Expert Insights: Dr. Eitan Azani, Acting Director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism Recent events in the Middle East have highlighted that the region resembles a multiplayer game with various local, regional, and international players. This is where the drama unfolds. It is not a
Abstract This paper examines the severe and underreported refugee crisis in Burkina Faso, as identified by the Norwegian Refugee Council. Over the past decade, Burkina Faso has been ravaged by extremist violence from groups such as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), al-Qaeda, and the Islamic
Abstract This paper investigates the decline of France’s colonial influence in Africa, focusing on its extensive military involvement in the Sahel from the late 2000s through operations such as Sabre, Serval, Épervier, Takuba, and Barkhane. Despite initial optimism, France’s intervention aimed at combating radical Islamic
Abstract This paper addresses the deteriorating internal security situation in Burkina Faso, attributed to escalating attacks by radical Islamic organizations across several regions. It traces the crisis’s roots to political instability following the 2014 ousting of President Blaise Compaoré and the spread of jihadist influence
Abstract This paper analyzes the dissolution of the G5 Sahel alliance, a regional cooperative framework established in 2014 to address security challenges and development policies in West Africa. The departure of Burkina Faso and Niger in 2023, following Mali’s exit in 2022, prompted the disbanding
Abstract This study examines the expanding operations of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated coalition, in central and southern Mali and northern Burkina Faso. Through detailed analysis of recent sophisticated attacks by the Macina Liberation Front (MLF), a key JNIM faction, the paper
Abstract This paper aims to analyze the link between organized crime and jihadist terrorism in the Sahel area and the wider Mediterranean in the light of European intervention. To this end, several examples, case studies, and data on the phenomenon will be offered to highlight
Abstract This article examines a thwarted Hezbollah terror plot targeting Jewish sites in Brazil, orchestrated by two Brazilian nationals of Middle Eastern descent, facilitated by Hezbollah’s shift in strategy from using trained agents to employing local recruits via intermediaries. The narrative unfolds with the arrest
Abstract This report investigates a sophisticated and extensive coordinate network orchestrating a disinformation campaign targeting Israeli digital spaces since October 7th, 2023. By using digital forensic strategies and network analysis, this research unearths the magnitude of knowledge, organization, and resource expenditure of the campaign. Network
Abstract This paper critically examines the escalating issue of violent Islamic extremism in Africa, spotlighting the significant rise in terrorist activities by groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. Drawing on a July 2022 report from the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), it underscores the continent’s transformation
First published in Maariv Online. What will happen in the Gaza Strip the day after? It is clear to everyone what will not be there – no Hamas, no terrorist military capabilities, no education toward the destruction of Israel. The first challenge Israel faces is
First published as an op-ed in the Israeli daily Maariv. To understand the threat of the Houthis to Israel since the outbreak of the war against Hamas in Gaza and its regional consequences, it is necessary to understand the unique nature of the organization and
This analysis delves into the unfolding conflict in Mali, with a particular focus on the imminent confrontation in the city of Kidal. As the Malian army, in collaboration with the ‘Wagner Force’ militia, advances toward Kidal, this study seeks to analyze the regional implications and
Recent developments in the conflict between Hamas terrorist organization and Israel have seen Hamas call for a ‘rage day’ on Friday the 13th, urging supporters to take action against Israel from the West Bank, within Israel, and bordering states. Their call included encouragement for acts
On October 20, 2023, the ISIS organization published through the weekly “Alanba”, No. 413, an operation to support Muslims in Palestine. The document talks about three main ways in which believers around the world can join the campaign against Israel and in favor of the
In his recent speech broadcast Friday November 3rd, 2023 on Hezbollah’s media channels, Nasrallah addressed several key themes. Firstly, Nasrallah aimed to bolster popular support for the resistance movement by personally appealing to the families of martyrs (57 Hezbollah’s fighters were killed during the war).
