POTOMAC INSTITUTE for POLICY STUDIES 1 Daily Terrorism

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Daily Terrorism Weather Online

9 April 2016

Middle East

Suspected Al Qaeda militants execute 17 Yemeni government soldiers Author/Source: Reuters “Suspected al Qaeda militants in southern Yemen seized and executed 17 soldiers loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Saturday, local officials and residents said…”

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq Author/Source: The Department of Defense “U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today…”

23 Daesh terrorists killed in Iraq: Reports Author/Source: Press TV “As many as 23 terrorists with the Takfiri Daesh terror group have reportedly been killed in different military operations across Iraq…”

Three Palestinians suspected of planning attack arrested in West Bank with guns, grenades Author/Source: The Jerusalem Post “Palestinian sources confirmed that Palestinian security forces arrested three Palestinians Saturday evening after finding grenades, guns, and an M-16 sub machine gun in their backpacks…”

U.S. deploys B-52 bombers to Qatar for fight against Islamic State Author/Source: Reuters “The U.S. Air Force deployed B-52 bombers to Qatar on Saturday to join the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the first time they have been based in the Middle East since the end of the Gulf War in 1991…”

Syrian Islamist rebels capture two key towns south of Aleppo Author/Source: ARA News “Islamist rebel groups conducted Saturday a major offensive on positions for the pro-regime forces and allied militias, killing and wounding dozens of soldiers in Syria’s northern province of Aleppo, local and military sources reported…”

Most Cement Workers Abducted by Islamic State in Syria Freed Author/Source: The Wall Street Journal “Scores of cement works who were abducted by Islamic State near Damascus this week have been released, according to a Syrian opposition monitor and a news agency linked to the extremist group…”

Yemen conflict: 'At least 15 government troops' killed Author/Source: BBC “At least 15 soldiers loyal to Yemen's government have been killed, officials in the south of the country say…”

U.S. Navy leads 30-nation maritime exercise in Middle East Author/Source: First Post “The U.S. Navy is leading a 30-nation maritime exercise across Middle Eastern waters which it says will help protect international trade routes against possible threats, including from Islamic State and al Qaeda…”

Central Asia

'Suicide drone' reportedly used during skirmishes between Azerbaijan and Armenia Author/Source: Fox News “The first known use of a ‘suicide drone’ was reportedly believed to have taken place during the recent skirmishes between Azerbaijan and Armenia…”

Russia says won't halt arms sales to arch foes Armenia and Azerbaijan Author/Source: Reuters “Russia said it would continue selling arms to both Azerbaijan and Armenia despite the latest flare-up of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, angering the Armenians who consider Moscow a close ally…”

South Asia

Bangladeshi al Qaeda wing declares war on atheists Author/Source: Ivan Watson, CNN “Bangladeshi officials are investigating a claim of responsibility by al Qaeda's wing in South Asia for the machete murder of a secular blogger in Dhaka…”

In Afghanistan, John Kerry Seeks End to Bickering of Unity Government Author/Source: Jawad Sukhanyar and Mujib Mashal, The New York Times “Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Kabul on Saturday with a message of support for Afghanistan’s struggling coalition government, which has been bogged down for infighting as it confronts as emboldened Taliban insurgency…”

India in talks to buy U.S. Predator drones, has eye on China, Pakistan Author/Source: Sanjeev Miglani, Business Insider “India is in talks with the United States to purchase 40 Predator surveillance drones, officials said, a possible first step towards acquiring the armed version of the aircraft and a development likely to annoy Pakistan…”

Isis supporter allegedly carves jihadist mantra into former soldier's head Author/Source: The Guardian “The manager of a NSW prison has been stood down after a young Islamic State supporter allegedly attacked a former Australian soldier in a jail cell…”

Philippines gets U.S. military aid boost amid South China Sea dispute Author/Source: CNN “The United States has allocated more than $120 million in military aid to the Philippines this year, the biggest in about 15 years, a senior Filipino diplomat said on Friday (April 8), amid rising tension with China over the disputed South China Sea…” East Asia

North Korea Says It Tested An Engine For An Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Author/Source: NPR “North Korea claims that it has conducted a successful test of an engine for an intercontinental ballistic missile, which it says would boost its ability to carry out a nuclear attack on the U.S…”

China, Pakistan Air Force Launch Joint Air Drills Author/Source: Aditya Kondalamahanty, International Business Times “China and Pakistan are set to stage a joint air force exercise from Saturday, a Chinese military spokesperson reportedly announced Saturday…”

Africa

British Guns Are 'Sold On Facebook' In Libya Author/Source: Sky News “British guns are being advertised for sale on Facebook in Libya, where thousands of Islamic State fighters are believed to be active…”

