African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism African Union Commission

ACSRT Terrorism Daily News Briefs Thursday, 28 February 2018 - Edition N°1426

EAST AFRICA

Kenya Kenya hunting down 7 Shabaab militia after Wajir attack Authorities are pursuing seven Al-Shabaab terrorists believed to have played a role in last week’s attack at a primary school in Wajir that left three teachers dead. One suspect is already in custody. capitalfm 27 Feb 2018 https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2018/02/kenya-hunting-7-shabaab-militia-wajir-attack/ Tech-savvy terrorists making detectives sweat Technological advances have complicated Kenya's war on terrorism as security agents are now fighting tech-savvy militants. Geographical challenges must also be considered as they have worsened matters, Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss George Kinoti said on Tuesday. thestarkenya 27 Feb 2018 https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/02/27/tech-savvy-terrorists-making-detectives-sweat-dci-boss-kinoti_c1721754 Two arrested over 8-hour highway terror Two men accused of organizing protests on the -Nakuru highway have been arrested as police came under criticism for mishandling the incident. Police and local county administration are on the spot over the manner.... standardmedia 27 Feb 2018 https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001271370/two-arrested-over-8-hour-highway-terror

Somalia Mogadishu Blasts Death Toll Rises to 38 The death toll from two suicide car bomb blasts that ripped through the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Friday has risen to at least 38 people, according to government sources. Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan of the Aamin Ambulance Service said the bombings targeted the presidential palace and a hotel. 1:45:00 AM CET http://allafrica.com/stories/201802260074.html U.S. government donates aerial surveillance system to AMISOM The Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, has commended the United States for its continued support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in its fight against terrorism. Full text... panapress 27 Feb 2018 http://www.panapress.com/pana-2-lang2-SOC-index.html Humanitarian Dashboard The risk of famine in Somalia has reduced but remains a reality in some areas. This is partly due to below average yet better than expected Deyr rains in some areas and largely due to sustained famine prevention efforts. Nearly 5.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. reliefWeb 27 Feb 2018 https://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/somalia-humanitarian-dashboard-january-2018-issued-27-february-2018 IOM Trains Puntland Immigration Officers on Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration, Migrants’ Rights IOM, the UN Migration Agency, conducted a training session last week (19-21/02) for immigration officers based at Somali air and sea ports in Garowe, Galkayo and Bossaso. The training, aimed at raising the officials’ awareness on human trafficking, the risks and potential outcomes of.... reliefWeb 27 Feb 2018 https://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/iom-trains-puntland-immigration-officers-human-trafficking-irregular-migration U.S. Needs To Do More In Somalia, Sen. Jack Reed Says Steve Inskeep talks to Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island about the fight in Somalia against the terrorist network al-Shabab. Reed just visited East Africa. npr 27 Feb 2018 https://www.npr.org/2018/02/27/589061983/u-s-needs-to-do-more-in-somalia-sen-jack-reed-says?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=politics

