ''After opening fire on the post, the assailants quickly fled towards the Nigeria-Cameroon border,'' he stated. The recent attack highlights an alarming trend, as Boko Haram hard boyz have become more aggressive since March, utilising previously unseen sophisticated weaponry during their operations. Notably, one major incident occurred on the night of March 24 to 25, 2025, in Wulgo, in the Logone-et-Chari division, where 12 Cameroonian soldiers bit the dust. This week's deadly assault serves as a reminder that, despite claims of a retreat by the terrorists, the threat they pose remains constant within the Lake Chad Basin. Even with strong responses from the Cameroonian army, Boko Haram continues to conduct As part of its intensified Recent developments have seen two significant bridges — one in the Gujiba local government area of Yobe State and the other in the Biu local government area of Borno State — damaged by IED blasts attributed to the terrorist group. These incidents have significantly disrupted mobility, making entire routes perilous and putting commuters at heightened risk of attacks, particularly in resettled communities that are already unstable. The destruction of these essential infrastructures also threatens humanitarian efforts and the region's economic stability. Human rights groups, humanitarian organizations, and local media have cautioned for months that resettling populations without adequate security measures may expose them to reprisals and further displacement. |
Link |
Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
IDF says drone strike killed Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon |
2025-05-21 |
[IsraelTimes] The IDF confirms carrying out a drone strike in the Lebanese town of al-Mansouri, close to Tyre, today, killing a Hezbollah operative. According to the military, the operative was the commander of Hezbollah’s forces in al-Mansouri. The IDF says he was involved in advancing numerous attacks on Israel during the war, restoring Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the al-Mansouri area, and smuggling weapons. |
Link |
Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Court rejects 1 million ruble claim of Crocus terrorist attack victim |
2025-05-20 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] In Moscow, a court refused to collect 1 million rubles from the MSM Group company (the organizer of concerts, including the Piknik group, in Crocus City Hall) in favor of the victim of the terrorist attack. This is reported by TASS. “The Khoroshevsky District Court of Moscow has decided to deny the claims of A. N. Zagoskin,” the agency quotes the judge as saying. The plaintiff had previously stated that he had been poisoned by carbon monoxide during the terrorist attack and suffered severe psychological stress. He was not officially recognized as a victim in the criminal case, but he did provide the court with medical documents confirming that an ambulance had been called after the terrorist attack. As reported by the Regnum news agency, MSM Group refused to compensate the victim who claimed damage to his health. In addition, the company Crocus International was brought into the case as a third party. On March 22, 2024, terrorists broke into Crocus City Hall, opened fire on visitors and employees of the concert hall and started a fire. As a result of the terrorist attack, 146 people died, six of them children. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened several criminal cases, including under Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Terrorist attack"). 12 people were arrested. Currently, 19 defendants are already in custody. Related: Crocus City Hall: 2025-04-26 45 people arrested for involvement in the Crocus terrorist attack — Shoigu Crocus City Hall: 2025-04-23 No More Terrorists: Why Russia Needs Afghanistan and the Taliban Crocus City Hall: 2025-04-01 Russian Prosecutor General's Office has requested a suspension of the ban on Taliban activities |
Link |
Afghanistan | |||
Russia to Start Oil Production in Afghanistan | |||
2025-05-20 | |||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. Text taken from a news article which appeared in rg.ru Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics. [ColonelCassad] "An agreement on cooperation in this area was signed," RIA Novosti quotes Azizi as saying. ![]() According to him, the agreement was signed on the Russian side by Inteko Group within the framework of the Russia - Islamic World. KazanForum forum. Inteko Group has already conducted geological exploration in Afghanistan and will begin drilling operations to extract oil, said Rustam Khabibullin, head of the Russian Business Center in Afghanistan. At the same time, work will begin on the construction of an oil refinery at the selected site. The site is equipped with the necessary utilities, Khabibullin added. The agency's interlocutor also noted that this is the first agreement of this kind. Earlier, the first underground oil storage facility was put into operation in Russia. It is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and can already be used. The Taliban have been discharged from the terrorists. Now it can be officially mined. The Chinese, by the way, are already developing Afghan lithium deposits.Since Afghanistan has persistent problems with fuel and lubricants, cooperation with the Taliban in the oil sector is one of the obvious areas of interaction for Russia. In the future, we can expect agreements on the extraction of rare earth metals (yes, Trump, rare earth metals),
Well, in the long term, Afghanistan may become another market for Russian goods. P.S. On the negative side, the stubborn Taliban pushed through a ban on chess in Afghanistan. Such paroxysms of the Middle Ages will seriously hinder the transformation of Afghanistan into a normal state.
