Blog Posts

A new class of foreign fighter is on the move, flocking by the thousands to a war zone, either looking for adventure or hoping to strike a blow for their cause, in ways that are increasingly getting the attention of Western intelligence officials.

Afghan officials are counting votes after Saturday's presidential election that was held amid repeated threats by the Taliban and fear of post-election chaos. Better performance by electoral and security authorities notwithstanding, fears remain that disagreements on the result might engulf the country into a destabilizing fight for power.

"There is “no doubt” it would be easier to combat Colombia’s rebel groups if Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro were no longer in power, Colombia’s foreign minister said, amid accusations that Caracas is providing the groups with shelter."

"As the Trump administration tries to end the war, the Taliban prepare to return to power, threatening the country’s gains since 9/11 in education, economic development and women’s rights."

"Weekend violence suggests a large showdown on China’s national day Tuesday."

"Polls closed Saturday in Afghanistan's presidential election amid reports of historically low voter turnout due to Taliban threats, chaos among candidates and flawed voting procedures."

"The discovery of two drones in the department of Nariño has raised fears about what impact such technology could have on the current conflict in the southwest of Colombia."

"Meager numbers could find the election’s eventual winner trying to defend the legitimacy of the result."

"Houthi rebels in Yemen say they have captured a large number of Saudi troops after a major attack near the border between the two countries."

Via Al Jazeera - "While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoided any mention of Kashmir in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Pakistan's Imran Khan launched an extraordinary attack on his Indian counterpart."

"Japan has raised its caution level about North Korea’s missile capability, saying in a defense report that the country resumed missile tests while taking no concrete denuclearization steps and had succeeded in making miniaturized warheads."

"Afghanistan’s fourth presidential election is underway, a vote that many fear will be marred by violence and fraud. At thousands of polling centers across the country Saturday, Afghans lined up and cast ballots under heavy security."

Via IPI Global Observatory - "Since the emergence of protection of civilian (POC) mandates twenty years ago, there has been significant growth in the number of police deployed in United Nations peace operations. During this time, their tasks have become more complex and their work more central to mission exit strategies."

"A recent UN report claims that commercial and military night vision devices are being supplied to the Taliban in increasing numbers."

"Saudi Arabia has agreed to a limited cease-fire in several areas of Yemen including the capital Sana’a, which is controlled by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, as part of broader efforts to end a four-year conflict that has threatened to escalate into regional war."

"A 400-page document by Peru’s Shining Path guerrillas details the group’s elaborate plans to increase drug trafficking operations and attacks on the military, which may be possible in the group’s limited stronghold. But its long-held ultimate goal — to overthrow Peru’s government — is farfetched."

A U.S. airstrike in Libya has killed at least 10 Islamic State fighters, an official has told VOA. It is the third U.S. strike this month against the terror group in the southwestern Libyan town of Murzuq.

"The collapse of peace talks in Afghanistan has left the U.S. with few military options as intense fighting resumes, while the near complete lack of public and political support for an influx of ground troops means the Trump administration must search for new ways to put pressure back onto the Taliban."

"A bipartisan report is calling on the U.S. to halt its withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, or risk a resurgence of ISIS fighters and entrenchment of Iranian forces in the region."

The Pentagon is sending a Patriot missile battery, four radar systems and about 200 troops to Saudi Arabia to boost the kingdom's air defenses against further attacks.

"A response to ISIS required a new kind of warfare, and so the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command created a secret task force, a special mission, and an operation that would become one of the largest and longest offensive cyber operations in U.S. military history."

"Ukraine has asked the U.S. to provide military supplies to support their fight against the Russians, but the White House has delayed it."

"Syrian government forces carried out a chlorine attack in May, the first confirmed violation of the international accord banning chemical weapons since President Trump authorized a U.S. military strike on Syria in 2018 over its alleged use of poison gas, a new U.S. intelligence assessment says."

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says his country needs "one president, not two," telling RFE/RL that if he wins a presidential election on September 28 he won't accept another national unity government.

U.S. efforts to have European countries immediately take back men and women who left to fight with the Islamic State terror group in Syria are meeting with unexpected resistance from U.S.-backed forces on the ground.