WEST AFRICA

Mali Une dizaine de djihadistes tués dans des affrontements avec deux groupes armés au nord du pays Une dizaine d'hommes du chef terroriste Adnan Abou Walid ont été tués dimanche et lundi lors d'affrontements avec des éléments du Groupe d'auto-défense Touareg Imghad (GATIA) et du Mouvement pour le Salut de l'Azawad (MSA), ont indiqué mardi ces deux groupes dans un communiqué. abamako 9:42:00 AM CET http://news.aBamako.com/h/182207.html Ouverture d’une enquête suite à la mort de civils dans une opération militaire Une enquête a été ouverte suite à la mort de civils lors d’une opération de l’armée malienne dans le centre du pays, a appris APA, mardi à Bamako, de source officielle.«Dans le cadre de l’Opération DAMBE, dont l’objectif est l’instauration d’un environnement de stabilité, des éléments des Forces.... journalducameroun 9:12:00 AM CET https://www.journalducameroun.com/mali-ouverture-dune-enquete-suite-a-la-mort-de-civils-dans-une-operation-militaire/ Nigeria New Kidnapping Reminds Many of Chibok The Nigerian government has confirmed that 110 female students from the remote town of Dapchi are missing after suspected Boko Haram militants attacked their school one week ago. While Nigerian authorities have launched an intensive search operation, the action has done.... allafrica 1:45:00 AM CET http://allafrica.com/stories/201802270396.html Dapchi girls: Boko Haram strikes again For the second time since it began its terror campaign, Boko Haram has scored another odious landmark mass abduction of schoolgirls. In an uncanny replication of the April 2014 kidnap of 276 Chibok schoolgirls, the Islamists raided the Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State last week Monday night. punchng 1:57:00 AM CET http://punchng.com/dapchi-girls-boko-haram-strikes-again/ Nigeria sets up probe into Boko Haram school kidnapping Nigeria's government on Tuesday said it had set up a committee to establish how Boko Haram jihadists managed to kidnap 110 girls from their school in the country's remote northeast. Members of the militant Islamist group stormed the Government Girls Science and Technical.... digitaljournal 27 Feb 2018 http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/nigeria-sets-up-probe-into-boko-haram-school-kidnapping/article/516010 One week after suspected Boko Haram attack, Nigeria confirms over 100 girls missing Llocal clergy, activists and community leaders protest for the safe return of the 276 abducted schoolgirls outside the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations on June 2, 2014 in . After last week’s suspected Boko Haram attack, the.... thegrio 27 Feb 2018 https://thegrio.com/2018/02/27/one-week-suspected-boko-haram-attack-nigeria-confirms-100-girls-missing/ Dapchi schoolgirls: Abduction calls for state police A Lagos State lawmaker, Mr Yinka Ogundimu has advocated for state police following the abduction of 110 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State. Ogundimu, the Chairman of Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Finance, made the assertion in an interview with the of Nigeria in Lagos. dailypost 27 Feb 2018 http://dailypost.ng/2018/02/27/dapchi-schoolgirls-abduction-calls-state-police-lawmaker/ Dapchi school shut after Boko Haram attack Government Girls Science and Technology College in Dapchi, Yobe State, where 110 girls disappeared after a Boko Haram attack will remain closed, the state government said on Monday, calling for tighter security. “The government girls school in Dapchi has not reopened. peoplesdaily-online 27 Feb 2018 http://www.peoplesdailyng.com/dapchi-school-shut-after-boko-haram-attack/ Dapchi attack: Class with highest number of missing girls revealed The Federal Government on Tuesday released the full list of names as well as the classes of the 110 girls who got missing after suspected members of the Boko Haram sect attacked the Government Girls Science and Technical College, GGSTC, in Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018. dailypost 27 Feb 2018 http://dailypost.ng/2018/02/27/dapchi-attack-class-highest-number-missing-girls-revealed/ Boko Haram kills two soldiers in Borno ambush Two Nigerian soldiers were killed and four injured in an ambush by Boko Haram militants in the country’s northeastern state of Borno, the army said Tuesday. The attack on Monday happened as soldiers were travelling between the towns of Biu and Damboa. Borno state has been at the heart of the.... punchng 27 Feb 2018 http://punchng.com/boko-haram-kills-two-soldiers-in-borno-ambush/ Nigeria's military says it rescues 1,100 from Boko Haram Nigeria's military says it has rescued more than 1,100 people, including women and children, who had been held by Boko Haram extremists in different parts of the Lake Chad region near Cameroon. Tuesday's announcement comes more than a week after Boko Haram abducted 110 girls from their school in Dapchi in Yobe state. siouxcityjournal 27 Feb 2018 http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/world/nigeria-s-military-says-it-rescues-from-boko-haram/article_e22d1fb7-d810-530c-bf54- 6621321b49e0.html We’ll ensure release of all abducted persons President Muhammadu Buhari has given the assurance that his government would ensure the release of all abducted persons by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents. The President gave the assurance Today while receiving the recently released lecturers of University of Maiduguri.... peoplesdaily-online 27 Feb 2018 http://www.peoplesdailyng.com/well-ensure-release-of-all-abducted-persons-buhari/ Nigerian Troops Rescue 15 Women, Recover Armoured Personnel Carrier From Boko Haram Nigerian Troops of the 153TF Battalion of the Nigerian Army have rescued 15 women, five children and a man from Boko Haram captivity. According to military sources, the captives were freed when the troops conducted a fighting patrol in areas of Boko Haram prevalence. saharareporters 27 Feb 2018 http://saharareporters.com/2018/02/27/nigerian-troops-rescue-15-women-recover-armoured-personnel-carrier-boko-haram Boko Haram school kidnapping: an attack well-planned Hundreds of students at the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Nigeria, fled after the armed raid. Boko Haram's abduction of more than 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi, northeastern Nigeria, shows the Islamist group still has the ability and means to stage major attacks. msn-uk 27 Feb 2018 https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/boko-haram-school-kidnapping-an-attack-well-planned/ar-BBJE7DN