| |||
Link |
Caribbean-Latin America |
US seeks info on ''Hezbollah financial network'' in South America |
2025-05-20 |
[NAHARNET] The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice program on Monday announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on ''Hezbollah financial networks in South America.'' ''Hezbollah has maintained a presence in the Western Hemisphere since the 1980s, particularly in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of Argentina ...a country located on the other side of the Deep South. It is covered with Pampers and inhabited by Grouchos, who dance the Tangle. They used to have some islands called the Malvinas located where the Falklands are now. They're not supposed to cry for Evita... , Brazil, and Paraguay,'' RFJ said. ''The group is responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks in the Western Hemisphere, including the July 18, 1994 bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Aid Society. Hezbollah was also implicated, along with Iran, in the 1992 attacks on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina as well as the 1994 bombing of Alas Chiricanas flight 00901 in Col n, Panama,'' it added. The statement claimed that ''in the TBA, Hezbollah members, supporters, and controllers are involved in large-scale revenue-generating schemes, including trade-based money laundering, narcotics trafficking, charcoal and oil smuggling, illicit diamond trade, bulk cash smuggling, smuggling of cigarettes and luxury goods, document forgery, and the counterfeiting of U.S. dollars.'' ''They also generate revenue from commercial activities across Latin America, including construction, import/export trade, and real estate sales,'' it added. Related: Rewards for Justice: 2025-05-11 US places $10 million bounty on Al-Shabaab fighter linked to Manda Bay raid Rewards for Justice: 2025-03-23 U.S.-Taliban Engagement Deepens as Haqqani Figures Quietly Shift Off Sanctions Radar Rewards for Justice: 2025-03-06 The U.S. has re-designated Yemen’s Houthis as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization, sanctions 7 big turbans Related: Tri-Border Area: 2023-01-30 CTD kills two terror suspects in ‘encounter’ in Dera Ghazi Khan Tri-Border Area: 2021-07-27 Hezbollah's Money-Laundering and Drug-Trafficking Networks in Latin America Tri-Border Area: 2019-07-20 US sanctions suspected Hezbollah mastermind behind 1994 attack in Argentina |
Link |
India-Pakistan |
CM Bugti Claims Taliban Support Behind Rising Militancy in Balochistan, Pakistan |
2025-05-17 |
[KhaamaPress] Chief Minister, Sardar Sarfraz Bugti claims rising militancy in Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... , Pakistain, is fueled by Taliban ![]() support, weak governance, and corruption, urging urgent action. Sardar Sarfraz Bugti, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, has highlighted a concerning escalation in hard boy activities within the province, attributing the intensification to support from the Taliban in Afghanistan. In a recent interview with BBC, Bugti emphasized that the deteriorating security situation has made it increasingly difficult for security forces to differentiate between allies and adversaries. He noted that Death Eaters are operating with greater autonomy, complicating counterinsurgency efforts . Bugti pointed to the province’s uneven development, weak governance, and corruption as factors that have allowed Lions of Islam to gain a foothold. He asserted that these Death Eaters are receiving support from Afghan soil, with some reportedly residing in areas under Taliban control. The Chief Minister’s remarks underscore the challenges faced by Pak authorities in addressing the insurgency. In response to the growing threat, Shafqat Ali Khan, a spokesperson for Pakistain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called on the Taliban to dismantle bad boy sanctuaries within Afghanistan. Khan’s statement reflects Pakistain’s ongoing concerns about cross-border terrorism and the Taliban’s role in harboring groups that target Pakistain. International reports have corroborated Pakistain’s allegations, with the United Nations ...where theory meets practice and practice loses... Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team confirming that the Afghan Taliban provides logistical, operational, and financial support to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). The UN report indicates that the TTP operates with an estimated 6,000 to 6,500 fighters in Afghanistan and has conducted over 600 attacks on Pak soil . Despite these findings, the Taliban has consistently denied any involvement in supporting bad boy groups targeting Pakistain. Hamdullah Fitrat, the Taliban’s deputy front man, rejected claims that terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory, asserting that no foreign group is allowed to operate on Afghan soil . |
Link |
Afghanistan |
Taliban Commander killed in Border Clash with Pakistani soldiers in Paktika |
2025-05-17 |
[KhaamaPress] A border commander was killed by gunfire from Pak soldiers, following a clash along the Afghanistan-Pakistain border. A Taliban ![]() border commander was killed in a skirmish with Pak border guards along the Afghanistan-Pakistain border in Paktika Local sources identified the slain commander as Sibghatullah Matin, who served as the logistics chief of the Taliban’s 4th Brigade of the Mansouri Corps. The clash resulted in the deaths of two Taliban fighters and five Pak soldiers, with four additional Taliban members sustaining injuries . The exact cause of the confrontation remains unclear, as neither Taliban nor Pak officials have publicly commented on the incident. However, corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... such border festivities have been recurrent in recent years, particularly in the southeastern provinces of Afghanistan. This incident underscores the ongoing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistain, exacerbated by cross-border militancy and territorial disputes. Both nations have accused each other of harboring krazed killer groups, leading to a complex and volatile security situation along their shared border. While the Taliban has not issued an official statement regarding the clash, the Pak military has not provided details either. The lack of communication from both sides contributes to the uncertainty surrounding the event and highlights the challenges in managing border security and diplomatic relations in the region. |