In recent weeks, there has been a notable increase in terrorist activities within maritime spaces. Among others, on December 6, the British Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) west of Port Hodeidah in Yemen.[1] On December 3rd, UKMTO reported another
Regime change as currently being promoted by the government, poses a genuine threat to the Israeli CT ConOps (concepts of operation), which is considered esteemed, leading, and has a powerful standing among its allies around the globe. Given the continued intensification of the judicial overhaul
The article explores the benefits, challenges, and potential impact of ChatGPT, an advanced chatbot powered by artificial intelligence. It appears that at this stage, it can be said that large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (AI) models like ChatGPT have achieved a dramatic technological
Remarks from the Marrakech Platform: Second High-Level Event of Heads of Counter-Terrorism and Security Agencies Between 2-3 June 2023, Colonel (Res.) Miri Eisin, a fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University attended and participated in the Marrakech Platform: Second High-Level Event of
Recently Belgium reached a shameful deal with Iran: an innocent Belgian aid worker, Olivier Vandecasteele, held for 455 days in Iran on fake charges of spying, was swapped for an Iranian intelligence officer, Assadollah Assadi, convicted to 20 years in prison for orchestrating together with
This paper aims to raise awareness among policymakers and security forces regarding the exploitation of social media platforms by far-right actors to denounce the indictment of former President Donald Trump. The study was conducted over a one-month monitoring period from 18 MARCH to 18 APRIL
The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) is expanding its influence in Mali, endangering the city of Ménaka. The Malian government’s armed forces and al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters are absent in the region. ISGS engages in combat with government forces, killing civilians and displacing settlers from
The ongoing protests in Iran, which began following the death of Mahsa Amini, present a significant challenge to the post-revolutionary regime. The protests have not diminished despite violent suppression efforts by the establishment, and there are several distinguishing features of the current unrest compared to
Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter, considered part of the Big-Tech ecosystem, heralds an alarming change regarding online disinformation. Statements about removing censorship and allowing free speech, accompanied by solid end-to-end encryption and weakening the enforcement of online content monitoring, are prominent warning signs for democracy
When looking at terrorist groups’ narratives, one can notice that they define themselves in opposition to another group, usually the West and its values, that is declared to be the enemy. Likewise, the Western group perceives itself as diametrically opposed to “the terrorists,” which represent
“The State of Israel is undergoing a difficult period… We are doing all we can to balance properly between human rights and the security of the area. In this balance, human rights cannot receive complete protection as if there were no terror, and State security
On the night of Sunday, October 31, 2021, a man was arrested for an assault on a commuter train wherein he stabbed a passenger and set fire to the train in Tokyo, Japan. No relation has been confirmed between the attacker and his victims. He
Download the full article in PDF In the early dawn of July 26, 2016, a man with knives broke into and carried out an assault on a care home for people with disabilities in the south of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, Japan. The man, Satoshi
With the recent elimination of Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri at the end of July 2022 and the rise of the new leader for al-Qaeda, Sheik Saif Al-Adel, the organization is now in a position to strengthen its ties with Iran further. While it may seem odd
The Israeli-Lebanese maritime boundary agreement, sponsored and mediated by the US to resolve the longstanding conflict over the maritime border between the countries and the division of energy reserves, is a significant regional and international multidimensional achievement for the State of Israel. From a broad
During Operation Guardian of the Walls (May 2021) the Arab sector in Israel launched a wave of violence that was extremely wide and severe, especially in the mixed cities. It seems that its circumstances and characteristics require an updated assessment and regrouping. Even though it
What can and should be done in order to mitigate the situation and halt the deterioration? First published in the Jerusalem Post
Summary: Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August, there has been an increase in attacks byISIS – K militants targeting Taliban members. ISIS – K is based largely in eastern Nangarhar province but the group has ramped up attacks across Afghanistan since the Taliban
On the backdrop of French and Belgian leaders expressing their worry concerning a chemicals terrorist attack in the aftermath of the Paris 13 November ISIS attacks in Paris please see below my presentation at the panel on “Chemical Warfare at 100” at The 4th EU
“Terror tagging” refers to labeling Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). We argue that terror tagging of Iranian institutions and individuals would facilitate the growth of liberal democracy in Iran, e.g., provide real guarantees to the people of Iran
A suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held Syrian town has drawn widespread international condemnation, with the United Nations saying it would investigate the bombing raid as a possible war crime
In my previous post, I argued that it is of major interest to know if the murderous chemical Syrian air attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Iblib province has been approved or coordinated with the Russian air-force active in Syria. The Russian position
In this time of international, national and interpersonal conflicts where bombast and vagaries are the norm, we need specific, actionable solutions for global problems. We suggest that sustainable stability in the Middle East is possible through a process that calls on regional integration through a
On Monday, May 22nd, 2017, at around 22:30, 22 people lost their lives and close to a hundred were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the foyer of the Manchester Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. At the time of the explosion, close
The deputy security chief of the Israeli embassy in the Jordanian capital of Amman was wounded Sunday night, July 23, after being stabbed by a Jordanian man who was subsequently shot dead. A second Jordanian was also injured in the incident and later succumbed to
The Barcelona Terrorist Attack -A First Assessment
On October 1, 2017, at 10:08pm Las Vegas time, Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on 22,000 people at the annual Route 91 Harvest Festival in the city. 58 people were killed and over 500 were injured. While law enforcement authorities denied a link to any international terrorist
As part of the development of methods and techniques of the terrorist organizations, we are witnessing the constant exploitation of the limitations of today’s common security measures, especially in regard to passengers’ and hand luggage inspection, detection of homemade explosive materials concealed in baggage, detection
Kite terrorism and incendiary balloons are an issue that has preoccupied Israeli citizens and decision-makers for several months now.