U.S. Commander: Islamic State Jihadists in Libya More than Double to Up to 6,000 Author/Source: Breitbart “The number of Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) jihadists in Libya who aspire to attack Europe or the United States has more than doubled to between 4,000 and 6,000 in the last 12 to 18 months, but militias there have managed to limit the terrorist group’s growth, says the commander of U.S. forces in Africa…”

Four Egyptian soldiers killed in militant ambush in Sinai Author/Source: Press TV “At least four Egyptian army soldiers have been killed in a surprise attack by Takfiri militants against a camp in the North African country’s volatile Sinai Peninsula…”

Al-Shabaab militants executed by firing squad, as Mogadishu car bomb blast kills at least three Author/Source: Mali and Guardian Africa “In a bloody Saturday, two members of the Somalia militant group al-Shabaab were executed, and a least three people, including, a child were killed in a car bomb blast outside a restaurant in the capital Mogadishu, officials and witnesses said…”

Europe

French protests turn violent as police and demonstrators clash Author/ Source: The Guardian “Demonstrations around France against a draft labour reform law have turned violent, with at least seven police officers injured and 17 people arrested in Paris and Rennes, which saw the worst clashes…”

Belgium attacks: Mohamed Abrini 'admits being man in the hat' Author/Source: BBC “Belgian prosecutors say a man arrested on Friday has admitted being the ‘man in the hat’ seen with the bombers who attacked a Brussels airport…”

Islamic State to target Angela Merkel and Germany amid ‘VERY SERIOUS’ security fears Author/Source: Charlie Peat, Express UK “Germany’s intelligence agency has revealed that depraved jihadis want to carry out Paris and Brussels-style attacks on the European country…”

Turkey police explode bag in Istanbul square after U.S. warns about threats Author/Source: Ayla Jean Yackley, Reuters “Turkish police carried out a controlled explosion of a bag left in Istanbul's popular Taksim square on Saturday, a Reuters witness at the scene said, hours after the U.S. embassy warned of "credible threats" to tourist areas…”

Russian envoy sees no breakthrough in chilly NATO ties Author/Source: Reuters “Russian relations with former Cold War adversary NATO will not improve for as long as the alliance continues a ‘containment policy’ toward Moscow, Russia's NATO envoy was quoted as saying on Saturday…”

Paris terror suspect Mohamed Abrini arrested in Belgium Author/Source: Greg Botelho, Paul Cruickshank, and Steve Almasy, CNN “Is a terror suspect arrested Friday in Belgium the hat-wearing man seen in airport surveillance video moments before one of two deadly terror attacks in Brussels?..”

Belgian Suspect Ameroud Said to Have Carried Potentially Toxic Material Author/Source: Laurence Norman, The Wall Street Journal “Belgian police sent an internal note around in recent days warning that a terror suspect arrested three days after the Brussels attackswas carrying material that could be used to infect people with fatal illnesses like typhoid and cholera, a police official confirmed…”

US & Canada

U.S. needs up to 18 more Russian rocket engines: Pentagon Author/Source: Phil Stewart, Business Insider “The Pentagon will need to buy up to 18 more Russian-built RD-180 engines to power rockets carrying U.S. military satellites into space over the next six years or so, Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said in an interview on Friday…”

Pentagon recommends sending 250 more troops to Syria Author/Source: CLTV “The Obama administration is considering sending 250 additional U.S. Special Forces to Syria to advise rebel groups as part of a broader Pentagon recommendation on how to increase the pace of operations against ISIS, a U.S. defense official said Friday…”

Leak of U.S. Senate encryption bill prompts swift backlash Author/Source: Dustin Volz and Mark Hosenball, Yahoo! “Security researchers and civil liberties advocates on Friday condemned draft legislation leaked from the U.S. Senate that would let judges order technology companies to assist law enforcement agencies in breaking into encrypted data…”

US Warns Citizens of 'Credible Threats' in Turkey Author/Source: ABC “The United States is warning its citizens about ‘credible threats’ to touristic areas in Turkey, especially around public squares and docks in Istanbul and the Mediterranean city of Antalya…”

Puerto Rico governor declares emergency at Government Development Bank Author/Source: Reuters “Puerto Rico's Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla declared an emergency at the island's Government Development Bank (GDB) on Saturday, suspending its lending power and freezing most withdrawals as the bank struggles to avoid default on a crucial May 1 debt payment…”

South and Central America and the Caribbean

Colombia's FARC rebels reject fixed deadline for disarmament Author/Source: Xinhuanet “The leader of Colombia's FARC guerrilla group on Friday refused a demand by the government to established ‘a fixed deadline’ for its disarmament…”