Link |
Africa Subsaharan |
Jihadists Kill Troops, Fishermen In Northern Nigeria |
2025-05-17 |
[BARRONS] Twin jihadist attacks across Lake Chad killed at least 22 people in Nigeria, sources told AFP Friday, with Boko Haram![]() killing more than a dozen civilians and Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... ![]() West Africa Province raiding a military base. The attacks come as Nigeria's embattled northeast -- facing an insurgency that since 2009 has killed 40,000 and displaced two million -- has witnessed renewed attacks in recent weeks. While violence has fallen from its 2014-2015 peak, the governor of Borno recently warned that the military was losing ground to jihadists. A spate of attacks killed 100 people. Militants from Boko Haram killed at least 17 fishermen and farmers on Thursday, local anti-jihadist militia members told AFP, warning that the toll may rise. |
Link |
Home Front: Politix |
US ends Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan |
2025-05-13 |
[KhaamaPress] U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan, effective July 12. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump ...Never got invited to a P.Diddy party... has announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Afghan refugees will expire by next month. The move is set to affect approximately 11,000 Afghan nationals currently residing in the United States under this humanitarian designation. Kristi Noem, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, issued a statement on Monday, May 12, declaring that TPS for Afghanistan will officially end on May 20, with the termination becoming effective from July 12. Noem stated that after a recent assessment, Afghanistan "no longer meets the conditions required for TPS," citing an alleged improvement in the country’s security and economic stability. However, the way to a man's heart remains through his stomach... this decision has drawn sharp criticism. Shawn VanDiver, head of AfghanEvac, an organization advocating for Afghan refugees, condemned the move as politically motivated rather than based on ground realities. In a statement, he said, "This decision does not reflect the truth about conditions in Afghanistan." VanDiver emphasized that Afghanistan remains under Taliban ![]() control, lacking any functional asylum system. He noted ongoing reports of assassinations, arbitrary detentions, and widespread human rights ...which often include carefully measured allowances of freedomat the convenience of the state... violations—particularly against women and minorities—making it unsafe for returnees. He called the U.S. government’s decision a "betrayal of those who stood with American forces and rebuilt their lives in the U.S." The Department of Homeland Security has also indicated that some Afghan TPS holders are under review for alleged "fraud and threats to public safety," further complicating their legal status. Rights groups and refugee advocates are urging the U.S. government to reconsider its decision, warning that sending vulnerable Afghans back to a volatile environment could endanger lives and contradict America’s commitments to its allies. As the July deadline nears, legal and humanitarian organizations are preparing for possible legal challenges and lobbying efforts to protect Afghan TPS holders. Many fear the end of protections may lead to deportations or forced returns to a still-dangerous homeland. AfghanEvac: Ending Afghan TPS is a Betrayal of US promises [KhaamaPress] AfghanEvac condemned the U.S. decision to end Temporary Protected Status for Afghans, calling it a betrayal of American promises. Shawn VanDiver, President of AfghanEvac, has strongly criticized the U.S. government’s decision to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals. He described the move as a “betrayal” of those who risked their lives for the United States and trusted its promises. The argument would be stronger if someone, perhaps AfghanEvac, would provide documentation of their rescuees’ services to America back in Afghanistan that justify bringing them here, and more documentation showing that they have no connection to to jihadi or radical Moslem groups, and have not misbehaved in any way since arriving in America, not to mention working hard to become self-supporting.. In an official statement, VanDiver said, “This decision is not rooted in reality, but in politics. Afghanistan remains under Taliban control, with no functioning asylum system. Assassinations, arbitrary arrests, and widespread human rights abuses—especially against women and ethnic minorities—persist.”He warned that the decision would not enhance U.S. security, but would instead tear families apart, destabilize lives, and erode America’s remaining moral credibility on the global stage. VanDiver emphasized that AfghanEvac and many other advocacy groups are prepared to fight the decision through legal action, lobbying in Congress, and mobilizing public opinion. “We will do everything in our power to oppose this,” he stated. This reaction follows the announcement by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who said the TPS program for Afghans would officially end on July 12. The status had protected thousands of Afghans from deportation following the fall of Kabul in 2021. |
Link |
Afghanistan | |||
Taliban govt suspends chess in Afghanistan over gambling | |||
2025-05-12 | |||
[GEO.TV] Taliban![]() authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling,
"There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said. "Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he added. Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and "had some issues on the leadership level". Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Moslem-majority countries. "Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level," he told AFP. He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game. "Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday," he told AFP. "They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess." Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country. Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too " | |||
Link |