On December 4, President Trump announced the withdrawal of the majority of the 700 troops currently stationed in Somalia. Subsequently, just this week, the Pentagon informed the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that it planned to end support to the agency’s counterterrorism missions in early 2021.
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December, 2020
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15 December
Boko Haram Massacre Indicates Frailty in Nigeria’s Counterinsurgency Strategy
At the end of November, the Boko Haram faction, led by the ruthless Abubakar Shekau, massacred farmers in the village of Koshebe, resulting in the deaths of at least 110 civilians. While the village was mostly deserted as a result of the war between Boko Haram and the Nigerian army, …
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15 December
Terrorists’ Use of Cryptocurrency
Documented examples of terrorist acquisition of cryptocurrency have been relatively infrequent, especially compared to criminal use. Yet, over the past year, terrorist groups have pivoted to acquiring and storing wealth in virtual currencies like Bitcoin.
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15 December
French Protests over Proposed Security Law
France was rocked by a second consecutive weekend of raucous protests in cities throughout the country in response to a proposed security bill that includes restrictions on filming law enforcement officers. Protests, some of which turned violent, occurred in Paris, Marseille, Renne, and Lyon, as well as several other smaller …
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15 December
Why Turkey Intervened in Libya
Through a historical analysis of Turkey’s military intervention in Libya, this essay identifies the various motivations, reasonings, and threat perceptions underlying Ankara’s current Libya strategy.
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15 December
After conflict over possession of displaced family’s house | Turkish-backed factions amass troops in rural Afrin
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: SOHR activists have monitored Turkish-backed factions amassing their affiliated members, this evening, in Jendires district in the western countryside of Afrin, after Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement had arrested a person from Rif Dimashq following a conflict over possession of a house he living in. it …
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15 December
Security vacuum in Daraa | Three members of 4th Division killed in two separate attacks in northern and eastern countryside
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: SOHR activists have monitored the death of a member of the regime-backed 4th Division and his escort, after being shot by unknown gunmen in Al-Ghariyyah Al-Gharbiyyah town in the eastern countryside of Daraa.
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15 December
At least 28 pro-Turkey Syrians dead in Karabakh: Monitor
At least 28 pro-Turkey Syrian rebel fighters have been killed in clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over Nagorny Karabakh, a Britain-based monitor said Friday.
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15 December
The future of the Middle East will be shaped in the next few weeks
Members of the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Hashd al-Shaabi at a graduation ceremony in the central Iraqi city of Karbala We are entering a period of immense complexity for the Middle East. What happens in the next few months will set the tone in our region for years. If managed correctly, …
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15 December
People gather in front of Turkish consulate in Tabriz to protest at Erdogan’s remarks
A large number of Iranian people gathered in front of the Turkish consulate in the Northwestern city of Tabriz in the Northwestern province of East Azerbaijan, protesting at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks against Iran during a ceremony in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
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