NORTH AFRICA

Egypt Egypt Condemns Deadly Twin Car Bombings in Mogadishu "These vile terrorist operations will not break Somalia's will to eradicate the phenomenon of terrorism and rebuild the state institutions," said Egypt's Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid in the statement. He expressed the solidarity of the Egyptian government and people with their Somalian counterparts against terrorism. allafrica 27 Feb 2018 http://allafrica.com/stories/201802260433.html Egypt says 3 troops killed fighting militants in Sinai Col. Tamer al-Rifai, a military spokesman, said three other officers and four conscripts were wounded in the fighting. He said Egyptian forces foiled a suicide attack and killed 11 militants. The army says it has destroyed hundreds of targets and killed dozens of militants since the offensive began on Feb. siouxcityjournal 27 Feb 2018 http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/world/egypt-says-troops-killed-fighting-militants-in-sinai/article_feb73e3a-ca3b-5be1-a637-72762bde6fed.html Tunisia After ISIS, U.S. military confronts challenge from Russia, China in Middle East The United States must contend with growing competition from Russia and China across the Middle East following the defeat of the Islamic State, a senior U.S. official told lawmakers Tuesday. Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command (Centcom), described an array of steps those “great power”.... WashingtonPost 12:41:00 AM CET https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/after-isis-us-military-confronts-challenge-from-russia-china-in-middle- east/2018/02/27/049b451c-1bd1-11e8-9de1-147dd2df3829_story.html American ISIS wannabe extradited from Tunisia to US An ISIS wannabe who fled the United States to join the terrorist group is back – and facing federal charges. Bernard Augustine trekked from California to Tunisia in February 2016 in hopes of joining the bloodthirsty killers, prosecutors said. Yet the 21- year-old’s plans were foiled as soon.... nypost 3:45:00 AM CET https://nypost.com/2018/02/27/american-isis-wannabe-extradited-from-tunisia-to-us/

INTERNATIONAL

America

Colombia Colombian rebels attack army caravan, killing 5 Colombia's army says that an attack by leftist rebels along the South American country's volatile eastern border with Venezuela has left at least five soldiers dead and another 10 wounded. The army said that the attack took place early Tuesday when a homemade explosive.... siouxcityjournal 27 Feb 2018 http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/world/colombian-rebels-attack-army-caravan-killing/article_2a8a744a-f651-5455-95f6-f151dc721574.html

Asia Indonesia Radical cleric denies involvement in Thamrin attack The defendant in the Thamrin suicide bombing trial, Aman Abdurrahman, has always maintained that he knew nothing about the case, since he was in prison when the attack took place. The South District Court has so far held three hearings and heard witness testimony from four victims of the attack, which took place on Jl. JakartaPost 27 Feb 2018 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/02/27/radical-cleric-denies-involvement-in-thamrin-attack.html

Indonesia’s Ideological Convergence: Emerging Trend In Islamic Regulations? – Analysis Since the Defending Islam rallies in late 2016 and early 2017, there is a perception of a growing ideological convergence between clerics and activists affiliated with different Indonesian Islamic groups, ranging from mainstream ones such as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and.... eurasiareview 2:57:00 AM CET http://www.eurasiareview.com/28022018-indonesias-ideological-convergence-emerging-trend-in-islamic-regulations-analysis/

Pakistan Islamic State doesn’t exist in Kashmir Valley, says Home Ministry The Union government on Tuesday sought to downplay the issue of presence of the Islamic State (IS) in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the terror group had no existence in the Valley. “There is no physical infrastructure or manpower of the IS in the Valley. It does not exist in the Valley,” a Home Ministry spokesperson said. thehindu 27 Feb 2018 http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/islamic-state-doesnt-exist-in-kashmir-valley-says-home-ministry/article22868177.ece ISIS attack claim matter of worry, no visible signs of their presence in J&K There are no visible signs of ISIS presence in Kashmir even as a possibility does exist of it carrying out a lone wolf kind of attack, Jammu and Kashmir police chief S P Vaid said today following the terror group's claim of having killed a policeman on Sunday. dnaindia 27 Feb 2018 http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-isis-attack-claim-matter-of-worry-no-visible-signs-of-their-presence-in-jk-dgp-2589112 Is PTI funding radicalisation? Far from delivering on his promise to bring change to Pakistan, Imran Khan is repeating the very dangerous mistakes of the past. No longer can excuses be made for a political novice with no proven record of government. His party’s tenure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa now speaks for itself. dailytimesPK 27 Feb 2018 https://dailytimes.com.pk/207853/pti-funding-radicalisation/

لماذا أرسلت باكستان جنودها للسعودية رغم اتهامها باإلره :"ساسة بوست" اب؟ المملكة ماضية في توطيد تحالف ..تشرح األسباب وتجيب على السؤال "ساسة بوست" ها مع باكستان بشروط تبدو مخالفة لما كانت عليه فيالسابق الرياض حريصة على االس تفادة من قوة باكستان العسكرية اتخذت العالقة الباكستانية السعودية طاب ًعا خا ًصا خالل ....العقود الماضية؛إذتأسس تحالف من نوع خاص قائم على تقاطع مصالحهما ؛ al-sharq 8:23:00 AM CET https://www.al-sharq.com/article/28/02/2018/%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%a9-%d8%a8%d9%88%d8%b3%d8%aa- %d9%84%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b0%d8%a7-%d8%a3%d8%b1%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%aa- %d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%83%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%ac%d9%86%d9%88%d8%af%d9%87%d8%a7- %d9%84%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%b1%d8%ba%d9%85- %d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%a7%d9%85%d9%87%d8%a7- %d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b1%d9%87%d8%a7%d8%a8%d8%9f

Philippines Military checking on reported terrorist infiltration in Mindanao waters The military on Tuesday said it is validating reports that 40 terrorists were able to infiltrate the waters off Southern Philippines. "We're still closely monitoring. Napakalaki ng ating coastal waters, vast and porous itong ating area. But our forces in Western Mindanao, the Western.... abs-cbnnews 27 Feb 2018 http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/27/18/military-checking-on-reported-terrorist-infiltration-in-mindanao-waters Singapore Singapore seeks to bar communications from terror attack sites Singapore on Tuesday proposed a new law to prevent people at terror attack sites from taking photographs or videos or communicating about police operations, a measure security experts say would be among the first of its kind worldwide. Although the wealthy city-state ranks as one of the.... abs-cbnnews 27 Feb 2018 http://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/27/18/singapore-seeks-to-bar-communications-from-terror-attack-sites Syria Chemical weapons watchdog investigates attacks in Syria's Ghouta The world's chemical weapons watchdog is investigating recent attacks in the besieged, rebel-held Syrian region of eastern Ghouta to determine whether banned munitions were used, sources told . The Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) opened an investigation.... CBC 27 Feb 2018 http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/chemical-weapons-watchdog-investigate-attacks-syria-ghouta-1.4553419?cmp=rss 6 counterterrorism lessons from the Syrian civil war It is almost seven years since unrest in Syria began and spiraled into a civil war that has killed perhaps 500,000 people and displaced millions more. The war and associated diplomacy offers us much to chew on, but the counterterrorism implications are particularly striking—for Syria is both a.... brookings 27 Feb 2018 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2018/02/27/6-counterterrorism-lessons-from-the-syrian-civil- war/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=brookingsrss/topfeeds/latestfrombrookings More fighting, death in Syria after cease-fire fails BEIRUT In Damascus suburbs that have been under ferocious attack by the Syrian government, the first day of a Russia-declared cease-fire Tuesday failed to yield the promised results: Civilians did not evacuate, the wounded were not ferried out, humanitarian aid did not flow in, and fighting persisted. bostonglobe 27 Feb 2018 http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/world/2018/02/27/more-fighting-death-syria-after-cease-fire-fails/8z4aJl4eFvHc8hoiAFarsJ/story.html

Europe UK The “right-wing terrorist threat” in U.K. more significant, challenging than the public realizes: U.K.'s counterterrorism chief The right-wing terrorist threat is more significant and more challenging than perhaps the public debate gives it credit for,” the U.K.’s counterterrorism chief has said. “There are many Western countries that have extreme right-wing challenges and in quite a number of those the groups we are worried.... homelandsecuritynewswire 27 Feb 2018 http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20180227-the-rightwing-terrorist-threat-in-u-k-more-significant-challenging-than-the-public- realizes-u-k-s-counterterrorism-ch Far-right terror threat 'more significant' than public realizes, official warns Britain is facing an increased threat from far-right terrorism , the outgoing head of U.K.’s counterterrorism command said. In a Monday valedictory speech a few weeks before he leaves his post, Mark Rowley, ’s assistant commissioner for specialist operations of the Metropolitan Police Service,.... ABCnews 27 Feb 2018 http://abcnews.go.com/International/wing-terror-threat-significant-public-realizes-british-police/story?id=53383481

“Disclaimer: Any views or articles presented in this email are solely those of the media source and do not represent those of the African Union”. Delivered by: African Union African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) Centre Africain d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Terrorisme (CAERT) Contact: Contact us: [email protected] E-mail [email protected] ACSRT Website www.caert.org.dz